Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Best Semester of my Life Past Review

By (University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh) - abroad from 02/08/2019 to 05/20/2019 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Sydney - University of New South Wales

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was absolutely worthwhile! It was an amazing experience to go live across the world for 4 months and adapt to a new city and new culture.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were interesting and completely doable if you put in the effort

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

TEAN was amazing! They were there for you at any time and for anything!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived on Coogee Beach and it was a dream come true!

* Food:

There is something for everyone

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You can be as integrated with the culture as you choose to be. I made Australian friends as well as my fellow American friends.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Sydney and Australia are very safe. There was not a moment where I felt uncomfortable or unsafe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I absolutely loved going abroad with TEAN. They were available every step of the way to make sure I got all the information I needed and more! They helped me choose a program, pick housing, enroll in classes, and any helped with any documentation I needed for the country and school. TEAN allowed me to make friends before starting class, making the transition easier. I could see some of these friends becoming life long friends. I am so happy with my experience with TEAN and anyone thinking about going abroad should choose TEAN.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Sydney is very expensive. So plan accordingly beforehand. That being said you can spend mindfully, budget, and be totally fine.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My housing was right on the beach.
  • TEAN takes you to the Great Barrier Reef during Orientation
  • You can take classes with local students
* What could be improved?
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Sydney was more expensive than I originally thought so if I would go back I would have had a stricter budget.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.