Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I had the experience of a lifetime in the most beautiful place on earth! Past Review

By (Illinois State University) - abroad from 05/24/2012 to 06/13/2012 with

University of Limerick: Limerick - Summer School Programme

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about where my family came from and all the beauty the country held. It was definitely worth it!

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very nice and helpful but a couple of nights where food was a problem because we weren't informed the restaurants we could eat at would close early or not be open.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

mostly because I got carried away with spending on gifts and souvenirs.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 350
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Pay attention to your spending and stick to a budget to make sure you don't overspend.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • All of the excursions we got to take
  • The ease at which we could see so much of the country and sights.
* What could be improved?
  • The meal situation; it was nice that it was included but the only places we could eat were on the other side of campus which was a pain when it was storming. Also, sometimes we'd get there and the places would be closed without our knowledge and we were out of options aside from spending our own money
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To make a budget to stick to it and to double check to be sure all paperwork is done in advance.