Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Trip of a Lifetime Past Review

By (Mechanical Engineering., University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) - abroad from 06/20/2012 to 07/27/2012 with

University of Adelaide: Adelaide - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned more about Australian culture and realized how much I enjoy traveling. It was definitely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were challenging, but not so challenging that I felt overwhelmed.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program administrators were awesome. They were very friendly and answered any questions we had. They accompanied us on all extra trips and became our friends.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My home stay dad was awesome. He showed us around Adelaide, cooked our meals, and drove us places if we needed him to. His goal was to help us enjoy our trip in any way he could.

* Food:

I've never eaten such good Asian food before in my life.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The culture in Australia is very similar to American culture, so it was easy to feel culturally in sync with the locals.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health issues, so I cannot comment. No extra vaccines were specifically required for this program.

* Safety:

I felt very safe while in Adelaide, even when walking around late at night.

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 expensive, but you can budget and avoid spending money if you really want to.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $75-$125, depending on what we did.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Australia is expensive, so avoid spending money on $3 candy bars and $4 sodas when you can get them in the States. When eating, buy dishes you can't normally get in America. At the same time, don't be afraid to spend money on cultural experiences and trips. Make the most of studying abroad.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • Extra weekend trips are included and pre-planned, but we still have flexibility to do what we wanted to on a couple of weekends
  • Got to live in a single place for over a month, which really helped me experience the city
  • The program coordinators and students that went with me were all great. I made some really good friends
* What could be improved?
  • Cost. It was expensive
  • I didn't really interact with students in my class much, so put more emphasis on that
  • Stress travel outside of the scheduled activities with the program. My fondest memories occured on trips that were scheduled by us when we got there, not by the coordinators
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew more about different cities I could travel to, but at the same time, I don't regret any of my decisions regarding extra travel.

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:

Indigenous Cultures and History
Course Department: History
Instructor: Jenni Caruso
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Course was challenging and assignments and grading were fair. The teacher was very knowledgeable and well-prepared for class. Our assignments were to make a presentation to present during a tute and to write an essay at the end of the course.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Australian Stories: Video Production
Course Department: Media
Instructor: Philip Elms
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was excellent. I learned a great deal about the video industry and how to operate technical equipment. Assignments and grading were fair.
Credit Transfer Issues: