Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The people of Belfast taught me how to have fun again. Past Review

By (Peace Studies, Millsaps College) - abroad from 01/22/2013 to 05/30/2013 with

IFSA: Belfast - Queen's University Belfast

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about my own field through living in Belfast, and I learned how to let lose and have a good time while still being productive and learning things.

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

Ifsa-Butler's Northern Ireland program was very unorganized from my experience.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Not really applicable, I bought and cooked by own food while abroad.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated with the local culture, but that was entirely my doing.

* 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)

Being able to live on what I had saved before going would have been much easier had my scholarships from Millsaps lost while abroad been compensated for in the next semester.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? approximately 50-90, more if I was traveling during the weekend
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Budget on a weekly basis and budget for fun stuff because you'll probably end of spending less money doing that than if you just tell yourself you'll never buy alcohol, etc.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • The people I met, hands down
* What could be improved?
  • They could handle our class schedules much, much better than they did.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had just used a different program to go to Belfast, although I do love the people that I'd met.

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.