Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A fantastic journey Past Review

By (University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign) - abroad from 06/23/2018 to 08/05/2018 with

Korea University: Seoul - International Summer Campus

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained the ability to be more independent, since I had to live on my own in a foreign country whose language I did not really speak. It was worthwhile because I was able to get a more global view of the world and learn about and be immersed in another culture.

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

There were many many volunteers and employees who acted as resources for students and helped them with any issues they might've had throughout the trip.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorms were quite nice but the air conditioning system was a bit confusing.

* Food:

The food in Korea in general was amazing

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I wish I would have interacted more with Korean students/citizens

* 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? No

I would like to experience a different sort of setting and gather new experiences rather than repeating the old.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $100-150 but depended on what activities I did that week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Create a budget and be careful not to overspend on things you don't need

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

The program itself did not but the Korean language classes did

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None (for Korean language)
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Go outside of your comfort zone and practice simple things like ordering food at a restaurant or saying hello, thank you, and goodbye at the supermarket

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?
  • Helpful volunteers/employees
  • Cultural activities
* What could be improved?
  • The buddy system and Kakao groups were a bit confusing- some people were in multiple groups and some were not in any, more group hangouts
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Before going into the program, I wish I had studied Korean more so that I would feel more comfortable being surrounded by the language. I also wish that I would have been more outgoing and made friends at the start of the program rather than during the middle.

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.