WorldStrides Reviews

I have been at Newcastle for about 8 weeks now and I love it. Since day one, people living in the International House with me have been so friendly. They plan college events often (at least 1 every two weeks, but usually more) which gets me involved on campus and helps me to meet new friends. Sometimes, the people that have been living here for a while are kind of cliquey, but overall people are pretty friendly if you are outgoing enough.

Classes are equally comparable to those in America. I am taking all 3000 level classes and they require about the same amount of time and work as the upper level classes in America. I wish that I took at least 1 class that was lower level just to lessen my work load so I could have more free time to travel and such, but it isn't too dampering.

The weather when I first arrived (mid-July) was cooler than I had expected, so don't forget a jacket if you're coming around the same time.

The downtown/bar scene is very similar to America, but people dress a little nicer here - you can't get in with flipflops, so bring at least 1 pair of nice shoes.

Things are more expensive here so think about that when budgetting. Bus fare is $3.60 one way, a box of cereal is around $7, shampoo is $10, makeup is 4x American prices... just be aware that general living expenses are more.

Overall, though, I am loving this experience and if I was to do it all over again I would do it the same, except I would have done it my Spring semester (begin at Newcastle in Feb). AustraLearn was an amazing help and they have a great system set up for everything that needs to be completed before leaving and the program in Cairns was an amazing experiences that I am beyond happy I was able to be apart of.

Studying abroad through The Education Abroad Network was absolutely amazing. From the beginning, they were helpful and friendly. They were always there to answer the million questions I had prior to leaving. I went to Griffith University in the Gold Coast which was so much fun. I met some of the best people. TEAN provided me with great housing options. I stayed at the Meriton which was a beach housing option. It was a brand new apartment building just two blocks from the beach. There were pools, hot tubs, cleaning services, and fully furnished apartments with balconies over looking the ocean. The staff there was great. Even while in Australia, TEAN staff was there to assist us whenever we needed it. I highly recommend going through TEAN as well as to Griffith University.

I would most definitely recommend this program to anyone. The Education Abroad Network set all of the students up in a 5 start hotel that overlooked the ocean. The town that we lived in was nothing but safe and was a 5 minute bus trip to surfers paradise. Griffith is amazing, nothing like any school in the US. The teachers are interesting and classes are fun. I can't stress this enough if you are going to Australia you need to go through TEAN. They made my trip unforgettable.

We had such an epic time while attending Griffith! We lived on the beach (although we were left to attain our own accommodations) in a great Holiday Apartment and loved the nightlife in Surfers Paradise.

The Campus was very nice and always updating classrooms to stay up to date. My classes were challenging, I was a part of the theater troupe and participated in student government. I really felt like a part of the community.

I would, will, and have recommended the EuroLearn Stirling program to anyone who asks me about advice for studying abroad.

The people who I interacted with from both EuroLearn and from Stirling's International dept were kind, helpful, personal and attentive.

Stirling was a fun and welcoming campus, and provided the perfect location for travelling both in my host country (by train) and to other countries (by train or plane, with two airports within an hour of the uni.)

The program included an excellent orientation in England, where I met with other EuroLearn students and got to experience another culture close to my host country without the hassle of planning the trip--it was all organized by EuroLearn and beautifully carried out.

A lot of studying abroad involves problems, mixed schedules, or just general mishaps. EuroLearn was always a comfort during these times and never a burden, and, in my opinion, continues to be the perfect example of what studying abroad should be.

The Campus: The University of Adelaide was located on a beautiful campus in South Australia. It was a bit of a walk from my housing accomodations but was close to the city center. The campus was intertwined with art museums, an outdoor mall, and breathtaking scenary.

The Classes: The two classes I was enrolled in included Indigenious Peoples and their Environment and Community Engagement Learning Project. This program was a five week intensive winter program. The classes were challenging with many papers due within a short period of time. However each classes actively involved me in what I was learning about. I was able to travel to Camp Coorang for my Indigenous class and I was also able to work with Women's Information Services with my Community Engagement class. The professors were very accomodating to the short time slot as well as to the study abroad students. They were readily avaliable for help if needed.

The Accomodations: I stayed at The Grand Apartments in Adelaide. These apartments were very spacious and included cleaning maintanance each week. The gated facility offered safety and comfort. The gym and pool added to my overall living experience.

The Excursions: The excursions within my time in Adelaide were a bit less than what I was expecting. An excursion to the chocolate factory left me unsatisfied as the company did not put on a tour for my group. However, the trip to the wildlife park was a trip to remember. Being able to feed kangaroos and hold a koala was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The excursion to Sydney far exceeded my expectations however. Here my group climbed the Sydney Bridge and took a sightseeing tour around the city.

The People: Australearn matched my group up with a wonderful coordinator. She cared about each individual, helped us plan outside excursions, and was a pleasure to be around. We also had some peer mentors come along to some of the excursions. It was wonderful to meet each and every one of them and a blast to have them come along on the excursions.

Overall I would recommend this program to students looking to study abroad. Personally, I have wanted to study abroad since I graduated high school. I had always wanted to study abroad for a semester in Australia. However, time and money would not allow for this. The winter program at the University of Adelaide was a great compromise for my situation. I was able to meet people from across the United States and around the world. The experiences I was able to endeavor and the friendships that I was able to form are somethings that I would not trade for anything.

Studying abroad has definitely been the most exciting and rewarding experience of my life. The lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories that I have made are irreplaceable. I don’t think that I could have had a better experience anywhere else or with anyone else.

