Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Academics were ok, being abroad was great! January 05, 2023

By (Environmental Policy, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/15/2022 to 12/08/2022 with

The University of New South Wales: Sydney - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Gained independence and perspective. Matured as an individual and learned about myself. Very worthwhile, not sure I could have matured in the same way at Middlebury.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Different to Middlebury, high quality professors, many resources available, medium rigor was a pro because facilitated abroad experience

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very hands off, requires some level of independence to succeed

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Lived off campus, hard to find affordable housing in Sydney that checks all the boxes

* Food:

Lived off campus, cooked for myself.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Interacted with the international community/ other study abroad students. Hard to interact with local Australians

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I would not directly enroll, I would join a program that would facilitate my stay. I would also do a full year

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 an expensive city. I lived off campus and housing was definitely the most expensive factor. Hard to live on a small budget and get the full study abroad experience while living off campus

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $500
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Get room and board.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Living in a new place
  • Exploring new interests
  • Meeting new people
* What could be improved?
  • More help with logistics/paperwork
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Direct enrollment is great if you want to be fully independent but it will limit the amount of people you meet.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Sydney Environment
Course Department: Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great introduction to Sydney.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

International Relations and Sport
Course Department: General Education
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not my topic of interest. Class was taught almost completely in 3 hr lecture format which were long and dry (in my opinion). Minimal assessments
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Culture, Experience and Change
Course Department: Arts
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Interesting and timely content, hybrid format was not very engaging but very accommodating.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Understanding the Self
Course Department: Arts
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Fascinating topic, class was very well structured, material/assessments were engaging and manageable.
Credit Transfer Issues: No