Program Reviews

I loved my time in the Basque city of Bilbao, located in the northern region of Spain. Its culture is really unique and unlike other parts of the country. The USAC business classes offered were great and easily transferable to my home university, along with awesome electives like surfing or basque cooking (taught by a Michelin star chef!). The public transportation is very cheap and it costs less than 2 euro to get to the airport by bus. This makes traveling much easier and Bilbao Airport is a good hub to get to many places in Europe. There’s also a well connected long haul bus system, with companies like FlixBus, Alsa, etc conveniently located in the San mames central station. Being able to have the support of your fellow study abroad peers and the staff while adjusting to living in Europe makes the experience a lot more comfortable. Great food scene, art scene, nightlife, and shopping. Really the perfect sized big but not too overcrowded city, close enough to the beach as well. I think about my time there everyday and miss it so much. I wish everyone could study abroad in Bilbao!

I had a wonderful time studying abroad in Torino. I made so many great friends, experienced amazing cuisine and culture and learned how to travel internationally. Usac Torino has amazing advisors that not only watch over your academics and safety, but engage you into their city’s culture and lifestyle. I had a great time. I was able to travel to 4 neighboring countries during my time abroad including Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, and France. Studying abroad is truly a great experience and I recommend that everybody should do it.

I chose Torino, Italy for a variety of reasons. I wanted to experience living in Europe and in a larger city, be culturally immersive, have academics that align with my interests, and practice a new language. If you're looking for something similar, Torino is the place for you! I loved living in a larger city, complete with a metro system, urbanized layout, and opportunities to experience city life. I was so happy with my immersion, too. I lived in a neighborhood alongside Italians and was exposed to every walk of life, from young children to older individuals. The academics were fantastic, too, as they catered to my international governance interests and smaller class sizes for a more personal experience. Overall, all of my goals and hopes were met in Torino, and more! I also got to travel frequently thanks to Torino's prime location and made endless memories that I will cherish forever!

Studying abroad in San Sebastian, Spain gave me the most incredible memories, lifelong friends, and has changed me for the better.

The small cohort of students in the program makes for a very tight-knit group who get to experience all this city has to offer together, and the housing accommodations were gorgeous and perfectly located. The city is bursting with culture, and the food is to die for. Public transport made it super easy to get around, but the city is equally walkable. The beaches are absolutely stunning, and it was so easy to travel to other places from there.

This program is definitely best suited for lower-key individuals who enjoy more relaxing outings at night and are excited to interact with the culture. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to study abroad!

This program was life-changing for me! The USAC staff was very helpful during the preparation/application process so I could complete my application and course registration without stress.
Korea University was the right choice for me. The campus is beautiful, spacious, and clean. There is a vibrant student culture, many fun traditions, and tons of school spirit!
There were also many opportunities to make friends and connections. At KU, you are automatically enrolled in an international student club where you can meet people from all different countries and backgrounds (including Korean students). You are assigned a group in which your Korean student leaders will teach you KU traditions and Korean culture. You will have many opportunities to experience life as a Korean student.
For those who wish to improve their Korean ability, there is a Language Exchange program where you can be paired with a Korean student to meet with throughout the semester for language and cultural exchange. I had an incredible experience with this and made lots of progress with my Korean proficiency.
I mainly took Korean language courses. The professors were all very kind, engaging, and helpful. Classes were challenging, but not overwhelming. I was able to balance school and personal life and manage my coursework while still having time to travel and meet with friends.
There are also many cute cafes and delicious restaurants around campus. It's a lot of fun to discover new study spots and places to hang out with friends. It didn't take long before I felt right at home at Korea University, and I will always think of it as a second home.
I have grown so much and made many lasting friendships through this program, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Studying abroad in Spain for a year allowed me to grow as a person so much. Being in a new country experiencing new cultures such as soccer clubs, different cuisines, taking cooking classes are all different experiences I’ll never forget. USAC also offered many fun excursions that allowed you to build new relationships with your program. One of my favorite parts about studying abroad was how easy and convenient it was to travel all around Europe. If your debating studying abroad, I heavily recommend studying through USAC as they have an amazing group of teachers and staff and are very helpful and supportive.

Madrid was my first semester of two studying abroad and it was a great introduction to Spanish life. Everyone from Madrid is not from Madrid there is a great mix of different lifestyles and people. You can find English speakers there, but if learning Spanish it is worth connecting with people from the university. Like participating in the Buddy Program. I spend most of my time with my buddies and learned so much Spanish. The city has it all and so much more. It is also very easy to travel out from. The teachers and staff could have not been better.

My only regret about studying abroad is not doing it for longer!! Doing summer study abroad was the perfect opportunity for me. I cannot express how much fun I had while in Lyon. I have never felt so safe and so much community all at once. There are so many opportunities to be social within the city. Music festivals, rallies, art exhibitions, and more. My classes were sheer bliss because of the professors and beginner-French friendliness. I recommend the French Cuisine class!! Even with the extra class fee, it is so worth it. Set meals once every week and a community! Another thing I love was the weather & greenery. Made it very comfortable to go to the park or on a run. If you are thinking about studying abroad in Lyon, do it!! The advisors completely have your back and are very detail-oriented.

Studying abroad at Yonsei University was an overall very positive experience! The living situation with SK Global was great, Seoul is a very safe and easily navigable city, and it was overall very foreigner friendly. There were some drawbacks in terms of class offerings (though the classes were taught in English, many still made the learning experience very difficult for foreigners), working with HireVise and NHIS (having you pay unexpected medium amounts of money throughout the semester), etc. But generally, it was a great experience and I would recommend it.

I have so many fond memories from this program. From the small interactions with locals to going on multiple day-long trips, there is was so much to love. I gained a much greater understanding about just how different cultures can be and how to adjust to unknown situations. My favorite thing I would do often was just going on day trips on my own or with friends to the countryside or just anywhere that is less touristy. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything else, and I couldn't recommend it more.