Fantastic Experience - Highly Recommend

I entered the University of New South Wales Study Abroad program on the recommendation of a friend, but otherwise knew little about the university or Australian culture in general. Almost immediately upon my arrival, I felt properly assimilated into my new surroundings; this is of course a testament to the incredible work of the UNSW study abroad staff.

From an academic perspective, I found the curriculum to be as challenging or as carefree as I desired. There was no shortage of challenging, intellectually-stimulating courses for me to consider, across a wide variety of disciplines. If I had one academic regret from my time there, it would be that I did not engage in my classes (and their intelligent, accomplished professors) more fully.

From a social perspective, Australia possesses a unique and welcoming culture. Australians have no inherent bias against Americans, and are ready and willing to accept travelers into their inner circles, even if just for the evening. Moreover, the American students with whom I traveled shared a unique bond and opted to spend a significant amount of time together during our stint abroad, which I later discovered was unique when compared to friends' experiences in other countries. One student from my orientation class loved her experience enough that she chose to return to Sydney full time after college (she still resides there).

Simply put, my experience at the University of New South Wales was one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life. I emerged from my time there with a newfound appreciation for my future, as well as what the world had to offer. And to this day I remain close friends with several of my American classmates I met there. Don't think - go!