Program Reviews

I enjoyed that this program only held classes from Monday through Thursday and it allowed for us to travel to other places during the weekends. The staff was particularly helpful with any issue I had and it helped reassure throughout the semester that I made the right decision. The extra-curricular activities they offer bolster the reputation the program has and it was enough to provide an outlet for my extra energy outside the classroom setting. Do not hesitate twice on selecting this program if you want to have an eventful study abroad experience in Barcelona!

Studying through Arcadia was amazing because they helped me be prepared for anything i could expect. Housing was set up, they even bought bedding. We were showed around town and orientation in Dublin beforehand was not only helpful but a great set up to meet everyone. I also loved the excursion opportunities. I wish there was one more option that left Ireland, but the excursions were very planned out and perfect.

Absolutely loved my semester at UCD and the Arcadia program as a whole. While I only made friends with a couple of other students on the program, I am still glad I chose Arcadia study abroad because of the wonderful support and extracurricular experiences offered by the program. The Arcadia staff was an amazing group of people who only added to how much I loved Dublin and UCD. The extracurricular activities also gave me the opportunity to meet students studying through Arcadia’s other Ireland programs.

This was a wonderful experience. I met so many people from all over the world, travelled to cool places, and learned a lot about myself. The most enriching thing from this experience was meeting people from different countries. Since Edinburgh is such an international city, it was easy to meet people not only from Europe but from Asia as well. I'm glad I didn't hang out with Americans as much. Meeting all these people helped me realize it's impossible to really understand other people and yourself without meeting people who have been brought up in completely different cultures and environments. The Arcadia Global Studies program facilitated a few trips that I took advantage of. I really appreciated that the trips were well though out, subsidized, and informative. I was also really pleased with how kind the program staff was. Although I never really sought out help, I wouldn't have hesitated if I needed it.

Studying abroad with Arcadia was the best thing I could have done for myself. I had never been abroad prior to studying abroad, and Arcadia gave me the support I needed to step out of my comfort zone. I am so happy that I was able to go on this program and discover myself and form friendships I will have for a lifetime. I encourage everyone to be your authentic self and put yourself into everything you do. Put yourself out there. Try to learn Italian. Engage with professors. Travel, but don't miss class. This can easily be the best experience of your life if you want it to be.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Arcadia in London. The staff was very friendly and wanted the best for their students. The orientation seemed long and unnecessary because we then got the exact same information from City University where we actually studied but it was mandatory so we had to go. I also had a negative experience with the Academic Center when I asked for help and they told me they couldn’t help me because I wasn’t directly enrolled in their classes. On the bright side, the excursions that they planned were fun and it took all of the planning away because they take care of everything. My time in London went so fast that by the end, I wished the program was longer than 3 months!

An incredible experience and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I was able to grow professionally and advance my career goals while simultaneously having the experience of a life time in Europe. I was able to travel and learn so much more than I could have at home. I would highly recommend this program to other students and explain why it was so worthwhile for me. I already miss Ireland more than I would have imagined and I hope to return again some day

Going on the Arcadia internship program improved both my college experience and my life. Before going abroad I had no work experience in my field of study. Now due to the program I have four months of work experience and a professional credit in theatre. I loved living in Princess Elizabeth House! Although the commute was longer than I was used to, It allowed me to see new parts of the city. The Arcadia staff were always very helpful and available for whatever’s needed. I will forever love this program for making living and working in the amazing city of London so seamless and wonderful!

When a snowstorm pushed my departure date back I was nervous that I was going to miss out on meeting everyone at orientation and be lost the whole program. This was not the case at all, as soon as I arrived everyone (the advisors and other students) were super helpful and welcoming. I never had an out of place or homesick moment being surrounded by everyone. We all quickly became a little family through sharing meals, going on little trips, surfing and living it up at the beach.

My tips:: don't be afraid. There are so many opportunities for insane and memorable things to do in Australia. Come in with a positive mindset and don't be afraid to branch out or do things out of your comfort zone. Skydiving, surfing, even traveling to South East Asia were huge milestones for me but I wouldn't trade them anyday.
:: Try to go to Whitsundays. A somewhat expensive trip but completely worth it. Located between Cairns and Brisbane, this place has the most amazing beaches and sea life. One of my favorite and most memorable places of this whole semester abroad.
:: Don't sleep in. Most days I tried my best to wake up early and do something with my day. 4 months went by really fast, so it's really worth trying to spend every day outside or going to the beach (which is only 7 minutes away). The more time I spent away from technology or outside, I had a better outlook on everything.

We were able to have two orientations, one in Melbourne and another in Byron Bay and throughout the semester little trips within our program were available. I lived in the Blocks, which were single dorms but still communal. Even though I was living on my own I was still able to be friends with all the other girls on my floor. This whole semester was unforgettable, everyone was so nice and helpful. While we all live in different places across the United States, we still keep in contact every day and are planning trips around the world for the future. This was the best four months of my life, you become so close with the people and the memories will last a lifetime.

Going abroad with Arcadia University in Barcelona was an incredible experience that I would 100% recommend to anyone considering going overseas. Barcelona is a beautiful city, but it was the staff and the people I met through my program that really made my experience so special. Arcadia offers a smaller, more intimate approach to study abroad. I was not just one of 200 kids studying at the university. Since it was a group of 30 students everyone created a unique bond and was extremely supportive of one another. I met some of the best friends of my life through this program. The academics were great and really incorporated doing more learning outside the classroom, and got us into the city a lot to learn more about the city's culture and history. I would highly recommend this to anyone.