Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best five weeks ever. Past Review

By (AOSS Engineering, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor) - abroad from 06/20/2014 to 07/25/2014 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN: The Australian Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that there are many different perspectives to similar concepts and it is very worthwhile to learn all of them.

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.

This program was rigorous but not so much so that it was impossible to enjoy the fact that we were in Australia.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everything was taken care for us and made our lives very easy.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved every different kind of living arrangement that we were given during our stay in Australia.

* Food:

The cafeteria food at UNSW was delicious and freshly prepared.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The culture was very similar to the US. The one exception is that they were much quieter than us and seem to become friends much faster.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health issues while on the trip.

* Safety:

All the areas that we stayed seemed to be very safe and we never had an incidents where I did not feel safe.

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)

It was very expensive in Australia. But, you want to experience everything you can since it is such a distance. Just be prepared to spend some extra money.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $250 dollars per week on food and other expenses.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would suggest as much as possible to shop at grocery stores and make your own food whenever possible.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • I loved the amount of traveling.
  • My favorite experience was diving the great barrier reef.
* What could be improved?
  • The last location we stayed was a little loud.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known that I should have brought dressier clothes for the cities.

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:

Engr 301
Course Department: Engineering
Instructor: Chris Marquis
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was challenging due to the amount of material that was covered in the period of time covered. We took many field trips that were relevant to the coursework that we were covering. Sometimes we even had our lectures during the field trips. There were multiple professors for this course and they were all very prepared for class and were easy to approach. Due to the short period of time that we were in Australia, everyday of class was mandatory. We were given homework from each location and professor and given a final exam on top of a final project and presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues: I did not have any trouble transferring my credits.