Best Semester Ever. June 10, 2025

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

UNSW offers a lot of resources to students that contribute to success. I only found the program academically rigorous during final season, otherwise my workload was very manageable and I was able to balance my schoolwork well. During finals the workload was very intense.

On-site administration of your program

There wasn't an extensive orientation program but direct enrollment students so I did not feel prepared to start school. However, I did not need that much administrative help during my time abroad.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

There are not many on-campus housing opportunities for direct enrollment students. I did not realize this at first and thus had to scramble to find housing when I learned that I wouldn't be able to live on campus. I lived a few blocks from campus in an house run my a study abroad accommodation program. I had 14 housemates and we all shared a communal kitchen. I ended up loving my housemates and living in the house but would rather have lived on campus.

UNSW has a lot of great on campus food options, but you have to pay for all of them. The prices are reasonable and the coffee was really cheap. I was surprised that they didn't have large dining halls like we have in the United States. I cooked at home a lot and would pack a lunch to bring on campus to eat between classes.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

A lot of students at UNSW commute to school so it was hard to befriend locals, but I met a lot Australian students in my classes which was fun. I joined the UNSW club volleyball team to integrate with locals and also pursued opportunities unaffiliated with UNSW to meet locals, like trying out Sydney's run clubs.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any healths issues that needed to be addressed. However, if I did, I had great student healthcare that granted me access to many services.

I felt like Sydney was very safe and I always felt safe walking around the city and UNSW at night. The public transportation is really nice and safe and I always used it at night too and never had a problem.

I would go to UNSW through a provider program like Arcadia instead of direct enrollment. It would have been an easier transition and finding housing on my own was a nightmare.

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

2 - not very easy. Sydney is a very expensive city and I was spending a lot of money on groceries every week. Exploring the city after class and on weekends was also costly. I spent about $60 a week on groceries and $40 a week on public transportation, which is already $100 a week plus other expenses on experiences.

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• Apartment

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Being in Sydney
• My friends
• Opportunities to travel

• Housing process
• Orientation
• Course scheduling

The Avid Adventurer