Australearn: Melbourne - La Trobe University Photo

Australia; the most fun you can have in a semester!!

A Study Abroad Program Review For

Australearn: Melbourne - La Trobe University

Program Information

Choose La Trobe and you are choosing to study at the leading Victorian University
for student experience.* Indeed La Trobe has been ranked as one of the top 10 universities in Australia, and one of the top 100 universities world-wide**. When you choose La Trobe University you choose the complete Australian u... More

Provider: GlobaLinks Learning Abroad
Location(s): Melbourne, Australia
Year Founded: 1989
Website Take me there!

Review By:

Meg G. (English Literature, DePauw University) on March 02, 2011

Overall Rating

Personal Information

* Start Date: 2010-07-05
* End Date: 2010-11-22
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Never really needed it in Australia but wouldn't have known where to look if I had.

* Housing:

Single rooms and nice bathrooms!

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Lots of interesting things to do around my university. But also very easy to travel around the country.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Never felt unsafe and never in danger

* Home Institution Advising:

How well did DePauw University prepare and support you for your time abroad?

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? VERY EXPENSIVE. Everything is more expensive in Australia. Was spending over $100 a week including grocerys.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? SAVE BEFORE YOU GO. Everything adds up. It's hard to say no to traveling so you want lots of money to be able to do as much as you can. Also you forget about every day things like groceries and transport.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students

A Look Back

* If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same program? Yes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? SAVE MONEY. It was really the only issue I had. Plan where you want to travel before you go and make sure you plan to do them all otherwise you will get to the end of the semester and realize you havent done something you really wanted to do.
* What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile? MOST DEFINITELY. Changed the way I look at life, my major, expanded my horizons and made some of best friends.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Monsters, Savages and Us

Course Department: History
Instructor: Gabi Haynes
Instruction Language: Englsih
Comments: Very interesting content presented in a unique way.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Narrative Analysis

Course Department: English
Instructor: Ian Topliss
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Interesting variety of readings.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Australian Aboriginal History

Course Department: History
Instructor: Richard Broome
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Interesting because about local history. Lot of work.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Renaissance Voices

Course Department: English
Instructor: Paul Salzman
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Lots of reading and essays were marked to strict criteria.
Credit Transfer Issues: