Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A wonderful place to be Past Review

By (Illinois State University) - abroad from 05/14/2012 to 06/15/2012 with

College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS): Salzburg - Salzburg College

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned much about arranging, cultural businesses, the history of Austria, many great memories with friends, learned much about their education system. It was completely worth my time. It was a shame it went by so quickly.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My classes were interesting without an overload of homework

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were great about answering any question you had about the school, the area, or the trips that were available.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed with a host family that was amazing. They took me in as one of their own, but also respected my privacy.

* Food:

The lunches provided by the school were always stellar. Food around the city was different, but overall tasty.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Since the school was all Americans, we did not get to meet any Austrian students, however my host family was great about helping me get into the culture as were my professors

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health problems, but they always asked if I was ok.

* Safety:

Salzburg is a very safe city. I never felt like I was in danger, even in the early hours of the morning.

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)

I often walked places and there are days where things like museums are free. Things do cost a bit more around Salzburg, but most of my meals were paid for, so any expenses were extra things to do.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 40 euro
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep an eye out for deals. Sometimes things will have discounted prices for students, or discounted prices on days.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Classes were very interesting
  • College offered trips to places like Vienna, but also on excersions like going Canyoning
  • The people I met from other universitys
* What could be improved?
  • Sometimes the scheduling causes some people to have to leave excersions early
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Everything shuts down early in Salzburg. Things close around 6 or 7 pm. Also buses run differently throughout the day (how often, not route)