USAC Reviews

In the summer of 2015 I studied abroad with USAC in both Pau, France and Madrid, Spain, since I had dual Spanish and French minors with my Geography degree at the University of Nevada, Reno (USAC headquarters!). USAC was very helpful in arranging the program for me, and I had a balanced experience. I stayed with a lovely host family in Pau, which has a small town charm, before living with a roommate from my home university in Madrid, a bustling global city. I was impressed by the students and professors I met in Pau, with locals being very willing to befriend me and my fellow USAC students to helps us enjoy their city. Our professor challenged us and helped us improve our French, and navigated students with varying levels of French proficiency. Pau is a foodie's dream place! I can never forget the first thing my host family said to me when I arrived - "tu vas bien manger" - you are going to eat well. Eat well I did, enjoying the freshest pastries, fruit, cheese and other delicious quality locally produced wines and food items. I made great friends on the program and expanded my horizons in terms of culture, language, and cuisine. I would tell anyone that Pau is a hidden gem in France.

My study abroad program was an amazing experience! I really enjoyed making friends with locals and being immersed in the language so quickly. The extracurricular activities offered through the program were eye-opening, exciting, and gave me opportunities to experience the culture in ways I would not have on my own. The accommodations also exceeded my expectations and made the entire experience even more enjoyable. Overall, I’m very grateful for the experience and would definitely recommend the program to others! Seriously go!!

Santiago Chile was a place I knew, but never #1 on my list, but when I heard about the program and learned more, I knew it would be a perfect fit. I loved the location being a city surrounded by mountains, with an eco-urban feel. There was so much to explore and experience. I felt fully supported by our tour guides during class excursions, and their recommendations for our free time, based on our interests. The accommodations and the student residence were above and beyond with kitchen supplies, and of course learned in an unforgettable way

I studied abroad during session two in Pau, and that was a great decision. One month was the perfect amount of time, and the chosen excursions with the rest of the USAC group were so fun, but just gorgeous and unreal. I especially liked session two because instead of just taking classes with other American students, we took classes with other international students, from China, Scotland, Ukraine, Spain, England, Russia, Ireland, etc. We made some great new friends all over the world, and the overall program that encompassed USAC and the International Students' studies had their own included excursions that gave us a different taste of Pau and the region.

Verona was the perfect study abroad city. It had the best mix of Italian culture, European vibes, and local hospitality. The ability to study Roman Art and Italian Food tourism classes and actually being able to experience it allowed me to fully understand and have fun with my courses. My housing in Verona was amazing with modern amenities and walkable destinations, also making me feel like a local. Italian locals were incredibly kind and it was also nice having the city-center so near, where I could go if I wanted to feel like a tourist. The architecture was breathtaking and each shop had a story to tell with incredible history behind it. My advisors were quick to help with any question I had and provided me with great recommendations. Verona is also just a train ride away from major Italian cities like Venice and Milan, making adventurous weekends very accessible!

Best summer I have ever had the classes were so fun especially the sailing class ! The best part was all of the new friends I made and being able to travel ever weekend with them and explore Europe! The class I took was a very challenging class (differential equations) but my professor helped us through it and made everything so much stress free and I still learned so much! Alicante was definitely my favorite place even over all the bigger places I visited like Nice, Rome,Ibiza,Mallorca, Barcelona. It just felt more like home and such a great place to study

I had a fantastic time exploring the city with friends during my program! There is an endless number of events & activities that are always taking place in London. These good times took place away from campus, however, as the school seemed to cut corners in ensuring cleanliness & functionality of the accommodations. My friends and I were able to make our program an overall good experience, but it took quite a bit of work to adjust to unfortunate aspects such as mold in bathrooms and mice living under kitchen counters.

I've had an incredible time studying abroad in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Every day I find myself in a new adventure, meeting new people, and immersing myself in the culture here. USAC has done an incredible job at making me feel safe, supported, and comfortable. Academically, I feel scaffolded to learn new information about the community and the Reggio Emilia approach, combining the perfect mix of theoretical and practical study. Socially, this community has been an amazing place, filled with weekly events, concerts, and just a welcoming town feeling in general. This has definitely been an experience of a lifetime.

I had the most amazing time in Lyon! It seriously changed my life and perspective so much. The intensive language program pushed me and my french became so much better! The people in the program were so nice, and it was a close knit group. The support the USAC staff offers is amazing, they are there for you any time and for any question you have, no matter how small. Lyon itself is a beautiful city with a lot to do, but it is not overwhelmingly big. It's super easy to get around with public transport, walking, or biking. It's also pretty easy to travel from there!

The best part about Reggio Emilia is it is not super crowded with tourists. It’s a small city full of life where you can meet Italian locals and truly immerse yourself in the culture. I loved being able walk and get gelato whenever I wanted, then explored using easy access to bus transportation to the mall and movie theater and then to the train station too. The local cuisine is also phenomenal, erbazzone is devine and each Wednesday during the summer the piazza’s are full of energy with dancing, concerts and so much more. The only downfall was no air conditioning in my apartment during a heatwave. The planned field trips were amazing from trying balsamic vinegar to even exploring a castle there is something for everyone. The support from the program directors is excellent, they were always there for all my questions and made the program feel like home.