Program Reviews

To start off I was placed in the most wonderful host family. They were extremely welcoming and treated me as one of their own. I was able to have my own bedroom and bathroom for privacy and alone time when needed. Other than that outside of the classroom I spent all my time with my host parents and grew extremely close to them and their entire family. The food was amazing and I was fully immersed in both the language and culture on a daily basis. I learned so much about myself as a person here.

I studied abroad in Chiang Mai to participate in the Chinese studies program. I’d originally planned on doing USAC’s program in Chengdu, China, which got canceled. USAC recommended this program as another option, and I am glad that I decided to participate.

I not only improved my Mandarin speaking and reading skills, but also learned about a new culture and made many lasting friendships. I was not ready to leave by the end of it and would go back in a heartbeat! Highly recommend this program/group!

Everyone says studying abroad will change your life, but you’ll never understand it until you do it yourself. Nothing will ever compare to challenging yourself to push beyond your personal boundaries. To me it was very hard to leave home. I was crying leaving my home state, but also crying leaving Spain. It was sad to see such a great experience come to an end, but I’ve made friends and memories that will last forever. Thank you USAC for the best experience ever! I can’t imagine not going through USAC. They were the best help with everything.

I always knew that I wanted to study abroad in college, I have been studying the Spanish language for the majority of my life. My experience with USAC was terrific; the faculty and USAC advisors are people that I will never forget, they were so helpful, and their positivity always made my day better. I was able to immerse myself in another culture and language in a city where I felt safe. I made forever friends, this was an experience I will never forget. The only thing I would have done differently is stay longer. I wish I had more time to experience Madrid and travel on the weekends. There was so much to do in the city I felt like there was so much more to see in Madrid and around Spain.

My time in Alicante, Spain feels now much like a dream. What an incredible opportunity it was to continue my studies and expand my knowledge of other cultures at the same time. It truly felt like I was part of a community and I was warmly welcomed to it by the program director and USAC team, a most hospitable bunch. Enough pleasurable words have not yet been written about Alicante. It is a glorious sun spoilt city set on the soft sands of the gleaming Mediterranean sea. With accessible beaches, plentiful public transportation, friendly people and a rich history that predates the Roman times, it is hard for me to imagine a place better suited to spending time, studying or otherwise. I learned much about the land, its hallowed Catholic traditions, many of which are celebrated in the streets to this day. I was able to travel far and wide across the continent from Alicante's international airport, one of the most well-situated and inexpensive in Europe. Lastly, and most importantly I was able to connect with fellow travelers and my USAC cohorts to develop friendships and memories that will last as long as I do.

I went to Alicante this summer and it was such an amazing city that had so many opportunities. While I was there I got to experience what Spanish life is truly like. I got to snorkel and swim in the Mediterranean, I got to eat paella by the beach, and so many more cool things. Everyone there was so kind and helpful. If your thinking of studying abroad in Spain and want a really cool, chill place that isn’t a major city, but still has so many things to do, I’d highly recommend choosing to Alicante

I had an amazing time in Lisbon, Portugal! Two months out I still feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to study abroad in such a beautiful and unique country! My program advisors were incredible and showed us so many hidden gems, allowing me to experience some of the most breathtaking scenery, delicious food, and lively events that I don't believe I would have discovered if I had traveled to Portugal on my own or in any other context. The city is easy to navigate (the metro is straightforward and clean) and the locals were warm and welcoming. The program helped me gain confidence and grow to be more independent and self-assured.

I have wanted to study abroad since middle school. I was dreaming of going to a bigger city in Spain being that I took Spanish in school. But when it came time to look at locations I decided that Verona had the most interesting classes to me. And who wouldn’t want to go to Italy. After signing up in October it was all I could think about I would daydream about how amazing everything would be and I was scared it was not going to reach my expectations. The experience did not only meet my expectations but it exceeded them. The friends and memories I made over those 5 weeks are people and adventures I will never forget. I have been home for about a month and it is still all I want to talk about. Most people in the program go in not knowing anyone and everyone wants to meet new people so it is super easy to meet people. In my group I ended up hanging out with of 9 of us 6 came in knowing no one and the other 3 were triplets. And being that Italy has so many train systems it is super easy to travel on weekends. Studying abroad is an amazing experience to travel, meet new friends, and learn more about yourself while becoming more independent. I would do anything to do it all over again!

You know that pull to grow. It's uncomfortable and scary and exhilarating. You start to feel it as soon as the thought comes into your head-- what if I said yes? Yes to attending an event where you don't know anyone well. Yes to applying for a job that you really want. Yes to jumping off a bridge into water. Yes to ANYTHING where you risk to fall or fail. I applied to many USAC programs before France. It was during the pandemic, so I fell and failed every time. A year passed and I was about to give up on my dream of studying abroad. But then I looked at the France program and I felt a pull. I had studied Spanish, not French. And now I was about to graduate. It didn't make any sense. But what if I tried one more time... When I received the admission notification, I said yes.

Two semesters as part of this program changed me more than the past four years of university ever had. There is no equivalent in terms of cultural, social, emotional, and intellectual growth to being plunged into a foreign country. You simply have no choice but to grow into the enormous space that has opened up around you full of new sights and sounds and smells that you never could have imagined. There is nothing familiar around you to make you feel safe. But there is also nothing familiar around you to tell you who you are or what you are capable of. This is the potential of freedom. You can be who you have always been scared to be because there are no longer any limits. You can say yes to everything. Yes to speaking a language you're not fluent in. Yes to activities and course subjects you never would have tried before. Yes to field trips to cities you've never heard of. Yes to starting conversations, yes to being confident in the face of the fear.

Of course this is not to say that you really are alone. The Pau, France program is impressively supportive. The on-site staff are kind and deeply invested in the personal development of each student who comes. You will never feel unsafe or unsure of what to do next. But the experience is yours, and whether you want to focus on the culture and language of france, the bonds of new and profound friendships with interesting people from all backgrounds, or your own growth as a competent and open-minded traveler and observer of the world, you will walk away from this program with all three. The world is waiting. Oh, and don't forget to bring good walking shoes.

Since I was little, I knew I was different. As a latino-american with an immigrant father from Cuba, the hispanic culture would have been thought to be an everyday occurance in my life. Unfortunately, I was a part of thousands of second generation immigrants who were assimilated to American culture so as to not be viewed as an outcast in society. When the opportunity to study abroad presented itself, I remained indecisive for months before I realized it was something I needed to do to best take advantage of life while in college.
Both USAC and Madrid matched my interests and academic needs the best and I can confidently say for the first time in my life, I felt connected and embraced by a city. The city is beautiful with plenty of things to do, everyone I came across was willing to help, and I was able to live freely. To make it simple, Madrid feels like home. Even after finishing the program, I am currently researching ways to return back to Spain while still fulfilling my career goals.
In my opinion, studying abroad is what you make of it, but no matter what, students will return from study abroad a better person. I don’t see any other experience matching what studying abroad has done for me and will continue to do for me in the future. There was not a single day that I didn’t learn anything and I am forever thankful for the city and the USAC program that showed me a place where I belong. One last thing…¡HALA MADRID!