Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An Experience to Always Remember! Past Review

By (Human Biology, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 07/22/2013 to 11/15/2013 with

The University of Queensland: Brisbane - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Living abroad taught me how to be more self-sufficient as I didn't have the opportunity to talk to my friends and family back home that much. It was awesome getting to learn about a new culture and meet people from all over the world.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I didn't care for the academics at UQ because they put too much emphasis on the final exam as opposed to learning the material throughout the course of the semester.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived at Altitude Apartments and it was pretty good. It was a short bus ride to campus and a great location for the city. I had two random roommates as well that turned out well. The place was expensive as maybe a house would have been cheaper.

* Food:

Lots of yummy Asian food! Kangaroo is tasty as well and the Tim Tams were a weekly staple for me.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Class is where I got the most interaction with Australians and I strongly recommend joining a club/group on campus as that's also another great way to get more involved with the culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Never had to be used but was very available.

* Safety:

Brisbane is beautiful and I felt very safe as a female walking around the city alone.

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

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)

Australia is pretty expensive but making your own food helps. I recommend bring all cosmetic/shampoo stuff with you as it is extremely expensive.

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? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Lots of class to chose from that coordinated with my major
  • Beautiful scenery and so much to do in Australia
* What could be improved?
  • More housing options
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had know how much money it costs to travel and saved up more. You have to fly to get to the other big cities/near by countries which gets very expensive. Also that the classes had a much different structure than I am used to which was hard to adjust to.