Worth visiting! No scary spiders! July 27, 2026
By Raaya F (Wellesley College) - abroad from 02/23/2026 to 07/20/2026 with
University of Melbourne: Melbourne - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Definitely helped me develop different learning habits and study harder than ever! I got to explore a lot and see so much art and history! Very grateful to have the experience of studying at such a world class uni and meeting some cool people in the process! Great coffee and food scene - trust me!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
If you're curious about a more European (especially British) education then Melbourne is a fantastic option! Lots to do, good varied subjects, so much to eat and overall good support for students. It is a little expensive though! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I decided to live in one of UniMelb's residential college's which offers catering services and other amenities similar to Wellesley. I thought the social aspects were a little forced but if you want to be able to try fancy things like attend balls or be in college sports teams, then you'd probably love it! |
| * Food: |
Pretty basic dining hall food, very strict rules about portions though and the variety needs extreme amending to! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* 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) |
YOU GOTTA BUDGET IN MELBOURNE!!!! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 AUD |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Definitely check all the costs related to the visa and housing prior to moving, its a lot more than you might expect. If you are choosing to live further away, be aware that transport costs add up veryyyy quickly. Also, eating out and travelling will absolutely be the most expensive parts of going to Australia! |
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? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Make sure your courses transfer over and start studying earlier than you think you should! Travel internationally (its so much cheaper to explore South east Asia from Australia)! |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
