USAC Reviews

An average day in this study abroad program is usually either an early class and a mostly free afternoon, or a free morning and later class. You get ample time to enjoy the beautiful beach and hiking that the area has, but homework is definitely time consuming in this program. The spanish language classes in particular require a lot of work but luckily you can usually do it outside on the beach, as the sun typically doesn't set in the summer until about 9:30.

I was hesitant about going to China because of the things I've heard and safety, but once I arrived and was greeted by the lovely resident director, I knew I would have a great semester. I felt very safe and the dorms were near the campus. The Shanghai University campus is conveniently located near the city center so it was easy to travel around to experience Shanghai culture.

The professors were also concerned that you learned the materials and were really helpful and kind. My favorite class was Calligraphy because he was the sweetest professor and I've found a lifelong hobby.

Pau is a small city, but it has shopping, movies, kayaking on the river, swimming pools, and bars to enjoy at night. The walk to school was safe and my host family was amazing! On the average day, I ate breakfast, went to class, hung out with friends downtown, and then went home for dinner in the evenings. The citizens do not speak much English, so you are really forced to utilize your French skills. I became fluent in French during my short time in Pau. I had difficulty understanding the out-of-town bus schedules at first, and it was also tricky to befriend the locals. However, once you meet one or two locals, they are all very friendly! I loved travelling outside Pau, because so many things are close. I went to San Sebastian, Spain; Biarritz, France; the Pyrenees Mountains; and the ancient caves that surround the area. It is big enough to have everything you need but small enough to become knowledgeable of it in a few short weeks. Pau is wonderful and I highly recommend this once-in-a-lifetime experience!

My summer abroad experience in Viterbo italy, summer session 1, 2013 was the most amazing experience of my life. The program was just structured enough to keep us busy but gave us enough free time to experience the Italian culture and travel elsewhere. The classes would challenge our american culture and way of thinking, they would teach us Italian ways, culture and history. The program leaders were so helpful and friendly. They would go out of their way to make sure we feel comfortable. I felt very safe and connected to the usac community.

Viterbo was a perfect pick for me! It gives you a chance to truly emerse yourself into the small town Italy culture and lifestyle, and only a short train ride to Rome. Viterbo is a smaller town and makes you really connect to the people and culture. It's abosolutely beautiful. Viterbo has the perfect amount of disconnect and connectionedness to the rest of the world.

USAC Program brought us on many day trips through the different classes they offered. My personal favorite experience was the south of Italy trip. We stayed in an amazing hotel with a breath taking view of the Mediterranean sea. We had freedom to explore and also have planned tours to enrich our time spent there.

I appreciate everything usac did for me and the experiences I gained through them. I strongly recommend this program!!

I knew going into my study abroad experience I wanted to get the most out of it. I knew I wanted to travel a ton and speak spanish. But now I want to move back and live there. My life was changed because I studied abroad.

Studying abroad in Germany was one of the best decisions I have ever made. USAC does a great job of helping you meet everyone in your program as well as other German students. You get paired with a buddy who helps you out the first few weeks and some become your friends for the semester.
I took German here and the class was difficult but not too bad. Attendance is required but if you go to class you will be fine. All of the USAC staff is extremely nice and helpful.
Through USAC I made some amazing people who I now call some of my best friends.
Lüneburg is perfect if you are looking for a small city that is still a city. There was always something to do or something going on. Hamburg is only a short train ride away and you get to ride the train for free with your student ID. Hamburg has one of the best night life in all of Europe and you are sure to have a great time. It was one of the best semesters throughout my college career. If I could go back today I would!!

My stay in Pau was nourishing and challenging. It is absolutely necessary to stay with a host family to truly experience the magic of Southwestern French cuisine, culture, and tradition. Each meal with my host Mom and her guests was a lesson in patience, process, and how to truly indulge the senses with each bite while participating in the communal process of making the food, setting the table, and sharing jokes and stories with friends old and new. The wide sidewalks of Pau lead to wandering, and the Boulevard Des Pyrenees is an unavoidable enchantment. I am sure that everyone who visits spends some time drinking in the view of sunset, sunrise, storm or sunny day all spread out in front of those majestic mysterious mountains that sometimes disappear in the fog.
Pau is not only extremely accessible by foot and bike, but there is a bus system that runs throughout the surrounding towns and can get you to and from school/the grocery store/the market/the pubs etc. The people of Pau vary from the very rich, to the groups that wander the streets with their dogs. I found both, and all those in between, to be welcoming and accommodating to students.
The program itself helped my French immensely and is not only a study of the language, but of the very spirit, soul, and practices of France.

USAC is an absolute amazing program. They were so helpful from start to finish, here in Reno and abroad while I was in Spain. I could not have asked them to do a better job. They offer a great variety of places and are dedicated to making you experience abroad unforgettable.

Some of the downfalls:
-If you're expecting to live in a big city, don't go on this program. It can be great if you're prepared for a smaller town experience, but if you're expecting to live in a place like Stockholm, don't come here.
-USAC doesn't have a representative on campus, so if you want program help from them it is all over e-mail and not very convenient or useful.
-Linnaeus University tends to put all its international students together when assigning housing, so if you want to live with Swedes, that can be a pitfall. But there are plenty of chances to meet other people, and the diversity of the cultures you're placed with is still great.

Some of the amazing stuff:
-I've never felt safer than when I lived in Vaxjo.
-The smaller town helps you get more involved in the daily life in Sweden and connects you to the norms of Swedish life.
-Their international student program more than makes up for the lack of a USAC presence. They organize some amazing trips, parties, and experiences and make the whole thing very fun.
-If you're willing to put the effort in, Vaxjo has everything you could possibly want to have in a overseas home. And if it doesn't have it, public transit in Sweden is so easy that you can go other places to find it.
-Swedish Emigrant Institute, if you're going to Sweden because your family is Swedish and you want to get to know your roots, going to Vaxjo is a great choice! The Swedish Emigrant Institute is super helpful and interesting and a great resource.
-Housing is pretty great, a lot of the necessities are already there left by previous students (though I would definitely recommend living in Vallgatan, living on campus is great but it can definitely be a it of a bubble and people tend not to leave.)
-SO MUCH MORE.

USAC is a great program that truly cares about the well-being of their students. We had lots of field trips that were both free or super cheap. Housing was also super close to the metro and bus station. The staff was also very friendly and it was obvious that they care about their students. I felt comfortable going to our program director and asking questions. The intensive czech course was useful in introducing us to the czech language and learning the basics.