Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

East meets West Past Review

By (Economics., Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/18/2013 to 05/15/2013 with

University of Hong Kong / HKU: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Absolutely. My classes were fun, but what truly made me grow a lot as a person was the people I met in HK.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I think Wellesley is much harder than HKU, and the people at Wellesley also seemed to be smarter.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

HKU is very inefficient and quite old-fashioned in terms of their administration.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I liked my hall and hallmates, and I got one of my top choices in terms of living arrangement. I liked the fact that my hall was very close to main campus.

* Food:

Cafeteria food was ok, but still better than Wellesley's. That didn't matter much because there are plenty other options around campus, and in Hong Kong in general.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was lucky I knew people in HK who introduced me to their friends, so I was able to experience local life.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues, but I didn't even submitted a health form.

* Safety:

HK is extremely safe. I was able to take a cab from anywhere back to campus, and even walking back late at night was never an issue.

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)

Food and transportation are very cheap in comparison to the US. However, because there is not meal plan, I think I ended up spending a lot of money on food without realizing it.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat at local eateries, usually they don't speak English, but their food is excellent and very cheap.

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
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* 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?
  • People
  • Food
  • City
* What could be improved?
  • HKU's Study Abroad Office
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More Cantonese.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.