Semester in Adelaide, Australia Past Review

By (The College of William and Mary) - abroad from 02/10/2012 to 06/30/2012 with

University of Adelaide: Adelaide - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about different cultures and interacting with different people while I was abroad. I also learned a lot about myself. I think the experience was absolutely worthwhile. It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I found classes to be easier than at W&M. In each of my classes the professors put their powerpoint slides online and also recorded their lectures and posted the lectures as well. This made it really easy for me to travel a lot since I knew I could always go back and listen to a lecture online if I missed class. Classes are much less intense than at W&M, if you choose this program you'll have a nice semester. Most classes have a couple big assignments or tests that make up your final grade so you just have to worry about those deadlines and not so much class every week.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I never had to deal with any administrators except when I needed to fax a form back to school. They were pretty nice though. You probably won't need to see them very much though.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in university accommodation at the Village while I was in Adelaide. If you want to live there then apply as early as possible! It fills up fast. I liked living in the Village because it was convenient, I had my own room, it was close to the market, and other exchange students lived there. I will say that it was really easy to make friends with lots of international kids who were in the same position as I was, but living at the Village made it difficult to meet Aussies - unless you join a club. Walking to school can get a bit long (it usually took me about 20-25 minutes) but you get used to it. I think as an international student, the Village is the most convenient place to live but it has its negatives too.

* Food:

A lot of the food is similar to what you find in the states. There is also a lot of good seafood, Asian food, and sushi. Try Vegemite while you're there...it's not so bad! The only bad thing about the food is the prices can be a lot more expensive if you're eating out!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I really liked all of the Aussies that I met and getting to travel all throughout Australia. The people in Adelaide (and all over Oz) are really friendly and easy to get along with. If you want to get to know more Aussies I would suggest joining a club of some sort so you can get to know more of them...especially if you are living at the Village!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had to go to the health centre while I was in Oz, but it was easy to find on campus and is where I would have gone if I had become sick. Some friends of mine went there and never had any problems.

* Safety:

I felt very safe while I was in Australia, especially Adelaide. Since it's not as busy as the other cities I felt very safe especially in Adelaide...though I never felt uncomfortable when I traveled to the other big cities. I think as long as you use good judgement you won't find Adelaide to be unsafe, at all.

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)

Australia is expensive...I didn't really realise this until I went over there. However, after your first week or so there you will figure out how to manage your money better. Everyone always seems to spend a lot in their first few days and then panics a bit. You'll be fine! Just know it is expensive over there.

* Was housing included in your program cost? No
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you're really worried about money you can always try to get a job while in Adelaide...you might meet more Aussies that way too...Minimum wage is much higher over there and friends of mine worked so that they could travel more.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Being in Australia
  • Learning more about Australia culture
  • Meeting Aussies
* What could be improved?
  • I wish they'd set up more programs for international students and Australians to interact
  • I wish I'd known more about what Adelaide is like (from students) before going there
  • Knowing more about housing options
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known more about the city of Adelaide. It is a lot slower that the bigger cities in Adelaide and some people find it a bit boring. I really enjoyed my time there but also like that I was able to travel and see the more bustling cities like Sydney and Melbourne.