The Education Abroad Network has set up a solid program for studying abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland already provides an abundance of opportunities to learn about Kiwi culture, but TEAN fully prepares students to live in a new country for 5 months.
TEAN is very good at making checklists of the required items we need. This made it easier to adjust in New Zealand and also less stressful. They helped with my visa application, university application and payments for the program.
One of the outstanding things about TEAN is the number of trips and events they plan for the students. Throughout the semester, they will host cultural events such as a rugby game or surfing for students. This helped me explore more of the country but without the hassle of planning it myself. One of the unique things they provided for us was a voucher for the Sky Screamer in Auckland. It's the perfect precursor for adventuring in New Zealand.
The residential advisors are the best people to talk to learn about the culture or just places to eat. They seem genuinely concerned about the students and whether we are making the most of our study abroad experiences.
What would you improve about this program?
This program could be improved by adding more events to mingle with the locals. School can sometimes get in the way of events so scheduling around these times could be helpful. Still, there were plenty of events to go to.
The Education Abroad Network did nothing short of making my time abroad the best it could possibly be. Within my time there they offered trips to Sydney, Cairns, Melbourne, Thailand, and New Zealand while I had the opportunity of living in the Gold Coast. They made it possible and easy to visit the places you wanted to see in your new country as well as help you get to know the new town we lived in. The housing they provided had easy access to the beach, transportation to nearby towns and uni, grocery stores, restaurants and bars, and anything else you could need! I learned so much about myself from studying abroad, it gave me chances to become independent and push my comfort zone to new levels. TEAN easily helped me accomplish all my goals of living in a new country and I would go back in a heartbeat. I highly recommend it to any student looking to study abroad!
Studying in Australia was the best thing I've ever done. Melbourne is an amazing city that's devoted to the arts and food. Whether you want authentic Chinese dumplings, French belgian waffles, Thai mango rice, Greek gyros, or just a delicious burger, you can get it. If you want to spend your nights in hidden bars dancing to some funk, or checking out a play or concert or art gallery, Melbourne is the place for you. If you need to get away from the city, there are beautiful ranges, mountains, and beaches just a short train ride away. My favorite part about this journey was that you can get anywhere in Australia and the South Pacific (Bali, Thailand, New Zealand, Fiji, Sydney, Cairns to name a few paradises).
As for the University of Melbourne, it's considered the best university in Australia. You will be surrounded by bright individuals who are devoted to school. If you find yourself more of an artistic type, opt for RMIT. Both are great schools with great professors and resources.
All in all, I met the most amazing people, experienced the most amazing things, and would recommend studying through TEAN to anyone. They are with you every step of the way, give you lots of treats, and plan the most incredible adventures of your life.
What would you improve about this program?
The one thing I would change is being able to choose our own housing. However, the housing provided ended up being really great and allowed me to meet and be near other students in the exchange program.
Australia has always been on my bucket list since I first saw the movie Crocodile Dundee and it did not disappoint. When I arrived in Syndey on the orientation I fell in love with Australia. Greeted by the amazing and friendly staff of TEAN made it that much better. While we were in Sydney the TEAN staff created a treasure hunt all over the city of Sydney. After that one day, I knew Sydney like the back of my hand! Over the course of the semester, I got to experience so many places with such great people. I went to the Whitsunday Islands, a couple of beautiful rainforests, ST. Douglas and Bali. It is an experience I think that everyone should have a taste of if they can! If you want to study abroad explore traveling with TEAN!
Seriously do it!! One of the best decisions Ive made!
Jul 22, 2015
The reasons for studying abroad with TEAN in Chiang Mai are so abundant. For me it was the perfect balance of academics, social life, volunteering, travel, culture and downtime. My classes were all relative to Thailand, and Southeast Asia and it was fascinating to learn about the region while living there. TEANs excursions were all incredible, the trip to Krabi (southern part of Thailand) was a definite highlight, as well as the monthly dinners and cooking class at the end of the semester. The TEAN staff were all incredible and such a pleasure to work with. If you choose to study abroad I have no doubt that it will be a highlight in your life and you will be so happy you chose to take a leap and do it! I know I am! :)
Studying in Sydney was one of the best experiences of my life. I was able to be challenged in classes, since I was taking classes from my major as well as having time to travel. I was able to make it up to the Great Barrier Reef, down to Melbourne, and over to New Zealand, as well as many day trips near Sydney! Living by Coogee Beach was just an added bonus that TEAN made happen. Without TEAN, I would have been living on campus and not getting the full Australian experience. Most Australians live with their parents so the campus was filled with international students. TEANs housing provided the chance to experience the beach life as well as being close to school for an easy commute!
