USAC Reviews

This program represented many firsts for me. It was my first time studying abroad, my first time visiting France, and the first time I’ve stayed with a host family.

The two greatest benefits of the program are the fact that Your French skills will definitely improve and that you will meet wonderful people from many different backgrounds. This USAC program is special in that regard because the students you find in your classes are not just your fellow Americans, they come from other international backgrounds. Incidentally, I was the only USAC student in my french classes.

I must also use this space to give a shout out to the Pau Staff. I couldn’t have succeeded in the program without their continuous support.

If you’d like to take advantage of a genuine international experience in a quaint french town with a lot to offer then this program is for you. If you’re serious about becoming a francophone then don’t hesitate. You won’t regret it!

Great program with great people, but after a while the lack of resources (A/C, water pressure, drinking water, etc.) in Cuba can get a little old. We had a week long tour of the island, which was the best part, and I can't recommend doing that enough. Havana felt safe, but the constant haranguing from taxis and people trying to sell things could get annoying. There is tons to explore within walking distance of the accommodations, so you're never bored. One thing that I wish I had listened to: bring hot sauce! There is nothing spicy there.

Studying in Cuba was one of the most eye-opening and different experiences I've ever had. Because of our political relations with Cuba, there are so many misconceptions as well as curiosities surrounding Cuba and its people. Getting the opportunity to go to a place where American citizens cannot freely go was exciting and a once in a lifetime experience. USAC did a wonderful job of engaging us with the people of Havana, as well as showing us outside of the city. Having studied in this program makes me want to go back to Cuba on a daily basis, there is still so much to experience!

My friend told me when I was looking at studying abroad programs that I should go somewhere I would never think to vacation to. With that in mind, little Uruguay easily fit into my travel search requirements.

The country is incredible. The capital, Montevideo has small country feel with big cities amenities. There is always something new to do, whether it is exploring the old city and trying out the parillas, to big night clubs such as Jackson and Sparrow. There is something for every scene. The people are very friendly, but be prepared to use your Spanish, as English is not commonly spoken.

If you get the opportunity, take the time to visit the interior of the country if you want the full authentic experience.

Never once in my college career did I consider studying abroad, but it was the greatest thing I could've done for myself. Without divulging too much, I flunked a class and found myself with an extra semester. One morning I woke up and my first thought was "I should go abroad". After meeting with the advisers on my campus (telling them my preferred regions, language goals, etc.) it became clear that Montevideo was the place for me.

Although small, Uruguay is the complete package and an ideal destination. Montevideo is a large city of 1.5 million people and is active 24 hours a day. The night life is great; the public transportation is effective; the air is clean (thank you Río de la Plata!); quality restaurants and shopping centers are abundant. However, unlike most large cities, the people are always so friendly and willing to lend a helping hand and I never felt unsafe. Meanwhile, the interior is the complete opposite of the hustle-and-bustle of Montevideo. The interior is the epitome of the word: tranquilo. It's amazing to see people (mostly farmers and ranch hands) live a simpler life that is organized around daylight hours. In the West, we are slaves to the clock and the social construction of time; it is inspiring to see people live a leisurely life. On the whole, Uruguay is more Europe than Europe (the architecture, food, the citizen's heritage, etc.) but it still has some Latin flare: it truly is the best of both worlds.

The USAC team (abroad and at home) was wonderful, supportive, and always available. the director and assistant director constantly organized fun activities--most of which were centered on exploring local culture or engaging in local activities. The professors were excellent as well because they found the balance between challenging material without being overwhelming. Because of this, I was able to retain loads of information about the region, learn Spanish, and enjoy myself at the same time (a luxury that is rare at my home university).

At the time of writing this post I have been back in the states for approximately 1 month and I miss it terribly. If I could go back and do it all over again I would in a heartbeat.

Espero que mi opinión y experiencias sean útiles. ¡Chau!

Montevideo is a great city with a lot to offer. The culture is very laid back, and the people are nothing but kind. The region is great if you like to travel. Uruguay is small, and you can easily get to one point of the country to the other in a matter of hours. If you'd like to be more adventurous flights to Chile and ferries to Argentina are fairly cheap and allow you to experience distinct cultures, and to get a change of pace.

I totally fell in love with Germany through this program. The way the courses are organized is very straight-forward and engaging, the professors care about your success as a student, the language classes are very in-depth and challenging, the community in Luneburg is very friendly and are patient if your German isn't great, and my homestay was fantastic! Overall, terrific experience and I got to see most of Europe during my time throughout this program.
I would highly recommend this to anyone even remotely interested in studying in Europe.

