Program Reviews

My time in Sydney was life-changing, spontaneous, and eye opening. I applied to go to NYU Sydney on a whim on the day applications were due, and deciding to go was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The staff members at NYU Sydney were welcoming and kind and always open to answer even the most ridiculous of questions that we students tend to have. The academics was challenging but do-able, with small class sizes that allow the students to have deep class conversations as well as form a strong bond with the professors. The city of Sydney itself was beautiful with tons of gorgeous beaches, delicious restaurants as well as a vibrant nightlife. Although every trip abroad has its challenges, from homesickness to the stress of school work, there is nothing that I would chang about my time in Sydney.

Buenos Aires was the second country I studied in during the 2017 year, and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my academic career. Compared to other programs, which were well organized and provided important coursework, the Buenos Aires site offered such a wonderful and engaging staff and experience on top of its academic value. All the professors and staff were independently involved in various organizations and movements, and students were invited to a number of unique interactions with the public and platforms for change and innovative discourse. Every weekend there were markets, festivals, parades, underground film screenings, tango music concerts, feminist artist collaborative meetings, and more hidden in the streets of the activist communities we were welcomed into. What I really enjoyed most was the weaving of academic life into social life - all my courses, including language and arts courses, related to the political history of Argentina and its role within a greater South American history in the 20th century. A colorful experience, a loving atmosphere, an unforgettable and lively city. Would recommend this program to anyone looking to travel for the first time or the fifty-first time - it is certainly a unique opportunity in the southern cone of the world.

If you're on edge about going to Prague, let me tell you, DO IT! My semester at Prague was such a unique experience--quite different to what I expected honestly. Czech Republic is not only in Central Europe, meaning traveling to everywhere is much cheaper and convenient, but it also means that you're going to be exposed to a vastly different culture compared to that of the United States and a lot of the major European countries such as UK, France, and Spain. Prague and Cesky Krumlov, a nearby city in Czech Republic, are SO so beautiful, you feel as though you are literally living out of a fairytale! Everything is so cheap, and the people may come across as being cold, but if you meet the right ones, they are some of the most genuine people you'll ever come across. If this hasn't convinced you enough, let me just say that beer is cheaper than water. Just going to leave it at that.

I absolutely loved my time abroad in Paris! The NYU staff is one of the kindest and most helpful staff I’ve ever met. NYU has cultural events ranging from trips to other French cities, dances, wine making, macaron tasting, etc. that really helped shape my experience in Paris. My friends and I joked that our time abroad was like an extended summer camp; you make incredible friends in a short time and get to experience the beauty and magic of Paris with them.

here was a specific reason I chose to study abroad in Madrid: to learn Spanish. I realized that I liked Spanish a lot, and decided to take a summer course at an institution in New York to improve a bit quicker. There, a met a fellow student who told me that she had studied in Barcelona for a while, and that it had definitely helped her improve. That's when I decided I wanted to study abroad in Spain through NYU.
The program definitely met my expectations. Taking two courses fully in Spanish was definitely challenging, but so different from what I was used to back then. Even if sometimes I didn't understand half of the things the professor was talking about, it helped me step out of my comfort zone and really use other skills to make out what she was saying, and even respond to her. It also forced me to review material and constantly practice, as I knew that being clueless in class was not an option. The professors there were so helpful and so eager to help us accelerate our Spanish skills, and I truly believe that these Spanish courses I took in Madrid were one in a lifetime opportunities.
As for socially, it was exactly how I heard it was going to be. Based on some Google-searches, many people who had studied in Madrid wrote that everything was mostly at a slower-pace than it is in New York City, and that the people are extremely friendly and amiable. And this was true. Whenever I was lost or needed help using the ATM machine, all I needed to do was ask a local Madrileno and he/she would be so willing to help out. The night life is amazing, as it seems like everyone is partying together in one huge group (especially at local bars). With so many places to go with a metro station always somewhere nearby, it was so exciting to go to new places to try Spanish cuisine. I loved the break for the fast-paced city so much that even now, I yearn to go back for another semester.

