Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An Extreme Adventure! Past Review

By (Managerial Economics, Bentley University) - abroad from 09/01/2012 to 12/16/2012 with

Bond University: Gold Coast - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about different culture and also about living on my own. I was in charge of my own budgeting, spending, and trip planning which taught me a lot. Overall the trip was worthwhile and I plan on visiting Australia and New Zealand again!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Block B is far removed from the rest of campus and the single rooms with a common bathroom were not ideal. The accommodation center housing is cheaper, has individual room bathrooms, and is right in the middle of campus.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

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? With traveling on weekends, I spent around $350 per week. Without traveling, I spent around $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you have a meal plan on campus, plan out your food spending so that you have enough to last you until the end of your program.

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
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International 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?
  • Traveling to other cities/islands
  • The Extreme New Zealand Trip
  • Meeting a ton of new friends
* What could be improved?
  • The housing accomodations
  • The food on campus
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? There is so much to see in Australia so I wish I knew to start taking trips earlier in the semester. I wish I knew that there was somewhere different and worthwhile to go to every weekend and had planned accordingly. I waited too long in the beginning and didn't have enough time to go everywhere that I wanted to. Definitely start planning trips the second you get there!

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.