Program Reviews

Orientation was definitely a success! Surprisingly learned a lot in a short amount of time. The orientation leaders made it interactive and I actually ended up meeting my core group of friends after a small scale icebreaker game. Wellington as a city has been nothing short of an amazing place. Besides the big hill from town to Kelburn campus, which is most definitely a hike, everywhere is walking distance. I would definitely recommend studying in Wellington simply because it is the most accomodating New Zealand city for a study abroad student (its between Auckland and Queenstown so its a great fit for travellers during the school year, too!) As for Victoria University, it has been pretty accomodating thus far, although on the expensive side. School work isn't too demanding, leaving quite a lot of time to travel on weekends. I do wish that the school gym was free... that was a bummer. Then again, just getting groceries in town and coming back up the hill is the equivalent of leg and bicep day. Overall, I would HANDS DOWN recommend living in Wellington, especially University Hall housing. I live in a flat with six other students all from different countries. It has been a blast... can't wait to visit Wellington again!

This experience was beyond amazing. Choosing New Zealand as my country of study was the best decision I have made. NZ is so unique, and a lot of times a country that people forget about. It’s just one of those countries that you have to see the whole country to be satisfied. TEAN was a great choice of progam, as they know how to support us in any way possible and make us feel as comfortable as we can in such an unfamiliar place. After talking to others through different programs, it just seemed to me that TEAN really knew what they were doing compared to the others. Studying abroad in general taught me how to adapt to new cultures, how to be way more independent, and how to stop caring so much about what others think and just live my life. I am so greatful for this experience.

I'd never been to Asia before, and studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea was the perfect place to start! Not only was Korea University an incredible school (both beautiful and prestigious), but Seoul itself was lively, and the perfect mix of old culture and new experiences. The combination of wildly flavorful food, natural wonders, and shopping was amazing! Plus it was easy to do weekend trips to other countries as well!

TEAN made the experience so smooth by taking care of the logistics, and being great with their communication and transparency. I was able to reach out to the coordinators about anything and everything- from details about my visa and class registration, to suggestions of things to do like hikes and rice wine tasting. TEAN was also a great way to meet people, and do activities that would have been more difficult on my own, or that I would have overlooked. Overall, it was a life-changing experience!

I spent 5 months in a country I can now call a second home. The connections I made there will be life-lasting, and I gained so many useful skills whilst I was there. I have a new-found independence that I acquired whilst abroad. I wouldn't change a single thing about my experience, and I am grateful that TEAN provided as much as they did to make the experience what it was. The intercultural experiences and events TEAN provided facilitated personal growth and connection forming, for which I am grateful for.

Studying abroad in New Zealand is easily the best decision I have made in my college. When I finally decided to do it, I knew NZ would be the perfect place. And perfect it was! Dunedin is always bustling with activity. It has such cute coffee shops on George Street, a bunch of local beaches, and plenty of places to go out at night. I took really cool classes at UOtago including Global Marine Systems, Environmental Sociology, and Maori Society; it gave me the opportunity to learn about topics of interest but through the lens of a different culture. On top of this, I was able to volunteer with two local organizations, and this really helped me immerse myself into the local community.

I also spent every weekend traveling all over the South Island doing tramping trips and sight seeing. I highly recommend Queenstown and Wanaka :) Overall though, the process of studying abroad was so smooth because TEAN helped organize all the logistics. If youre thinking about studying abroad, do it. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Hands down best experience of my life. TEAN had everyone who went through the network meet in cairns where I met people from the states that will then be dispersed all over Australia! This made it SO easy to travel everywhere because you had a tourguide and a place to stay where ever you went! throughout the entire abroad experience TEAN made it so easy and so enjoyable constantly giving me opportunities to explore! I truly miss Australia and the people I met there everyday.

Studying abroad in Melbourne was the most amazing experience. I have grown to be extremely independent and full of confidence. I have explored the Australian culture and grown a great love for it. University of Melbourne is a beautiful and prestigious University. I felt extremely lucky to have the opportunity to study there. I would choose Australia and Melbourne over and over again. I would recommend this program to every person out there. I wouldn't change a thing about my experience.

Studying abroad in Southeast Asia was an experience that I will forever take with me. It was such an fun, eye-opening, and adventuresome way to learn about yourself and new places! TEAN was a great organization and the experiences and people I met through them are invaluable to me! The split semester between Thailand and Vietnam was an a unique way to study abroad but was a great way to compare different cultures and places within the region of Southeast Asia. Both offered great housing accommodations, classes, and excursions!

I never thought it would be so hard to leave. Australia was without a shadow of a doubt the best experience that I've ever had. Whether it was my time swimming with a sea turtle at the Great Barrier Reef, learning to surf at Bondi Beach, or getting to know people from all over the world, TEAN made this trip the best it could possibly be. As I look back on my time in Australia, the only thing that I regret is that I actually left. One of the best parts about the trip was that I got a really good idea for what I wanted to do after graduation. I'm studying journalism and communications, and as the semester wore on I was really enjoying not taking my journalism classes, so I realized that wasn't for me. On the other hand, one of my favorite classes, Media, Society, and Politics, really drove home a point that I had been thinking about. Back at my home university I had taken several classes talking about social media, which I had really enjoyed! However, MSP really showed me how deep and how interesting this topic was, and as a result I'm pursuing a job in social media post graduation. I wouldn't have had that experience without studying abroad.

New Zealand really gave me the study abroad experience of a lifetime! Every weekend I was off on a new adventure with friends from home and within my program. In just 5 months I was able to travel to 23 different cities within the country, some even more than once because I couldn't stay away (Queenstown, Wanaka, and Wellington). From the very first day, while I was a bit homesick, I was able to take my mind off of it by getting out of my comfort zone, going on hikes, skydiving, bungee jumping, skiing and so much more! The bonds I formed with my roommates, and the friendships I made with classmates and other local students and neighbors is something that I will cherish forever. Be prepared for spontaneous road trips and fantastic views and lots of sheep and lambs, which are the absolute cutest things I have ever seen. Don't for one second hesitate about doing something, because you never know when you will have the chance to do it again. Dunedin itself is a classic college town, full of students and faculty, and with downtown only a 10 minute walk down a street lined with restaurants, cafes, and shops, the social scene is out of this world. Personally, there were so many things to explore, I feel like I didn't have enough time! Always remember to sit back and take in the moment, though, because time moves fast. My study abroad time in New Zealand may be complete, but I am determined to go back some day!