A semester spent at the beach January 06, 2024

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Did not feel very academically rigorous. This probably is not true for full-time students at UNSW, but the courses that most study abroad students took seemed easy. There was minimal class time. Most of the work was the one big assignment at the end of the course.

On-site administration of your program

The people at Arcadia were great. They provided fun activities for us to do during orientation, as well as throughout the program. They were very supportive throughout the process-- the director even reached out to me specifically when a student from my college died. This was an act that showed that the people in Arcadia genuinely cared about us.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved how close we were to campus and how nice and spacious the apartment was. My roommates were all easygoing and it made for a peaceful but fun living environment.

All of the food was cooked individually, so can't really give a rating on the program. There was an option to live in an area with a dining hall but I'm not sure how that food was.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

All of the students in my program were American, which I felt kind of limited my ability to make Australian friends. The program did a good job of immersing us in the culture and showing us local events, but I wish that I made deeper connections with some non-Americans.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues, but the friends that I did said it was super easy and cheap (free even). Setting up appointments was easy as there was a care center right on campus.

Sydney is an extremely safe city. Kensington, the suburb where we were living, felt like an even safer extension of Sydney. It was relatively quiet and I never heard of anyone having any incidents.

I loved the friends I made within the program due to our shared interests and personalities. The program gave me the ground to develop those relationships.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The exchange rate was good so it made it cheaper for US students. Food was not that expensive.

Select all that apply

• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Americans
• International Students

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The support of the staff
• The events they put on
• The ease of transition to Australia

• Shorter orientation
• Variety of home universities

The Avid Adventurer