Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I Spent My Favorite Semester of College in Portugal July 24, 2026

By (Sociology and Anthropology, Wofford College) - abroad from 01/27/2026 to 05/11/2026 with

SIT Study Abroad: Portugal - Communications & Media

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Not only did I learn quite a bit about the world of communications in the age of social media, I also learned so much about the culture. I had never been to Portugal before, so it was amazing to experience rituals and sample local foods. I became very familiar with getting around Lisbon and traveling outside the city without a need for GPS. Coming back to U.S., I feel changed. I feel more resilient and confident. I realized how much I love getting outside of my comfort zone, even if I experience periods of homesickness.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was among the first students to complete this abroad program. You get close with professors and your academic coordinator, which I like coming from a small liberal arts college. There is a lot of hands-on learning with microphones, cameras, social media, and editing software. This program has less busywork and more large-scale assignments that you are given several weeks to complete. The end of this program becomes more intensive with the Independent Study Project where you are tasked with completing a multimedia project about a topic of interest on your own time. You are given an advisor to help you with this project, and you can always turn to your academic coordinator or other professors for advice. So, plenty of resources are available. If you budget your time wisely, but still reserving some days for travel./fun activities, you will complete your project on time.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

For this program, we were all assigned our own rooms complete with a bed, bathroom, and mini fridge in student housing. We shared a kitchen with people who were not enrolled in our program. While I appreciated having my own private room, sometimes the staff were unfriendly.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I caught an illness while in Portugal; however, SIT's medical insurance and telehealth service made it easy to speak with a doctor without needing to leave my room.

* Safety:

I felt fairly safe in Lisbon; the safety level is the same as any other big city. However, I did have my phone, credit card, room key, and metro pass stolen towards the end of my program. So, be very cautious of pickpocketing, especially in touristy and crowded areas!

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

I love Portugal. There's lots to see and do in the north and south of the country. Travel is also quite affordable; I once paid 5 euro for a FlixBus to the Algarve region. I loved getting to know all of the people in my program as well, and my professors and academic coordinator were passionate and friendly individuals.

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 probably spent 50 euro each week on groceries. However, money spent on nights out and travel expenses can quickly add up. If you keep track of your spending, you can still have fun in Portugal on a budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 euro or more total
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Work a lot before you go abroad. I worked 3 jobs the summer before I went abroad. It was tiring, but I made enough money fund all of my expenses without help from my parents.

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
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? We only had a Portuguese 1 class throughout the semester.
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? Study the language everyday using your favorite learning tools. Talk with locals to learn listening and speaking skills. Order in the local language at restaurants. Try reading signs and advertisements and labels without Google Translate (but, of course, use Google Translate for emergencies).

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Other
* 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?
  • The city of Lisbon
  • Traveling with my program
  • Trying new things
* What could be improved?
  • Communication between academic coordinator and students
  • Time management of assignments
  • More hands-on activities
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew I wouldn't be able to do a lot of independent travel. I had a bucketlist of places I wanted to visit that I never got around to. However, I found that to be a blessing in disguise. I got to fully immerse myself in Portuguese culture, and I got to travel all over the country. I did get to go to Spain, which was another country I hadn't visited before. It was so amazing.

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!