Program Reviews

My experience of studying abroad truly felt like a dream. When I think about my time there, I feel so endlessly grateful for the life I lived and all of the lessons I have learned. I went for my spring semester junior year, I arrived in late February and left in late June. I experienced winter, spring, and summer in Korea and it was the most magical thing ever. School started in early March, and every day after classes my friends and I would go explore the city, go to cafes to do homework, shop for our daily necessities and so much more. Every day was filled with adventure and meaningful moments. I enjoyed the time I spent alone exploring the city, all of the precious moments between people, and the beauty of the city. I miss Korea and my life there, and I am so grateful for TEAN and all of their help along the way.

This Study Abroad experience was a dream come true. An important goal of mine was alway to study abroad and thanks to ISA, I was able to accomplish it. I chose Paris, France because I wanted to immerse myself in a new culture and continue my studies with the French language. The staff at the ISA PARIS office made me feel welcomed. They provided us with so many activities and opportunities to experience and learn about Paris. My homestay family was also very welcoming. We would talk over dinner, I practiced my French, and I learned so much from them. I had great professors at the Institut Catholique de Paris who helped with my written, oral, and comprehension skills. I visited dozens of museums and exhibitions abroad since I am an art lover. This was my first time traveling outside of the U.S. and though I was nervous, I learned that I love to travel. I visited many places in France and Europe. This was an eye-opening experience and I learned so much about myself. I really encourage people to apply if you can.

I went to study abroad this summer alone and was scared of not being able to make friends. ISA did an amazing job in hosting a get to know each other-like dinner to meet new people. That night I was able to meet my four closest friends! ISA provided so many resources and support to all their students to help them with navigating the new city and other cities within Italy during our field trips. Additionally, when I was sick the Italy ISA staff took care of me. I am so glad I picked ISA for my first time studying abroad!

Seriously, these months were the best of my life so far. Melbourne is an amazing city. There's so much art and good food, and there's always something to do. I attended the University of Melbourne, and the courses that I took were on the easy side, largely because I was doing what would count towards Gen Ed at my home university. The people in Australia are so friendly and lovely, and I felt very safe there, even in the middle of the CBD. I can't wait to go back someday. Make the most of your time there, or anywhere abroad!

You are missing out if you haven't heard the song "Sevilla Tiene un Color Especial" by Los Del Río. This song perfectly describes my experience in Sevilla with ISA. The song talks about how Sevilla has a special color, and I couldn't agree more. What made Sevilla so special? The people. The ISA staff, professors, and directors were all very nice; they made me feel like family and always helped, whether it was with academics or recommendations for shopping or food. Additionally, I had a host mom who helped me navigate Sevilla and travel throughout Europe.
The culture in Sevilla was fascinating and beautiful. For example, everywhere I went, people were singing or dancing to flamenco. Semana Santa was very traditional, and their tortillas were amazing. Furthermore, the classes were the most interesting I've ever had in my life. They were very active and engaging, and I learned so much. I even took flamenco classes! As I mentioned earlier, the professors were great!
Lastly, the people in Sevilla were very nice. I met many locals who included me in their plans and showed me around. Sevilla will forever have a special place in my heart. I learned so much by exploring a country very different from the ones I've been to. I would highly recommend people visit Sevilla, Spain, but only if it's with ISA.

Thinking about my experience studying abroad, I would say that this has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I got to explore the beauty of New Zealand, learn new things and also meet new friends along the way. The landscape is breathtaking, my friends and I would keep referring to it as a green screen because that’s how pretty it is. I got to see many vulnerable species such as the little blue penguin, albatross, and Kea. Got to visit the largest national park in New Zealand and went on a weekend trip to Lake Tekapo and made multiple stops to explore new places and try new food with the program, and our program director, Dee, was so welcoming and nice. Everything was very well organized and I had the best time seeing cool landscapes and wildlife. Beaches and mountains are very clean and accessible, within an 1 hour drive range. I would definitely go back again, if there’s an opportunity.

