Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Amazing Program in an Amazing City June 30, 2022

By (Environmental Economics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/16/2022 to 05/07/2022 with

The Swedish Program: Stockholm, Sweden

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Overall very worthwhile. I learned a lot about the city and the culture. I met some really great people. And I learned a lot about myself and how to be more independent.

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.

While an overall positive educational experience, it cannot compare to my home institution. As far as academics.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everyone on the Swedish Program staff was amazing, incredibly friendly and helpful.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Students, not staying with a host family, are provided a stipend to buy groceries and meals. Eating out is expensive in Stockholm.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Interaction was mainly with other students participating in the program, however you do get a good sense and involvement with local culture. I think how involved you are is up to you. I definitely realize how integrated I was more so after returning to the US.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I always felt incredibly safe. More so than the US city I currently live in.

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

I really had the most amazing time and would recommend it to anyone looking for a non-language immersion program. The Swedish Program is run extremely well and I met some of my closest friends. It was the perfect size program where I knew everyone. Stockholm is a really great place to live, and I miss it much more than I expected I would.

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)

We received a stipend that covered most food expenses.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? <25 personal
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook as much as you can

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

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?
  • The city is very interesting and safe
  • The program is well done and all events and travel were incredibly enjoyable
  • The number of students is perfect for meeting everyone and getting close to new people
* What could be improved?
  • The classes
  • SSE Buddy Program
  • Explanation of the airport
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known how quickly it would go by!

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Swedish Language 1
Course Department: Humanities
Instructor: Erik Cardelus
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was not particularly rigorous or demanding of students. I did find it challenging, but I have historically struggled with learning language. Much more of a focus on reading than listening/speaking.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Swedish Crime Fiction
Course Department: Humanities
Instructor: Tim Berndtsson
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course work is heavy (book and supplemental readings weekly) but the evaluation was fair. Overall fewer writing assignments than most English classes at my home institution. The course is small and discussion based. All in all enjoyable and interesting.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Comparative Public Policy: Sweden and the EU
Course Department: Public Policy, Sociology, and Politics
Instructor: Jonas Brodin
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Course was lecture based with some discussion. Relatively light course load for political science course. Interesting and robust. Class and professor most similar to my home institution.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Environmental Economics
Course Department: Economics
Instructor: Wondmagegn Tafesse Tirkaso
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Virtually no work but exam at the end that I felt very unprepared for. Course was not very interesting or engaging.
Credit Transfer Issues: No