I am having a wonderful time in Norway, please do not get me wrong. So far throughout this entire experience, it has been my study abroad program that has given my the biggest headache. I think that USAC is probably a lovely program for some students, but in the case of the Norway program I am extremely disappointed.
Looking back on the whole experience, it would have been cheaper, faster, and easier to temporarily withdraw from my school and apply independently as an exchange student to the University of Oslo.
I'll start with the program fee. The entire program fee for the USAC Norway program is a bit over $5000, not including a security deposit. What USAC does not tell you is that international students get to study here at the University of Oslo for free. FOR FREE. Please let that sink in. So what does this $5000 program fee buy you? It basically buys you a set of instructions to get your visa (which can be found readily online), "help" with the application to the University of Oslo that you could have completed yourself, and the feeling that you are part of a group (most of whom you never see after you start at the university). This $5000 also buys you a t-shirt and some pretty cool USAC-emblazoned luggage tags, so I'm sure that my money is being well-spent.
In addition to this $5000, you must pay for your own food (Norway has some of the most expensive groceries in the world), housing expenses (around $400-$700 per month), and your own travel fees. The program doesn't even guarantee you a pass to the city transit system, which all students use.

Two more things that USAC does not tell you about up-front are the transfer credit process (or lack thereof) and the visa requirements. I'll start with the visa:
In order to study in Norway for more than 3 months, you need an official student visa. What USAC does not tell you initially is that you must apply for your visa entirely on your own and hand in your documents IN PERSON. This is not a big problem if you live in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or Houston. However it is a problem for the rest of us who must make an appointment at these consulates and fly out to them during the regular work week to apply for our visas.
Most study abroad programs, including all of the programs at my home university, do this service for their students. Perhaps this would have been a better use of my $5000? All relevant information about how to apply for a student visa to Norway from the United States can be found on Norway's immigration and visa website, which is called UDI: https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/studies/studietillatelse/university-college-or-university/how-to-apply-for-a-residence-permit-for-a-student-at-a-university-college-or-university/?r=usa&n=n&c=usa

Now on to credit transfer. What USAC does not tell you is that there is absolutely no guarantee that your credits will transfer from the University of Oslo. This is not a problem that they can fix themselves, since they are in no way licensed to transfer credits from the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System), but it was not a problem that I was made aware of until I had already committed to the program and ASKED.
You would think that with so many students doubtlessly in the same situation every year and with more than $5000 from each student, a memo could have been made to let future students know about this significant shortcoming. If your university is like mine and only accept credits which have been been approved by a US institution, then congratulations. This program is not for you.
Yes, USAC does allow some of their programs to transfer credits through the University of Nevada, Reno. I tried to explore this option and sent about 20-odd emails to USAC staff when I first discovered that no system was in place to guarantee my credit transfer. There was literally nothing that they could do. I was eventually able to find a costly but official third-party organization called ECE that is transferring my credits for my for a significant fee of their own.

In short, if you are considering Norway and looking at the option of USAC, I strongly suggest that you either reconsider your program options or apply to the University of Oslo independently as an exchange student. I can honestly assure you that it will be well-worth you time and money. Norway is a lovely country and I would not trade my time and experiences in this place for the world. However, if you consider using USAC, be prepared to accept the consequences of the details that they don't tell you.

Finally I had a chance to go to the UK and as a bonus I could pay for it with student loans. I spent 6 weeks in the UK. We landed in Edinburgh and stayed for about 5 days. Then we took the train to London where we attended Imperial College for 5 weeks. Imperial College was amazing. The ladies who coordinated our plans in the UK were wonderful and planned so many activities that were already on my wish list, saving me time and effort. Even with everything they had planned and the classes I attended, I still had plenty of time to see and learn all I wanted in this wonderful country. USAC runs an amazing program and I hope to use them again next summer to see Italy. Take the time and study abroad!

I had a blast on my summer semester on the Puntarenas campus! Not only did I get to take awesome classes, but I was steps away from the beach the whole time! We also traveled to many beautiful destinations on the weekends, including, islands, national parks, a water park, the capital city and rain forests. You can literally do everything from Puntarenas. People were questioning if I was even studying at all! My Instagram might not look like it, but I was definitely doing academic work too. I made AWESOME friends that I still talk too, and if you want a picture-perfect summer abroad, this is the place for you. The locals are wonderful, the food is amazing (my host family owned a restaurant!), the town is gorgeous, and I can't complain about anything. I would absolutely do this program again. If you have the opportunity, make sure to take David's dance class or Elena's cooking class. Both are amazing cultural immersions, and like everything else on this trip, way more fun with friends!