Program Reviews

Like other reviewers, I was really nervous to go. But I'm a public health and history major, so it was the best place to be. I had an internship at the West Africa AIDS Foundation and the NYU professors are great, but really the best part of the experience was the Accra staff. The CRAs, administrative staff, and the security guards both at the academic center and the dorms are some of the most wonderful people. It was so nice to develop closer relationships with them because we saw them every day. There's a sense of community I had been missing in New York. The food is also awesome, you'll never have better pineapple or plantains than there! And NYU took us on some fun trips to make sure we were seeing more of Ghana than just the city.
The biggest downside I would say, (besides the painfully slow wifi) is the difficult adjustment to the way (in my experience, at least) men felt they could treat us. We were occasionally followed or had our arms grabbed, but the security guards were fantastic at making us feel safe on campus.

The field trips at this site are phenomenal and varied. Although Buenos Aires itself is a bit homogenous, the country of Argentina itself is not. Another great thing about Argentina is that you can visit many different types of places cheaply and quickly, especially by bus. The landscape of the country itself is extremely varied, including, snowy mountains, a tropical forest, and an arid desert region. Just plan ahead to visit them all!

I loved studying abroad at NYU Florence. The campus was incredibly beautiful and was much more of a community than NYU New York. The staff is incredibly supportive and involved. There were events almost every night such as La Pietra Dialogues Educational talks and Cupcakes and Color. NYU Florence also brought us on trips around Italy! My favorite was to Cinque Terre, where we went hiking with our resident assistance, Eduardo. My professors were very involved, knowing every student on a first and last name basis. They were extremely concerned with using Florence as a platform for learning. I took Cultural Foundations III and Social Foundations III while abroad. I got to study text about the culture and history of Italy while being able to directly visit and seeing the pieces and places. I had Elementary Intensive Italian three days a week with Monica Merli, who was incredibly understanding and kind; she did an amazing job of teaching us a brand new language. I volunteered at Casa San Felice, taking care of babies for women who were domestic violence victims. I struggled with communicating in Italian, but there was a lot of support from both the NYU Florence community and native Italians. I lived in an apartment near the Duomo on Via Ricasoli. It was a beautiful apartment and I would always hear music and crowds of excited tourist from the street. Living in Italy was a big change for me; I'd never left New York before and it was my first time on a plane. At first it was incredibly scary, but you start to make a home of the city. Italy is a beautiful place and very easy to fall in love with. The culture is different- but that doesn't mean that it isn't worth learning or experiencing. My favorite memory was in the south of Italy, in a small town near the Amalfi Coast called Vietri Sul Mare. There were no tourist, just me and two girl friends. We spent all day on the black sand beach with natives. I spent hours watching a father and his baby daughter chasing after their puppy near the shore. It was my favorite moment because the sun was setting and disappearing behind the mountains, the lights in the houses flickered on, and it felt like pure peace. In Italy, I experienced the kindest of individuals. It really is a beautiful, loving culture, and I've learned a lot from it.

A big tip is to remember that you are in someone else's country, someone else's home. They do not owe you anything- you are there to learn and respect them. Remember to keep your valuables to yourself because there are a lot of pick pocketors. Use GoEuro for transportation and Italo and Transitalia have special train deals on the weekends!

The NYU DC site is very much centered around pairing internships with academic work. Most students who are eligible will pursue an internship alongside their classes. This means there is sometimes a difficult work-life balancing among classes, work and social life, but the NYU support staff are excellent. In addition, classes are generally 3 hours long and held at night to accommodate students with internships. The classes at NYU DC vary, but are (predictably) focused towards politics and policy. I would highly recommend the History of American Environmental Policy course with Charles Herrick. NYU DC academics are generally strong with maybe a few weak classes. Classes are held in the same building as the student residences so an internship also helps students get out of the building. There are also many good sponsored programs by the NYU DC administration in order to get students out and into the city for free. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone interested in politics and/or developing internship experience. It is structured very well, so with a good internship, you will have a great time!

As a city, Madrid was vibrant and so fun! The NYU Madrid location is very small (but I heard they will move to a better location soon), and most of the desks are broken (but again, I have heard that new desks will be purchased in the coming semester). The current location is a 40 minute subway ride from school, but subway cards are cheap (20 euros a month), and Madrid is close to many European countries that you can travel to by plane or bus. Classes are not as great as in some other NYU locations, but definitely passable.

The dorms are absolutely beautiful and so nice, and although the cost is way higher than if you rented by yourself, it is still a very nice furnished apartment-like residence. Each person gets a single bedroom, with shared bathroom/kitchen.

Excursions by the NYU team are free, and there are about 3 day trips to areas like Segovia and El Escorial. In addition, there is a free overnight trip of your own choosing (three options). These were definitely some of the highlights of my experience at NYU Madrid.

Had a great time! NYU Florence is different from main campus has its own campus in the area; it's a little far from the city center but the location is beautiful. They also have a wide selection of cultural programming. The academic program itself was adequately challenging but not too demanding; lectures are mandatory, unlike most courses at main campus. I was able to travel almost every weekend while I was there. Overall, I enjoyed my experience.

I had a wonderful experience studying abroad in Argentina! The NYU campus was in a great neighborhood, and the small size, compared to how enormous the New York campus is, made it a more personal and intimate experience. I was able to establish a personal connection with not only my fellow students, but my professors and administrators as well. The courses taught in Spanish were phenomenal and some of the best I've ever taken. Buenos Aires is a beautiful, vibrant city full of life and endlessly fascinating. I highly recommend studying here.

I loved the field trips hosted by my school. I enjoyed learning about the culture of Buenos Aires and Argentina. Travelling was something I found incredibly valuable, and I recommend other students who can afford it to do so as well. Meeting and chatting with locals from different provinces provided a necessary perspective about Argentina, beyond Buenos Aires. However, I did not appreciate the feeling of otherness that I had while walking down the streets.

I greatly enjoyed my time at NYU Sydney. This was my first experience studying abroad and it surpassed all of my expectations. Sydney as a city is a great place for study. The beautiful weather kept me in a fantastic mood for most of my time there and made me more motivated to excel in school. I was also lucky enough to travel a bunch due to the more relaxed schedule of the program compared to the New York campus. I had a great semester and only regret not having more time!

The program was a fantastic opportunity to grow professionally in Washington. It was an excellent way to balance academics taught by experts in their field and applying these principles in the workplace. NYUDC has a lot of free programs to visit and draw the most out of Washington; it means you can go to events at the Lincoln Center or explore the Newseum without being concerned about your budget. I would recommend this to anyone who wishes to expand their professional experience.