Best Semester of My Life Past Review
By A student (communication, University of Connecticut) - abroad from 01/18/2013 to 06/14/2013 with
Uppsala University: Uppsala - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
My time in Uppsala was most definitely one of the most formative experiences of my entire life. I met friends from all over the world who, a year later, I am still in touch with. I had the chance to travel, but for the most part I enjoyed staying in Uppsala because there were always things to do. One really cool unique trip we did get to go on was to Lapland - the Northern part of Sweden. I became more confident, happy, and independent. The community of international students is large enough that you will find friends who are like you and have similar goals, but small enough that you feel a part of something. It is hard for me to sum up how amazing the experience was but I would 100% recommend to go on this program.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It depends a lot of which classes you take. One of my classes was about the same amount of work as in the US. One was basically a joke. One was a bit less work but I got a lot out of it and Basic Swedish was spread out so it was not too much work at once. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was the best! There is a very active student life at Uppsala University. They do a lot to try and make international students feel welcome. There is a week of orientation activities and each nation has an international secretary. There is a large international community so you are able to meet people from all over the world. You can become a part of the University community with ease and participate in events through the nations. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The good thing about Uppsala as opposed to other Scandinavian programs is that you can eat at the nations if you want to eat out and the food is tax-free so it is less expensive than other "restaurants". |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish someone had assured me that it would be okay and that there are opportunities to do everything you could want but nobody will force you to do anything you don't want. You can always try something new and learn new things but there is not one stereotypical Uppsala exchange student. You'll make friends and have an amazing time. Also, it will eventually get warm so bring some clothes for warmer weather. |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
