USAC Reviews

In my opinion, Poland is one of the most underrated countries in Europe. Granted, I have Polish heritage, so I might be biased, but anyone who's visited knows how special this place is.

As a young woman, I truly felt safe in the city, though of course normal precautions should be taken.

The Cracow University of Economics is a great place to build your resume and learn more about international business. Honestly, I didn't have a great understanding of the European Union, but the combination of learning about and living in the EU gave deeper meaning to the international conversations that have been going on.

If you're into outdoor adventures, there are some great hikes and parks around the city - you could also hop on a short train ride and be in the Tatra Mountains. If you're more into quiet museums, art, and coffee shops, Krakow can oblige you, too. Krakow indisputably is the heart of Polish history and heritage, and you can see it in every corner of the city. There is no limit to your exploration; I spent four months there during this program, and I know I barely scratched the surface of the deep beauty ingrained in everything you see.

I studied in Santiago de Chile with USAC in spring 2019. My experience was incredible for a number of reasons.

First, the staff members were amazing; they had a connection with all of the students and went above and beyond to help us out with things like weekend travel, navigating the culture of Chile, and even job interviews and recommendations.

Second, the classes were great. I took a full-time course load all in Spanish as a Spanish language learner and I felt that I was challenged while still having the ability to enjoy my time abroad without stressing too much about my grades; I would definitely say that the courses were focused more on the learning process and content than on tests and assessments.

Finally, Chile is just an amazing place and USAC is an amazing program. I lived with a Chilean woman with whom I still keep in contact, and I am so grateful for that relationship that I wouldn't have gotten in other programs that don't have homestay options. I felt safe and comfortable while in Santiago, while still pushing the boundaries of my understanding of the world. It was an experience I will never forget and yeah, I love telling people I went to Chile because that's way cooler than the normal study abroad countries.

Here's what I think you should know if you're considering going to Santiago:
-the food can be bland and even when it's spiced, it's still never spicy... so bring your favorite hot sauce
-accept that public transportation is your best friend
-it literally has something for everybody: a recent military dictatorship for the politics and history buffs, incredible landscapes for those who love spending time in nature, lots of religious culture for those who like that, street food because nobody dislikes street food, etc.
-if you carry a purse, make sure it zips! pick-pockets are so talented
-a homestay is 100% a must, every student in the program who didn't do a homestay expressed regret at some point
-keep an open mind! Santiago was really similar to my home in some ways and worlds apart in others, but the most important thing for me was to keep an open mind and to love it as it was
-take a billion pictures, call your mom, and have tons of fun!!!

Studying abroad in Santiago, Chile really was a life-changing and eye-opening experience for me as well as many of my peers from the program. Studying in Santiago did more than expose us to a new culture. It changed us all for the better! During our time away from home, we all grew and become close to each other. We made new friends that over time become like family. We discovered sides of ourselves that we never knew and at times we also exposed ourselves to new adventures out of our comfort zone, that even in our wildest dreams seemed impossible.

Chile is not just a beautiful country because of its unique sceneries. Chile is a beautiful country because Chileans make it beautiful. All the people from the program welcomed us with a warmth that allowed us to feel comfortable in a country that was thousands of miles away from home. Leaving Chile at the end of the semester felt like the day I had left the states. It felt like I was leaving home.

During the (awfully short) four months I spent in Santiago, I met people who became some of my best friends, learned a lot from my professors and the international students I met, and probably had the best time of my life. I don’t know what it was, but the culture USAC and the students created was very homey and everyone got along even if we wouldn’t have hung out normally.

Everyone was super friendly, welcoming, and always up to create new friends and explore new places in the city. The advisors were more like friends, and they made the students feel welcomed right away with their jokes. I never got homesick and I always felt like I was growing as a person. I grew a lot while being abroad and if I have any regrets, it’s that I didn’t study abroad for a year.