Before starting the program, I did not know anything about South Korea except for Korean pop culture. I believe Seoul is the perfect destination for students that want to explore a little bit of everything. I enjoyed being able to go out every day, and just explore a different part of the city, and even a different part of the country. If you are considering Seoul, make a bucket list because there is so much to do! I made great memories, and it was easy to get to know other students even in other universities. Seoul feels much safer, than other cities like NYC, or Boston that I've been to. Whether you are looking for a more outdoorsy experience, or nightlife, or going to concerts, Korea has a something to offer to everyone, and I am so glad I did so by studying abroad with this program!

I just got back from my semester in Sydney, and I am already reminiscing on my experience and planning my visit back! One thing that I loved about Sydney (and Australia in general) is how there is something for everyone. As someone who loves to do a little bit of everything, Sydney was the perfect location for me! It offered the city, beach, mountains, and everything in between within under 2 hours. As someone who loves to get active and be outdoors, I felt that Sydney was the perfect place for me to explore. The public transportation was also amazing and very easy to navigate which was super helpful as a student. My housing accommodation was a 15 minute walk to campus, and otherwise very central to everything! It was so nice to be a 3 minute walk to the shopping center and have the ability to grab groceries to/from any of my daily endeavors. The city of Sydney was safe, clean, and I experienced nothing but positive interactions with locals. Even though Australia is an English speaking country, I found Sydney to be very international, and because it is so much closer to Asia than the United States, I was exposed to a lot of new foods and people which was super cool! Aside from all of these amazing aspects of my abroad experience, the only downside would be the education differences I experienced at the University of Sydney. This was not so much "bad" as it was different. I definitely had to adjust to the academic system in Australia and it took a little getting used to for me to feel more confident in my academics. My roommates and I all were definitely a little bit shocked when we weren't receiving the high grades we were used to receiving at our home universities, and it was challenging at times to balance having a memorable time abroad with also focusing on academics. As someone who cares deeply about doing well in school, this was the only difficult adjustment for me while I was abroad, however I was still able to do very well and my professors were very accommodating and understanding when I expressed concerns. I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone who has been considering Australia for any reason! In my opinion, it is so worthwhile to be able to study abroad here because it is so far away and harder to travel to for only a couple of weeks- it was so awesome to stay for 5 whole months! It was also great to be stationed on the other side of the world and made traveling to other countries (New Zealand, Fiji, South East Asia, etc) a lot more attainable than from the U.S. I am truly so grateful for my time abroad and will cherish the memories I have forever!

Dee was an amazing programme director. We went on so many great adventures and saw the most beautiful places. If you are a big nature enthusiast I definitely recommend going to Dunedin. Don't forget your umbrella or raincoat! The locals know the best places around and will offer up great advice on where to go. Some of my favorites around Dunedin was the Otago museum, especially the void room and butterfly exhibit. The botanical gardens has an aviary with all kinds of birds, and a herb garden where you can sample herbs.

Since high school, my dream has been to study abroad, specifically in Seoul, South Korea. I started watching Korean dramas in 2017, and ever since then, I have been fascinated by the culture, food, and language. What was once just a dream became a reality. I believe it's important to educate oneself about different cultures. Instead of relying solely on media portrayals of a country, it's important to seek opportunities to experience it firsthand to form unbiased opinions. I feel that I've learned a lot about Korean culture through this approach.
One of my favorite experiences was festival week at the university I was attending. They invited artists and groups like Day 6 and Jay Park, well-known Korean artists. It was amazing to see how every department came together and participated in the cheering event where students spent hours chanting the university name.

Would I recommend this to other students?
Absolutely, I think it's a great experience because you get to explore and make memories by learning about a new culture and meeting new people with different perspectives and backgrounds. You also become more self-reliant as you are able to live in a whole new country without your friends and family, so you get to discover yourself and gain knowledge that will positively change your life forever.