Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A life-changing adventure, beautiful country, and fantastic program! Past Review

By (Quinnipiac University) - abroad from 02/04/2015 to 06/22/2016 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Dunedin - University of Otago

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
v

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Excellent variety of courses to choose from and can accommodate most required classes for home universities. Professors are very approachable and willing to help out.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was definitely exposed to a lot of NZ and maori culture, partially thanks to TEAN. However, a lot of the housing and complexes were American students all grouped together.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

It was very easy to make an appointment and go to the schools health center. They have free appointments for most issues, as long as you are a student, and there was no issue receiving this as an abroad student.

* Safety:

I felt extremely safe no matter where I was in the city and felt comfortable walking downtown at night.

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)

Some things were definitely more expensive than the states, however it was still very manageable to stay on budget. You just have to accommodate for certain food and personal care products that will be a little pricey.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Be aware and track money you are going to need for essentials so you know how much you can use on adventures. Overall, you have to pick and choose what activities/sightseeing you want to do because you wont be able to do everything.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Pre-semester Fiji Trip
  • Assistance from TEAN staff and their willingness to help with anything throughout the entire semester
  • Program structure, housing, friendly staff!
* What could be improved?
  • Transportation to airport at end of semester
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? v

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Animal Designs for Living

Course Department: Zoology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was very interesting, and incorporated 3 field trips to collect research from local shore areas and conservations. It was a valuable learning experience and fun to get outside of the classroom for lab. The lecture could be challenging at times to remember all of the classifications for the final, but very manageable if you put in the time to study a bit. There were a few lab reports to write, but all the staff and the grad students were very helpful and they were graded similar to my home university. Overall it was a great course and I would recommend to anyone interested in this field.
Credit Transfer Issues: It was very easy to transfer over and I did not have issues.