Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Hard and Enriching Curriculum. Past Review

By (Oklahoma State University - Stillwater) - abroad from 02/18/2019 to 05/31/2019 with

University of Basel: Basel - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

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.

This is a great program if students are looking for hard and enriching curriculum. The teachers are amazing and the class sizes are small, which allows students to really participate in each course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration answered all my questions immediately and was always there in case I needed help figuring anything out!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I really enjoyed my housing arrangement, however I would have no idea to stay there if I hadn't reached out to someone who had already studied abroad in Basel. It was also very stressful trying to find a place to live without any help from the study abroad office.

* Food:

Food is challenging in Switzerland because the country is so expensive. This university itself does not have dining. There are a lot of grocery stores around that are easily accessible, however prepare for all the labels to be in German. Any student preparing to study in Switzerland needs to take in account how expensive it is especially food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated with the culture around me. Basel is a small enough town that after just a few weeks there you feel like you belong. The community is very friendly. Also, everyone in your classes are likely from around the area so you get to know people from your classes.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you want to be certain you are safe I highly recommend Basel. Over the 5 months I was there I was never in a situation where I felt unsafe.

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

This was the perfect program for me because it allowed me to meet so many people from different regions of the world. The location of Basel is also perfect for weekend trips. There is an airport and multiple train stations in the city that travel everywhere. The only thing that didn't work well for me was the classes.

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)

Switzerland is SO expensive!

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to utilize grocery stores and cook food instead of going out.

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

  • Dorm
  • 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
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?
  • Meeting some many people from different cultures
  • Being directly enrolled in the university there
  • The location
* What could be improved?
  • Information about the classes
  • Help with finding housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that it would have been made known to me that I would be apart of an exchange group and have the opportunity to meet lots of new people. I also wish that I had more information about the classes and how they worked.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

China- Africa Encounters

Course Department: Ethnology
Instructor: Leslie Braun
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Challenging but worth while class. Braun opens your mind to new ways of looking at things and challenges you to think outside your normal perspective. I highly recommend taking a class from her if given the opportunity!
Credit Transfer Issues: