Program Reviews

I have had a desire to study abroad ever since I fell in love with studying the Spanish language in high school. When I got to college, the process of applying and the whole experience seemed overwhelming and I was unsure if I wanted to go through with it. Once I finally decided to move forward with studying in Montevideo, Uruguay, USAC and the Program Staff made everything run smoothly from the moment I applied until I arrived back home at the conclusion of my program. Throughout my semester abroad in Montevideo, my Spanish language skills and cultural awareness grew exponentially. My experience with my host family was amazing - I am so thankful for them! The onsite staff and professors were extremely supportive and always made me feel at home. If you have any desire to study abroad, DO IT! Furthermore, if you are planning to study abroad, I recommend choosing a location that is less popular or well-known. I am so thankful I chose to study in Uruguay because I got to get to know a corner of the world that not many people have. As cliche as it sounds, you will not regret your decision to study abroad!

Studying abroad in Alicante was the best experience of my life. The location was gorgeous, the people were kind and funny and wonderful, the food was amazing, and the nightlife was terrific. The class I took was also wonderful; the teacher was considerate and passionate about the subject and having a morning class left the whole day open. It was VERY hot, but the beach is right there!! I absolutely LOVED my time in Alicante and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a vibrant life experience!

My four months in Bilbao/Getxo were the best four months of my life. The people in my program became my family there and honestly some of them are now my best friends for life. My host family situation was also a dream. I will be going back to Bilbao just to visit them. Every time I came back to Bilbao after traveling, I was so happy to be there. It is the perfect blend of the city with true Spanish and Basque life. The best part of the program is the surfing class. It was such a memorable experience being able to learn how to surf with everyone else. We could not get enough of it. Every chance we had to surf or be at the beach, we were there. The other students in the area are also super welcoming and the people within the community are the same as well. Because I loved my time in Bilbao so much, I am studying abroad with USAC again in Spring 2024. Truly, the only bad part about studying abroad is leaving. It was the saddest moment ever but it also showed how grateful we all were for everything that happened.

Stirling, Scotland changed my life for the better in countless ways. Before I left the US, I was burnt out and exhausted. Going to Scotland and meeting people from all around the world reinvigorated me and made me realize that I was a lot more capable than I had previously thought myself to be. If you have the opportunity to go abroad, DO IT! It’s by far the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.

Studying abroad has given me the travel “bug” and I can’t imagine how different my life would have been even if I hadn’t taken the leap to go to Scotland. I would’ve had a lot less courage and hope than I do know if I hadn’t gone out on a limb. It’s cliche, but studying abroad made me realize that more things are possible in this world than we think.

Absolutely wonderful program. The city is lively and full of things to do, and is relatively safe as long as you follow common sense safety. The administration works really hard to create a supporting and close-knit environment with the other USAC students, and they were always ready and willing to help whenever I had a problem. The classes can be a bit overwhelming at first, depending on what sort of schedule you're used to keeping, but the language classes make a HUGE difference in proficiency, even just after a month or so. This trip was absolutely fantastic, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

When I went I was unable to grow as an individual in the comfort of my normal life. When I went I got to live the life that I wanted to live. I became a new person because of my friends and experiences I had. I got to have many different experiences were I went to Amsterdam, Rome, and Thessaloniki for a weekend with my friends. I got the ability to meet up with my German TA from my university. I recommend anyone that has the chance to travel to do it and go out of their comfort zone. I was able to learn so much about the language and the culture.

When I was little, I dreamed of studying abroad in Germany during my college years. Thanks to USAC's program, my lifelong dream of immersing myself in the culture that was rooted in my family for generations came to fruition. Studying abroad in Lüneburg, Germany was a life-altering experience that helped me to grow into the person I am today, especially thanks to my decision to live with a host family. They allowed me to achieve my personal goals of increasing my language skills and cultural immersion. In living with them, we now share an unbreakable bond woven with laughter, tears, and countless moments that will forever dance within our souls.

My experience was very unique because it was my first real semester of college. I had graduated high school and the next year, I was gone to Spain. It was a great choice. I learned more about myself and the Spanish language in those for 4 months than I ever did in high school or community college. If anyone is considering it, they should 100% do it! The USAC staff in Bilbao were absolutely fantastic and so kind. I learned so much and would love to chat with anyone who wants to go! I liked Spain.

The Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies is a small school with about 1,000 students. Surrounded by lush mountains has improved my physical health. The Japanese students major in foreign languages such as English, French, or Korean. This creates a friendly environment as many students are open to socializing and interacting with each other. I have met so many friends and practiced my speaking in and out of school. Waking up every day in a new country has helped me gain confidence and live experiences.

Let me give you the run-down:

Pre-Departure:
USAC needs to improve their stuff ASAP. The people helping me did not fill me in on the order I was supposed to complete the process and it was a nightmare. I was highly unprepared even when I thought I would be prepared — but don’t be scared, people will help you once you get there if it happens! Not to mention the actual USAC office is on my university campus and they still weren’t helpful. If you have questions ask old USAC students that are available pls. There are lots of us. Also ask people travelling with you — some of them have done this before!!! Otherwise, basic knowledge — pay your phone off before to use Airlo for phone plans and find a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees — also being at least 2 CC and 1 debit card — losing your stuff is possible.

Arrival/Experience:
The beginning is a lot, but stay active and your sleep schedule will adjust. I thought I was good at German and then I got there and it was HARD — but now I know soooooo much more German it’s amazing. The school campus is kind of far from Leuphana, but their plan is to integrate to the main campus so hopefully that happens for you! Otherwise, they have student leaders who are from Germany and speak great English and our two Leuphana student helpers were awesome, we used to go out with them and stuff and have fun. If you’re 18, go to the karoke bar in Lüneburg it’s awesome! Otherwise explore and don’t be afraid to mess up. One time I was ordering a bratwurst with this man at one of the markets and he turned out to just be a customer and not a worker and everyone laughed at me and I was so embarrassed but I laugh about it now — you will too. Try new things and put yourself out there. If you explore alone just make sure you know what you’re doing and are safe. Make friends with your USAC program people because they are awesome and all looking for friends just like you. Make friends with your apartment roomies (I still talk to mine because they were amazing — we’d have nightly dinners and chat for hours at a time together it was amazing and I miss them dearly) or if you have a host family go on family outings with them and practice your German with them — they’re very helpful. Make sure to explore other countries/German cities because it’s fun. Try to figure out public transportation and remember Deutsche Bahn is not reliable. If you’re a frequent traveler to long distance places or plan to go all over Germany, get a trial Bahn card — it’s cheap and discounts your tickets by 25% — just make sure to cancel it in time (like 6 weeks before it expires). Otherwise I can’t think of anything else, but have fun and put yourself out there! It’s a fantastic experience. You also may get home sick, but you can talk to your resident director or a therapist if you struggle with stuff it’s very helpful. I was only really home sick around the Super bowl, but otherwise it was nice. And go on the field trips!!! Our Berlin/Hamburg field trips were awesome and all of the history field trips they take you on are very educational/interesting and sometimes sad. Otherwise, I miss all my friends so use the time wisely. Locals are very nice and friendly.

Post-Germany:
I’m sad and miss it — post-study abroad depression is real. Getting back to normal life is hard, so remember to take lots of pics and stay in contact with your German/USAC friends to help missing it. And occupy yourself getting back helps too — hang out and catch up with your old friends :)