Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Must go. Do it, now. You will not regret this. Past Review

By (The University of Queensland) - abroad from 06/26/2017 to 08/03/2017 with

Korea University: Seoul - International Summer Campus

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I got to study courses that my university didn't offer, and meet people that I would have never met otherwise, and was able to live in Korea - which is the best country.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The resources made available to us as international students was extensive. They set up special student spaces but also gave us access to all of campus. The lecturers were also available to help us with the material. Compared to my home university in Australia, it was reasonably rigorous - probably similar to the US, but not as difficult as home. I took 2 courses over the six weeks, and it was intensive, but there was still plenty of time to shop and eat and make new friends (for life).

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Amazing! You'd get a response to an email within a couple of hours, and all you had to do was ask and someone would go out of their way to help you. Nicest administrators I've ever had, and most efficient.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Dorms were clean, average sized, but the bathrooms were nice and modern. And it was cheap for 6 weeks.

* Food:

The food was campus was pretty good, but you could walk 50m off campus and find a street of shops and cafes that served amazing food. And everything is cheap around there because of the all the domestic students.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Very much. As long as you're willing to give most things a go once, you'll have a great experience. I got to know a mix of international and domestic students, and because they have a great subway system, you can explore the entire city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Didn't ever have a need for this.

* Safety:

Safest I've ever felt in a city, especially at night. Because everything is open until midnight, walking around even alone is fine.

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

This is my third exchange, and my best one so far. The only negative was that I had to come 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)

It is so easy to live frugally in Seoul. You can get a full meal with heaps of sides for $2-5.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't eat at the western places - pizza, burgers, all that stuff is expensive. Eat proper Korean food while you're in Korea. It's the best food in the world.

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? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • Food
  • Different lecturers
  • Being in Seoul
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I should learn to keep a better journal.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!