Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Good experience overall, but not academically stimulating Past Review

By (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 09/01/2014 to 07/31/2014 with

Tsinghua University: Beijing - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I achieved quite a bit of personal growth from my experience abroad, as well as interacting with other internationals was a very eye opening experience. Definitely worthwhile.

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.

Teaching style very different from the US. The professors are teaching to students who mostly want to continue on the graduate school immediate after undergraduate. In a way it was simply grad school exam prep, which is not particularly educational for students who are trying to learning the material in ways that they can apply it. But Tsinghua is not known for its English-taught courses, the quality of classes are much higher if taken in the Chinese language.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Decent administration overall.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Off-campus housing.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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

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)

The cost of living in china is very low, even in places like Beijing.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? about $50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Look for local places that sell Chinese food instead of going to western restaurants, they're generally much cheaper. Also, campus cafeterias are very cheap, a decent meal can be bought for less than 3 dollars.

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
  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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 various international students
* What could be improved?
  • English academic courses
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That the quality of teaching in English at Tsinghua would be so poor, but I would strongly recommend the Tsinghua program for anyone who can take classes in Chinese.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.