USAC Reviews

Chiang Mai is a super special place. Its a rather large city, but the support system USAC provides allows you to find your way around in a safe, and convenient way. It was a surreal experience wearing school uniforms at Chiang Mai University. We lived in dorms, which was different for me, but it was a challenge I really appreciated. The university was not too far away from the dorms, downtown was a red truck ride away.

The field trips were my favorite, we went on a Buddhism retreat, which was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, but one of the most rewarding ones. You can get the best kind of lost in Chiang Mai, to find an abundance of cafe's, tourists/locals, temples (right in the downtown area), and soooo much more.

If you are open to a biggish city, dorm-life, crazy adventures, perseverance, then Chiang Mai is the place for you.

USAC Viterbo was a lifetime memory. I cannot say enough good things about Viterbo and the support system put into place there. The field trips were so thought out- with amazing professors leading them. The USAC office was right near our classes, and I felt so comfortable walking in with any concerns or questions I had. When I got sick, they were right there for me, taking me to the doctors, etc.
This program is so intimate and filled with close connections. The city is small, the group is small, but it makes it that much better. They put their students in apartments all around Viterbo, with wonderful roommates and they do their absolute best to accommodate any of your needs.
Truly, I could not have imagined a better support system. They made such an effort to make sure the whole group was connecting and having a good time. This was my first time abroad for around 4 months, it is a perfect combination of support and a sense of independence. I was able to get an internship as an English Teacher, and I know many other students in my program had internships created for them based on what they were looking for! (Radio host, article publisher, etc.)
10/10 for Viterbo. At first, I thought is this place too small, or in a location, I wouldn't prefer, but all those thoughts went away the second I got there. I love Viterbo!

I chose this city based off of recommendations from people who have visited, and I’m really glad I followed through. The staff here was amazing and soooo supportive and helpful. The staff really wanted to you to succeed and enjoy your time there. I participated in an optional tour and along with that they also took us and informed us about tons of cultural events! The city was beautiful, but the USAC staff is what really made the trip worth it.

I had an amazing experience with USAC in Costa Rica. I learned so much about cultural humility by living with a host family and going to classes at a Costa Rican university. I especially loved discovering the natural wonders of the area that I was living in, as well as all over the country. My biggest piece of advice would be to study the Spanish language as much as possible before you go, and to immerse yourself in the language as much as possible while you are there. I had considered applying to be a Peace Corps volunteer before I studied abroad, however, when I came back to the US, I immediately applied to Peace Corps because I had such a wonderful experience.

Such an amazing way to learn Spanish, and to experience a new culture. I went into the program knowing little to no Spanish, and left being able to hold pretty reasonable conversations with almost anyone I met. Having class in Spanish every single day and living with only spanish-speaking roommates was the key to learning so much so quickly. I have to say, that the dialect spoken around Alicante (Valencian) was much harder to understand, though. When I visited places in Spain that spoke Castillian spanish, I found I could speak and understand much more. I think that if I had studied in Madrid, for example, where they speak a little more clearly, I would have been able to learn even more Spanish than I did in Alicante.

I had the time of my life at Deakin in Melbourne while getting to travel all over Australia & other places. The people are amazing the campus is beautiful. The classes are interesting & I learned so much as an exchange student. I miss it everyday I would give anything to go back! I lived off campus in the international house which was walking distance to Deakin & I met the most amazing people! I also had friends on campus and the accommodations were very nice & incorporated student life and engagement. There was constantly fun activities, parties & events planned for us as students to get us acclimated and meet new people. It was amazing.

I learned so much while abroad in San Sebastian. Not only did my Spanish improve immensely, but I made so many friends, got to see lots of new places, and learned really cool info about different cultures. San Sebastian is a really small, but beautiful, beachside town. Some may have thought it would get boring because of its small size and limited clubbing opportunities, but it truly never did. I feel so much more independent and brave after studying abroad here!

Spending my summer studying in Chengdu was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. The USAC program leaders made sure that students knew exactly what they were getting into and made sure students were always prepared to handle situations that arise. The education I received was tremendous and my instructors were great. All of the field trips were incredibly fun and relevant, but the best part of Chengdu was exploring the city and trying all sorts of Sichuan cuisine. Overall I would highly recommend this program to anyone with an interest in China or Chinese.

The city was great for university aged students. There was a lot of night life, museums, and coffee shops. Also, the public transportation was very accessible and easy to use. Because it is one of the major cities it was also easy to travel to other parts of the country and continent. Along with this, there was a problem with theft when out in the city. The school had a great staff that was ready to help me learn.

USAC, Yonsei was the best choice I ever made in my life! I've always wanted to visit South Korea in my lifetime and I was lucky to be able to go through a study abroad program and live there for four months. The campus is beautiful! The University experience there was alot different from my home University, but I liked how involved students were in social and academic events.
The culture scene was very fun and exciting. So much music everywhere you go probably because of their ever-growing music industry but i love the buskers who perform at night. It's a nice way to relax for the nigth while still enjoying the culture. I was able to take some trips and see the beautiful places South Korea has to offer. The people are amazing as well! You will always feel at home because they treat everyone like family.
My favorite little restaurant is called 딸기 or Strawberry, and it is down the street from the student dorms. It's very popular with the students as well as people in the neighborhood and I think it's because a nice family owns it (2 generations) and the food is delicious for the affordable price!
More about food, there are so many affordable places to eat at in Sinchon(the district Yonsei is located in) and they fill you up!
I can go on and on about my experience, but I would like to say that it was a very eye-opening experience for me and probably the best trip I've ever taken in my life! Definitely recommend Seoul, South Korea (especially Yonsei 😁)!