Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A transformative & expensive experience July 06, 2026

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/06/2026 to 05/11/2026 with

American University of Paris: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
How to live alone & balance it with school/real-life responsibilities. So much independence and learning to do things myself without relying too much on others.

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.

I liked my classes and my professors. I found everything pretty interesting and just the right amount of rigorous for studying abroad.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Pretty good, but I struggled a little with exam accommodations because you are supposed to submit a form for them at least 2 weeks in advance. I have ADHD and I feel like this system is kind of contradictory to the needs of people with learning disabilities & struggles with time management. It would be a lot less stressful if profs just knew of students' learning plans and could work with them directly for testing accommodations.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Studelites - it was a nice room but you have to report any issues to maintenance within the first week or else it comes directly out of your safety deposit. Also kind of far from many things and not much community with other students, but it was nice overall.

* Food:

Amex Cafe food is good. I saw somewhere online that there were 3 euro lunch options at places near campus but I didn't see any.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You definitely have to take matters into your own hands to meet people and integrate, but orientation helped with finding friends.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There's no health center that can help you directly, but they can find people for you/answer questions/recommend things. I wanted to get a Ritalin prescription since Adderall is illegal in the EU, and they sent me the info for 2 doctors, but it was a little overwhelming to figure it out so I just gave up since I was leaving soon anyway.

* Safety:

Never really felt unsafe, even if I was alone walking at night. Not too much catcalling either; I mostly just got compliments that felt somewhat genuine and not threatening.

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

Yes unless I was looking for somewhere cheaper or easier to find/make friends and socialize.

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)

I would plan to have $4-5K for everything minus travel for a semester. Paris is expensive, but groceries aren't too bad if you know how to shop smart. Public transportation was $110/month but 100% necessary.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $500
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Setting up a GoFundMe saved me. Meal prep/don't eat out too much. Cocktails are very expensive, wine is usually very cheap though. Compare hostel/hotel/airbnb & bus/train/plane/blablacar for travel.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

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

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • N/A
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Location
  • Travel opportunities
  • Profs & classes
* What could be improved?
  • Metro costs, having student option
  • Mixing with other groups during orientation
  • Diversifying student body
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It is kind of a hard place to fit in because a lot of students are very preppy or alternative, but not much in between.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.