Through this program Santiago, Chile, I truly felt like I was home. The most scared I ever was about the trip was getting on the plane to first head over there. The idea of being away from home for a length of time that I never had spent before, to go to a country which spoke a language I barely managed, all while still going to school and trying to pass with decent grades seemed like an insurmountable challenge that I feared I lacked the capability to complete.
But then I landed. As soon as I got off of the plane with the group of 40-something other students, probably feeling the same way as I did, there was a smiling face who worked with USAC. Immediately I felt like I was in the company those who would not let me get too overwhelmed, and would do all they could to make sure I came out of the other side of the semester.
The city is marvelous, and the Santiaguinos are such a wonderful people. There was never a shortage of things to do on weekends, from hiking trails through the mountains, or taking an hour bus ride to the beach, or play a soccer match in a park with friends... But for me, the main reason I fell in love with Santiago and loved doing it through USAC was the Santiago USAC staff and my Chilean family I lived with who worked with them. They were guides who first showed me so many of the great things there were to do, they were support when I couldn't reach my bank or use my money so they let me use their phones to contact the States or made sure I had food and money for transportation, they let me cry on their shoulder when I felt overwhelmed and they would motivate me to see inner-strength I didn't even know I had. And if I cried to them, they would call me the next day to make sure I am getting by. The USAC staff in Santiago and my Chilean family made me feel welcome in Santiago, and thinking back I consider them family.
I left feeling not 100% of a United States citizen, but some percentage of Chilean too, which was my goal all along: to broaden my horizons and experience a great challenge. I can't say enough good about the city and the program, and as I finish writing this and reflecting over my time there my heart aches, missing those wonderful people, missing seeing mountains out of my window, missing taking the metro all over a city that has such a rich culture, missing my Santiaguino life. I will go back. 100%.

This semester was easily the best semester of my life! USAC staff made the transition so unbelievably smooth. We had an entire week of orientation going over things that I didn't even think about! Culture shock, home sickness, living arrangements, flow of classes, etc. They even showed us around to some cool spots in both Bilbao and Getxo so we could get a feel for the cities. Anything we needed they were there for us! No questions asked or any hesitations they were there to ensure we had the best time we could. Thank you so much to Ibon, Mane, Arantxa, María, and all of the professors for being so incredible!! Also, the location was beyond beautiful and very convenient to travel to and from. Bilbao has an airport that we could get basically anywhere which made it super nice. The unique Basque culture was something very cool to get to know as well.

USAC Viterbo was a wonderful program that gave me the opportunity to study not just in Italy, but in the loveliest little Italian city. My host family was absolutely fantastic as was my Italian professor—my experience in Viterbo wouldn’t have been the same without them. The city itself is an unforgettable place full of cobblestone streets, medieval history, and delicious cappuccinos. It’s also ideally located close to Rome for any European travel adventures you plan. Any student lucky enough to study in Viterbo will be able to appreciate the genuine Italian culture it maintains and the beauty of a true Italian lifestyle. My only regret is that I was only able to study in Viterbo for a semester rather than a full year! Grazie mille, Viterbo—ti adoro!

Two words. Life Changing. It had always been my dream to visit India and instead I got to live and study in this beautiful and colorful country. The program itself is amazing not only because they have the greatest Resident Director (Smriti) but also the beautiful host university, the many cultural traditions, volunteer opportunities, and temple visits. All of these things you get to do while in this program and you will be fascinated by the different smells, colors, and hundreds of cows walking on the street. India is chaotic and noisy but in the most beautiful way. I already miss it and can't wait to be back. If you are looking for a program that will excite you and bring you out of your comfort zone in the best possible way, this is the program for you. This program offers many social science and health science opportunities and teaches you the differences between Indian and American culture. Thanks to the USAC Bengaluru program and all that it offered, I am now 110% sure of my passion in life that is to work abroad (hopefully in India) with my Public Health Degree.

San Sebastian was a beautiful city, I'm still amazed at the amount of beauty and culture that I was able to enjoy. It was the perfect size; everyone knows each other and I always had a sense of security. I was able to enjoy it in the fall which was a perfect time to do so, I had a few weeks of summer left to enjoy the beach, the winter was hardly cold, and the changing of seasons was unforgettable. There is something for everyone to enjoy, whether that something is hiking, surfing, eating, a nice walk by the beach or traveling, it's an incredibly convenient location. I loved exploring the smaller near-by cities and would recommend everyone to visit as many as they can. I'd also like to mention the staff, and the fact that they were incredibly helpful and attentive to all of my concerns. They gave me great advise on everything from the bus system, to airport concerns, to recommended hikes and I left more connected to my college professors than I'd ever been.

I spent my junior year of college in Heredia, Costa Rica (2016-2017) and after two host families, countless hostiles, and one apartment I returned to the states without regrets.
At the beginning of my study abroad program search I knew that I wanted to be in a Spanish speaking country but the only Spanish I knew started and ended at "Hola." Sad, I know but I was semi determined to actually using my Doulingo app during the summer leading up to my trip, which got me to introductions and colors.
Price and location came next but my heart was sold on Costa Rica after watching the hundreds of travel videos on YouTube. I couldn’t believe how picturesque it seemed and I wanted to see for myself. Most people would probably just book a long weekend but no, I dedicate a full academic year to this hunch.
After spending roughly nine months in Costa Rica I can wholeheartedly say over and over again that the country lived up to its picturesque moments with so much more than I could have ever imagine.
This trip changed my life in the most cheesy and redundant way and I owe it all to the beautiful people I met along the way, my program advisors, my squad, y yo, Kayla.