USAC Reviews

I had the most amazing experience over in New Zealand. I had made some lifelong friends that I still keep in touch with both from America and from New Zealand. I know I'll always have a place to stay whenever I go back too. Studying abroad was a life changing experience. I have seen places that are absolutely unreal, I saw dolphins at the bay, I got to see 10,000+ waterfalls in Fiordland National Park, I got to drive on the opposite side of the road blasting my favorite music with my friends, I camped at the top of a mountain next to Mt. Cook in a hut and saw the Milky Way with as many stars possible, I camped on a beach with the mountains in the background, I got to camp and snuggle in the freezing cold in all my friends in a small tent we bought for $10. We ate as many PB&Js possible, I got to hang out all night with friends and go to Maca's when we were in town and check out so many local bands. I had the actual time of my life.

Studying abroad in general is something that I feel like everyone should do if they have the opportunity! I learned so much about myself as a person, and I also grew substantially in the 5 months I was in Lyon. I learned more about the world and the role that I hope to play in it in the future. I also got to see things that I may have never had to opportunity to see otherwise. I am one of the first people in my family to actually leave the country and travel over seas.
I think the best part of my experience was living with host family. They were some of the nicest people I have ever met, and they took me in, and treated me as though I was their own child. My host mom also made the best food, which I now miss very much being back home in the US. Lastly, it was the best thing I could have done in order to expand my knowledge of the French language. It is nice to know that should I ever need it, I have the ability to at least get through a simple conversation with someone who speaks French.

Overall I really enjoyed this program. The price point was the first thing that attracted me to this program. It was comparable to tuition back home and it was not as pricey as some of the others I was interested in. The support staff there was wonderful. I never had an issue with them, and whenever I had a problem they were there for me. I loved them so much that when I returned to Madrid for vacation, I made sure to stop by and say hello. It really showed they care for their students when I was able to walk in and they recognized me right away! I got to catch up with them, and even met them for drinks to talk about what we were all up to now. The city of Madrid will always have a special place in my heart, and it was mainly because of the people in my program. Whether it was the staff or participants, they made my experience memorable.

This program was amazing because of the focus on health care. I had the opportunity to shadow in a hospital and take classes related to medicine and health care. For students interested in other areas, there were also many other classes focusing on biology and ecology. One of the most enjoyable experiences was living with a host family that allowed me to improve my Spanish by conversing each day solely in the language! Finally, USAC gave me the opportunity to travel to Cuba through a field study. The staff members were very supportive and always available and willing to help students navigate any problem that they encountered. Additionally, USAC had several pre-planned field trips throughout the semester that were well-organized and a lot of fun!

I was able to have the time of my life at Kookmin University in South Korea, the country that is known for their rapid technology innovations and “KPOP” a genre of music that is creating a sensation worldwide. I was so excited to find out my university offered South Korea, being my first choice in where I wanted to study abroad. Kookmin University is such a gorgeous campus- straight out of a fiction book! Perfect place for those who love nice sceneries with lots of green trees! The local students were also so so helpful, I was always able to rely on them for help while traveling around.
Being able to be part of their Finance studies, I had a glimpse of how professors directly care for their students, following up with any questions we had about lectures. In Korea I realized that students and professors have a more friendly bond- they will ask about why you missed class and showed that they cared.
USAC connected with my university in South Korea, giving us opportunities to go on field trips to historical monuments. A memorable activity we did was make candles out of sesame oil, and we got to design them with pretty dried flowers- all for free!
The most fun event that I was able participate in was an OVERNIGHT COLLEGE RETREAT! Not a normal field trip in the US, the retreat was full of lots of food, fun activities, and time to bond and really get the authentic college experience that all Korean university students get.
There was not a moment in South Korea that I was bored, there was always an event going on either at school or in town that allowed foreign students to participate at our own comfort with the locals! Go study abroad! It was all worth it in the end- there are so much more out there, go and explore!

I had an absolute blast in Stirling! I love the town and the campus. I made lots of friends and played on the rugby team. Rugby was definitely my favorite part. I had fun at the games, practices and socials. I would really recommend getting involved and jumping in headfirst, even if it’s a little hard at the beginning. I loved touring around Scotland. It’s so beautiful. My only frustration with USAC was the field trips. Once we were on them, they were great, but we didn’t know when they would be and then when we thought we knew, dates changed. It made it very hard to plan for. Other than that. Everything was great! Scotland is so pretty, and I appreciated the field trips taking us there, I just wish the organization had been a bit better with earlier communication.

I studied abroad in Pau, France with the USAC program. The start to the semester was nerve wracking as there were many technical difficulties with sorting out the wifi, heating, and phone plans as well as class schedules. However, after the first three weeks things inevitably sorted themselves out. I loved making friends with classmates from around the world as well as with the fellow Americans in the program who came from all around the States. The language program was challenging but not overly so. The immersion in class made a world of difference to everyone's writing and speaking skills and the professors were truly lovely people. There were several opportunities to meet with French students from the University but there was nowhere near as much immersion in that regard as I had expected. In addition, I wished it were easier to get assigned a French tutor. Other than that, however, I would say the program was fairly well run. There was plenty of time out of class to explore the small city, go shopping and eat out with friends. Traveling to the coast nearby or to other places in Europe via Ouibus was convenient, affordable and a lot of fun. Overall, I was able to achieve my goals to travel, get better at French, meet people from around the world, and gain more confidence in myself through the many unexpected challenges.

Studying abroad through the USAC program was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Getting to explore London and the surrounding areas on my own, with new friends, and with the program was an incredible experience. I loved the Art in London course I took because it was very immersive. The tours we took during each class allowed me to see more of the city than I would have if I was in a traditional lecture class. USAC provided me with plenty of resources to help me feel prepared and less nervous for my arrival in London. And the staff that was in the program city made me feel at home. If there was ever any issues or concerns, the staff in London immediately helped find a solution. If given the opportunity, I would study abroad with USAC again.

The staff at Alicante goes above and beyond in every aspect possible. They provide authentic opportunities to learn more about the Spanish culture, through classes and extracurricular activities. Staff members knew exactly how to support the change of coming from the US to Europe and were always there for us in times of sickness or unease. They plan lots of activities to meet other people in the program and local college aged students as well. The field trips to Granada and Morocco were so well organized and we all felt so safe the whole time. They organize meetings with locals in order to really get a feel for the culture and you see what the way of life is in various places. I loved my time with USAC as I made incredible friends and memories and would recommend this program to anyone going abroad!

While in Prague, I met some of my favorite people. The program staff, fellow students and teachers definitely made my experience so great. The program administration became my Prague parents because they actually cared how were were doing. The younger staff whot joined us on our activites made them more fun and added to the experince. The teachers made the classes interesting and put field trips into the curriculum, I hadn't been on a filed trip since second grade!
Last but not least certainly, my fellow students. It's hard to believe that we all signed up for this semester in this place. I couldn't imagine anyone else to experience Prague with. We were very lucky in that regard.
All of these people have changed my life and will forever be apart of it.