A Year Down Under Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

UQ has really high academic standards and it is really hard to get a grade above an 85% (about as hard as it is to get a grade above a 95% in the States). That said, the quality of the teaching and learning was excellent and apart from some questionable post-grad tutoring, I have really appreciated and loved the academic experience.

On-site administration of your program

Everyone in administration was really friendly, but I kept having errors in my enrolment and acceptance.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I decided to live in one of the residential colleges (Union College) and I love it! The college is located right next to the university campus and is therefore extremely convenient. Additionally, as a study abroad student it can often be difficult to fit into the social life of a direct enrollment program. Living at a residential college makes this 100% easier by giving you an automatic social life and plenty of exposure to both domestic and international students.

The food is pretty much what you'd expect from a college cafeteria. Decent, but not homemade. However, there are also plenty of food options on the university campus.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Australia's culture is pretty similar to the US (although closer to the UK) so I felt quite comfortable.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The Health Service is really receptive to all kinds of issues. You have to make an appointment unless there is an emergency, but they also have open hours where you can walk in and wait to be seen by a nurse. Once seen, people treat you very well and I have had many positive experiences here. There were no prevalent health issues and while the university suggests/requires you to be up to date with vaccinations, there was nothing in particular that Australia requires.

A city is a city and has its own inherent dangers, especially for a female. But the university does its best to make sure that students feel comfortable. They provide an after-hours shuttle bus that can take you around campus. There are many emergency call points. And the residential colleges each have their own team of security. The city itself is small and quite safe. Taxis and buses make transportation easy and as most college students went out at night together, there were always people around to help you if you get lost.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I am living in a residential college so most of my basic needs are met. However, living in Australia in general is expensive and very tricky for student budgets. It pretty much all depends on what you are paying for (vs your parents). I survived fine with about $8,000 for the entire year (including the 3 month summer vacation).

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• the people I met (Australians are incredibly friendly)
• the location (beautiful and widely varied landscapes)
• what I learned (Australia's unique environment allowed me to learn much more than I am able to in the States)

• more weekend travel/trips
• more connectedness between tutors and professors
• more non-alcoholic meet and greet events

The Academic or Linguist