I knew that I wanted to study abroad in New Zealand since I was in high school, and the only question I had was how I was going to get there. Looking back on it now I feel that the best decision I made regarding my entire abroad experience was making the decision to go with TEAN as a provider. The people at TEAN are extremely friendly and helpful. They really attempt and get to know their students and help them feel comfortable as much as they can.
I attended the pre-semester trip to Fiji, which was absolutely amazing and a perfect way to meet the other program members. The nervousness and anxiety that I felt on the flight over was immediately replaced with excitement once we arrived at our resort and I met the other TEAN students. The pre-semester trip and the orientation in Auckland made the transition to New Zealand and being abroad for the first time much easier.

I was originally studying at the University of Canterbury until the February 22 earthquake struck Christchurch and we ere forced to transfer. TEAN did an amazing job with helping us switch schools and made the transfer to Massey University in Wellington much easier for us. The support that TEAN provided us during this stressful time was outstanding. The people at TEAN really helped us feel comfortable and took care if us during the process of moving.

My experiences in Wellington were also amazing. I loved the city of Wellington and living in the Cube apartments made for easy and quick access to campus as well as downtown Wellington and the beachfront. Wellington is an awesome city with a lot of culture and art. Although Massey Wellington is particularly suited for design, fashion, or art students, I found my business classes to be very interesting and academically challenging. I enjoyed my time in Christchurch but I am very glad that I ended up going to school in Wellington. It was an amazing place with friendly people and I doubt I will ever live in a city as unique as Wellington. I will never forget my experiences in New Zealand and cannot wait to go back!

While attending the University of Arizona I had the opportunity to study for one semester at the University of Western Australia in Perth. The remains one of the single best experiences I had during my undergraduate education and I would highly recommend considering Perth if you are interested in studying in Australia.
The University of Western Australia is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and attracts an extremely diverse and accomplished student body from all around the world. The campus is simply beautiful and often compared to Oxford or Harvard. The dorms (referred to as colleges) are extremely social and one will quickly be indoctrinated into the 'university' experience via a plethora of activities.

The city of Perth is also beautiful and remains one of my favorite places I have had the chance to visit. You will learn that Perth is one of the most remote cities in the world; with a 2000 mile radius before finding another city equal it's size. That said, it is a city of nearly 1 million people and has all the night life and events one would expect from a city that large. Once you leave the city you quickly see that it is indeed remote and you will experience first hand the 'real' Australian Outback, something those that study in Sydney will unfortunately miss out on. There is great surfing and some of the most pristine and untouched beaches in and around the city. Perth is truly a hidden gem with many people living their whole lives in Australia and never visiting the city.

Lastly, for those considering using the University of Arizona's study abroad program I have only positive feedback for you there as well. I decided to go with only about 1 week before the deadline and the office did everything they could to expedite the process and get me into the program. The University of Western Australia has very high standards for admission and I was thankful for the support I received while navigating the admissions process. They were also helpful in coordinating my living arrangements in the dorm, however this was still a separate process from getting admitted to the program.

Many students from the United States study at the University of Western Australia and most (70%) come from programs run through either Butler or Beaver College. These programs take care of all of the arrangements including travel and even provide a 2 week tour of Australia prior to beginning classes. However, the downside is that these programs are extremely expensive and you pay Beaver or Butler directly. By utilizing the University of Arizona's program I actually spent less money by studying in Australia than I would have by paying out-of-state tuition for a semester at Arizona.
In summary, I highly recommend studying in Perth over nearly any other city in Australia. I also highly using the University of Arizona's study abroad program if you have the opportunity to use them. Lastly, if you do attend the University of Western Australia, make sure you attend the annual toga party,...you won't be sorry!

Studying abroad on the Gold Coast was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Everyone is really friendly and they love to party! If you decide to study at Griffith, living at the Griffith University Village is a must. It isn't 5 star accommodation but it is a lot a fun. It is a ten-minute walk to campus and a ten-minute walk to the grocery store. If you want to go to the beach, it is only a 25-minute bus ride. Griffith is very academically challenging. I would recommend taking classes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday so you can travel and enjoy yourself on the weekends. Studying abroad makes you more independent and more outgoing. The only advice I wish I had before I left would be to not worry about what people think about you and just go all out. Go big or go home.

My study abroad experience was so unique and memorable, and there are a variety of reasons why I believe it has changed my life. We lived in the Meriton Hotel located in the heart of Broadbeach where we were in walking distance of the nightlife, restaurants, shopping plazas, food stores, and the beach. Because the beach was only a block away, we were able to utilize the parks and jogging paths throughout our stay. Our location allowed us to become fully immersed in the culture, and make connections with the locals. The classes I took at Bond University corresponded nicely with my home university, and credit transfer was effortless because of the guidance we had before, during, and after our study abroad experience. One of my fondest memories of my study abroad experience was the travel opportunities I was able to take. As part of the Education Abroad Network's pre-semester trip to Fiji, I spent my first week of abroad on an island with 40 people I had never met before. To say this trip brought us closer together is a complete understatement. I met many of my lifelong friends on this trip, and was truly inspired by the natives of Fiji and their way of living. My trip to Thailand during the semester was also an eye-opening experience, as I became fully appreciative of the Thai culture, food, spirituality and way of life. We also were able to visit an orphanage while in Thailand, which changed my life and still has effects on me now that I am in my home country.

Studying abroad is not just about living in a different country for four months. It is about making lifelong friends and seeing the world, opening your eyes to so many situations and opportunities that you have never seen before. By studying abroad at Bond University through the Education Abroad Network, it has changed my life and career path. As a Health Policy and Administration major, I am now taking a serious look at other country's health care systems and am considering a career in the global health field. I strongly believe that studying abroad will provide you with an experience that has the power to change your life and give you meaning and purpose that you have never felt before.