NYU Paris is a great place to study for a semester, especially for music and art students. There are a ton of cool things to see and do in the city and NYU makes them easily accessible to students. They also strongly encourage you to step outside of the NYU bubble and interact with French students through programs like Tandem and the partnership with le Sorbonne.
My french has definitely improved during my time at NYU Paris and I love that I am able to actually take classes in French through NYUs program. I highly recommend this abroad program to anyone interested in spending a semester in Paris.

The experience was great—living with other French and international students, going to school in the Latin Quarter, etc.—leaving me with only two main complaints. Firstly, NYU housed students in the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (CIUP), which was disastrous; far from campus, a completely useless staff (who often weren't there, often leaving the building completely unguarded with no security), trashy unfinished rooms, etc. My understanding is NYU no longer houses students in CIUP.
The other main concern is they do quite a bit to baby students; many students talked about how with how much hand-holding there is, how many strict/specific rules there are, etc., it felt more like a high school program than a college program.
That being said, the professors are all excellent and incredibly qualified in their respective fields, NYU spends a lot of money on providing programs for students, and, of course, living abroad for a semester any way is a very enriching and eye-opening experience.

I was able to travel so many parts of Paris, and even got to go to the South of France for free. I didn't ever want to leave Paris because our campus and the overall environment was so amazing. It was a lot of French, which could at times be tiring, but overall amazing. The classes were all amazing, with very flexible schedules. I didn't regret anything! I would say that it was annoying making up classes on Friday's, and our fall break was less than a week, but overall scheduling was amazing.

NYU Buenos Aires provides you the resources to reach out into the local community and be immersed within the NYU community, as well. The program is small, which is perfect for fostering intimate relationships with your fellow students and NYU staff. It should be noted, however, that if you do not prepare yourself, you do not put an effort, into seeing what Buenos Aires, Argentina and much of Latin America has to offer, you will encapsulate yourself in an Anglo-Saxan bubble. Reach out, and prepare for the best time of your life!

For the Spring semester of my sophomore year of my undergraduate career, I studied abroad in the NYU study away site located in Sydney, Australia. This was, by far, one of the greatest experiences of my life. Living on the opposite side of the globe was a truly eye-opening and strengthening experience in many respects. I spent four months living with people of a completely different culture than what I was used to. My responsibilities included being a full time student taking seventeen credits, as well as being a keen observer of a lifestyle much different than my own. I tried to make sure to take in as much as I could and participate in as many activities as possible. I learned about Aboriginal culture and the struggles they are still facing today in Australia, which parallels much of the same struggles Native Americans face here in America. One day that stands out to me in my study abroad experience is when I volunteered at Dharawal National Park. Fellow NYU Sydney students, local community members, park rangers, and I all helped plant hundreds of trees in an area of the national park that experienced deforestation. Tasks included working in teams to dig holes, place nutrients, plant seedlings, and erecting fences for each tree we planted. After a long day of hard work, we were lucky enough to see an Aboriginal Discovery Ranger share parts of her culture with us through a presentation on bush tucker. Another valuable experienced I gained came from the trio we took the Blue Mountains, where we hiked through different types of terrain and were given a presentation by an Aboriginal man about heh struggles he and his ancestors went through since the time the British landed on the shores of the gigantic island. We heard about these past, and his current struggles and were able to empathize with him simply by hearing him out and imagining and recognizing his struggle. Overall, I learned how to be more responsible, money management skills, how to be independent, and I also gained a confidence I do not believe I ever would have had had I never studied abroad. This was meaningful to me because it made me into a better version of myself who would not have existed otherwise. Studying abroad exposed me to different customs and cultures that I have never seen before. It instilled in me a newfound confidence in myself and appreciation for different peoples and cultures. For example, after volunteering at Dharawal National Park, I learned about Aboriginal customs and traditions from an actual Aboriginal; this is something that likely would have never happened had I not studied abroad. This experience made me more accepting of people who come from different walks of life than myself, more so than I already did living in New York City.