Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Would only recommend if you're extremely able bodied August 19, 2026

By (Women's, Gender, Sexuality Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 07/08/2026 to 08/18/2026 with

Brandeis in Siena: Making, Seeing, and Mastering Art in Tuscany

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I enjoyed it when I had more free time and freedom to choose how to spend my time. I think it was fun, but the cons outweighed the pros. That said, I'm still glad I did it.

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.

It was extremely intense. There was not much opportunity to work on paintings on our own, it was very structured.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

It was fine.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Fine.

* Food:

I have allergies, and they were less than helpful. Also, during group meals, I received veryyy different food, I had to ask, and it was often at a different time in the meal.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I wish we had more time to integrate, but the time I did have it was fun!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program did an overall poor job with dealing with healthcare. I am chronically ill, and communicated extensively before I even paid the deposit for the program to ensure I would be able to receive my medical infusions while abroad. They did not work to solidify anything in a timely manor; there was excessive back and forth and we went in a lot of circles. Ultimately, after I insisted and followed up multiple times a day, I ended up receiving my medication a week late, which caused flare ups for me and made me less able to participate in this program. I also had to pay a decent amount, and we were lucky that hospital took my insurance, otherwise they were going to make me pay to fly to Greece to receive my infusion. Additionally, they did not help much at all with allergies or with other medical accommodations.

* Safety:

I felt plenty safe!

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

They did not do what they needed to do to keep me healthy. I thought I was going to have to go home.

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Going to see the Bienalle!
  • It was very pretty
  • They helped us get to Siena
* What could be improved?
  • Medical competency and academic accommodations
  • Balancing intensity of academics with the fact that students are abroad and want to have time to explore and integrate
  • Timeliness of information before departure.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That they would not do an adequate job of dealing with my medical issues, and that I would be basically completely on my own to deal with my disabilities, not really receive academic accommodations, etc.

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.