Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Since I went to a small liberal arts school back home, I enjoyed experiencing a different education system at a large university. Each class usually had two lectures from a professor each week with a supplemental weekly "tutorial" group, where tutors (grad students) led labs or discussions. I found it to be an enriching way of learning.

On-site administration of your program

IFSA Butler was extremely organized, from the initial application process to the day we left Melbourne! I liked that we had a contact who lived in Melbourne and held office hours, and she was also great about responding to e-mails. I also appreciated that there were social activities planned throughout the semester, but some of the events I didn't particularly care for (ocean kayaking?). Still, I'm glad that I choose the IFSA Butler program - expectations were definitely met.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was lucky enough to live in a residential college, which provided a great opportunity to socialize with Australian students. Only complaint is that my room got cold (no central heat) - my roommate invested in a small heater, which was a lifesaver!

Not always terribly healthy options (I did gain some weight that semester...but that could also be due to beer intake at pubs!), but there was usually a variety of choices and a nice sandwich bar at lunch.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I made great friends and enjoyed getting to know the city. Melbourne has some terrific areas to explore and is very easy to get around (great tram system and also a pretty walkable city). One note: Australia is not a terribly easy place to get around, unless you have some disposable cash to spend on airfare. I did a weekend trip to Sydney that was fairly affordable, but it's expensive to get up to the Great Barrier Reef or see any of the outback. Still, Melbourne is such a great city that I never really felt the need to head anywhere else.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No health or safety issues I can recall.

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