One of my favorite activities that TEAN hosted was the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb. It was included in the program cost and something everyone should do when they go to Sydney! The mid semester break to New Zealand was also unbelievable. I never thought I would get to climb a glacier or bungy jump, especially not all in one week! My trip to Australia was definitely one for the books. It's an experience I will never forget!
What would you improve about this program?
TEAN provided many optional activities and meals/ coffee breaks to catch up throughout the semester. I wish there were a few more included meals in the semester to show us some other good places to eat, although the few places we did go were delicious!
I've been to Madrid 5 times before and studied abroad with 2 different companies prior to "studying" with ISA and I can honestly say ISA has been the worst company ever. Their policy is if something goes wrong it is your fault. If you find a problem with their substandard housing or education, then it's your problem not their. ISA Madrid and the main staff in Austin are completely useless, rude, and do not care about their students. Unwilling to help you, and in fact hide their shortcoming to make themselves look professional. AVOID, AVOID, AVOID!!
Response from WorldStrides
Dear Fabian,
Thank you for taking the time to review our Madrid program. We are always open to constructive feedback from program participants so that we can continue to improve and provide the best student experience possible.
It's truly unfortunate to hear that you felt your experience abroad was inadequate, after all the assistance that ISA has provided to you. While we continue to assist you with ongoing matters, we wish you had shared these concerns while you were abroad, not after you returned home, so that we could have been in a better place to directly address them and help you have a great experience. While you also did not like the host university, historically, ISA students have felt differently. In fact many expressed a sense of pride in being a part of this particular university, with it over 700 years of academic excellence and it being ranked within the top 250 universities in the world according to QS. Again, we appreciate your feedback and will take it into account during the thorough program evaluations we administer each term.
When I arrived to the Gold Coast, I could not believe that the beach was my front yard. Getting around the city is very easy due to the newly constructed light rail. It was especially helpful that the last stop was Griffith University, where I was going to be studying for the semester. The people on the Gold Coast are so friendly and will not hesitate to help you out if you need directions or just want to chat! During my time in Australia, I traveled to Sydney, Cairns, Byron Bay, the Whitsundays, Thailand and Singapore. It is an experience I think that everyone should have a taste of if they can! I can honestly say it is life changing and has changed my outlook on what I want to do with my life.
From start to finish, TEAN had made itself very accessible for any questions. Both in country and before the semester, they made sure all needs were met. My housing was unreal, high above what I expected. The city of Gold Coast was incredible to live in for a semester. I was able to take all courses that I had wanted to, as well as become involved in the university as a whole. The excursions, both within my city, and all over the country, encompassed so much of the Australian culture, that I felt I had gained so much from each trip I went on. Highly recommend to anyone studying in the south pacific region!
What would you improve about this program?
A more equally distributed internet access handling. Some city housing included routers, while others were simply done on an internet stick, though the payment was the same.
Studying abroad with TEAN in Sydney was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I set out to learn engineering from a different culture and atmosphere, yet I got so much more. I had the opportunity to make many new friends, go outside of my comfort zone to have amazing experiences, and as a result learn more about myself. My experiences in Sydney gave me enough direction to know how I wanted to go about the rest of my university studies.
TEAN gave me many of these opportunities and experiences by organizing trips to parts of Sydney and other cities. Without them I probably would not have thought to organize, or even do in the first place, these trips. They also have people living in Sydney to give me direction or advice whenever I needed it. I definitely recommend them for their organization, excursions, staff, and an overall fantastic experience in Australia!
Response from WorldStrides
Dear Fabian,
Thank you for taking the time to review our Madrid program. We are always open to constructive feedback from program participants so that we can continue to improve and provide the best student experience possible.
It's truly unfortunate to hear that you felt your experience abroad was inadequate, after all the assistance that ISA has provided to you. While we continue to assist you with ongoing matters, we wish you had shared these concerns while you were abroad, not after you returned home, so that we could have been in a better place to directly address them and help you have a great experience. While you also did not like the host university, historically, ISA students have felt differently. In fact many expressed a sense of pride in being a part of this particular university, with it over 700 years of academic excellence and it being ranked within the top 250 universities in the world according to QS. Again, we appreciate your feedback and will take it into account during the thorough program evaluations we administer each term.