USAC
Britta
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Overseas South Korea (국민대)

Studying abroad was a lot of fun through my experience. I met a lot of lifelong friends, enjoyed the adventures, tried lots of good food and traveled. I would recommend any program where you can study abroad; however, make sure you look into it before you sign up. There were a lot of things lacking with the USAC program, like communication, such as things needed while staying in Korea, or paper documents you needed.

However, it was so fun. USAC is a great program that gives you a lot of opportunities, but it is very expensive.

Would I study abroad again? Yes

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
It wasn’t the most surprising, but it was beautiful to see how you were in the main city of Seoul and right behind the city where these huge mountains.
Pros
  • Friends
  • Food
  • Travel
What other participants should know
  • Weather
  • Program
  • Expensive program
Bennett
4/5
No, I don't recommend this program

My review

I enjoyed my time in the Netherlands. I am so grateful to have gone and I’m grateful to have the finances to do the traveling that I wanted to while being in Europe. The academic and specific program that I was in was not great. I think the school was very unorganized. This was not just an issue as an exchange student but many of the students there also felt the same way the teachers, the staff, and the program directors all lacked the proper skills, which made it very difficult, for example there was like almost no help with registration. It was a complete frenzy and free-for-all. It was not at all digital so everything was on a call basis. They made most students way around all day to get a call to have classes ready everyone had to do it on a piece of paper. There was almost no way of checking timeslots. The whole thing was a complete disaster everyone, including the students who were not exchange, were completely frustrated on top of this other things like the class structure, the curriculum the pacing it was all just very messy to me, and I just heard nonstop criticism from local students as well. But again my experience was still overwhelmingly positive but again that’s because I had the money and resources to travel and make the most of my time there the school was not my final take away, but for someone who is going for the academics I would strongly advise them to pick another program.

What was your funniest moment?
The funniest moment I had I’m not sure but just some of the friends I’ve made there. We would always get into funny stuff. I don’t know.
Pros
  • Accessible to Europe
  • Very safe country and city
  • Very well connected to public transit
What other participants should know
  • Expensive living conditions, eg: grocery’s and everyday expenses
  • Chaotic and poor school/ academics. Teachers, curriculum, testing, grading.
Response from USAC

We’re thrilled that you had a great time in the Netherlands, and it wasn’t overshadowed by your experience during course registration. Our team maintains regular contact with the university staff and will ask about the steps they can take to enhance the student experience for future students.

Diego
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Kwansei Gakuin

I’m honored to have this abroad experience. I was able to learn about my family’s culture and was able to grow immensely from living by myself for the first time ever. I was able to learn a new language and be able to adapt to different situations everyday. My views had changed entirely on international relationships. I have never met so many people from around the world. As an American it has humbled me so much and it has encouraged me to travel to other parts of the world. Japan is definitely a place that I would visit again.

What was your funniest moment?
Definitely walking into the restaurant and seeing toilets on the ground…
Pros
  • Safe country
  • Affordable living
  • Clean
What other participants should know
  • People are shy
  • Not the most diverse area
  • Traveling is slower
Cristallia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

What an amazing experience!

I'm so glad that I went to Nagasaki to study abroad for the spring semester. Not only did I have the opportunity to meet many friends from around the world, but I also gained insight into Japanese culture and history. It was also great to interact with Japanese students and improve my Japanese language skills, as now it would be how I would have to communicate. Having this opportunity, I believe I improved not only in speaking Japanese, but with interacting with so many people and making new friends. New experiences like speaking a new language or learning the transportation system in an entirely different country helped me get out of my comfort zone and gain a new level of independence.

Coming to Nagasaki, what I really enjoyed was the beautiful scenery of cherry blossoms that appeared at the beginning of the semester, and the abundance of trees in a rich green that I had never seen before. Not to mention how Nagasaki is enriched with so much history and international cultural influences as a port city. There is just so much to learn, see, and even eat.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to future travelers of this program is to make sure that you explore the city as much as you can. While the time you are there for your study may seem like it is a long period of time and you'll be able to do everything you want, before you know it, and once you're really settled in, is when you realize it's already time to go back home. Nagasaki is such a beautiful city, so make sure you give yourself the time to explore it, try local foods, and even interact with the community. I promise there is so much to be offered in Nagasaki, you just have to really want to find it.
Pros
  • Beautiful scenery
  • Great Field Trips
  • On campus events and volunteer opportunities
What other participants should know
  • Outdated rooms
  • Dorm food
  • Staff can be a bit strict
Katy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Spring 2025 Santiago, Chile

My study abroad experience changed my life. Santiago is a must-see city with so many things to do. My Spanish drastically improved, though I will say the Chilean accent is hard to understand at times. The city is very easy to navigate and accessible for the blind, hard-of-hearing, and wheelchair users. I recommend this program to anyone studying international relations, because the classes are tailored to that, but also to anyone studying the Spanish language. I study TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and I was able to finish my Spanish minor with this program.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
do everything you can! Use your proximity to your advantage. Travel and cite see.
Pros
  • accessible
  • easy to navigate
  • beautiful city
What other participants should know
  • necessary walk (to bus stops and metro stations)
  • noisy
  • lots of smoking
Erin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My time abroad

I had the best experience abroad in Australia! It was definitely a life changing experience and I met some of the most amazing people while there and had some amazing experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere else. I would tell anyone to study abroad if they get the chance because you learn so much about yourself and the world. I have grown so much since being abroad and it was a dream come true being able to do so. Australia was a dream and if given the opportunity I would do it again.

Avery
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Experience

Deciding to study abroad in Chiang Mai through USAC was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The staff was ridiculously helpful and the city itself was amazing. Wonderful field trips and all of the students became very close. Highly recommend a specialized program as the community you gain from being in the same cohort as other students is hard to beat. I would highly recommend this program to anyone, but especially those who love nature and learning about Buddhism and psychology. The professors are amazing as well.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Fed and bathed with elephants!
Pros
  • Fun night life
  • Very supportive staff
  • Extremely affordable
What other participants should know
  • Very hot in Spring
  • 30 min walk to school, though ride share is cheap
  • Housing is good for the area but nothing fancy
Aiden
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best time in Lyon

I had an amazing time on the USAC Lyon program. The people in Lyon were amazing, the USAC staff onsite were so welcoming and kind, as well as being very supportive. The city was beautiful and I plan on going back to continue my studies in the future. The USAC included trips were an amazing experience and provided us with inside looks of the French countryside and places I wouldn’t normally visit if I was traveling alone. We received very good tours and experiences and even got to tour a French chateau. I also had the privilege of teaching English at a local French high school in Lyon as a teaching assistant. It was an amazing experience and I loved it.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
A local food that I loved was French Tacos, which is a delicious kebab meat wrapped burrito sort of thing with lettuce tomatoes and French fries with sauce and it is absolutely delicious.
Pros
  • Easy traveling across Europe
  • Experiencing new cultures
  • Learning the language
What other participants should know
  • Lived alone
  • French students are hard to socialize with
  • Some sketchy parts of Lyon, but generally safe
Ava
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fun Down Under

I had an incredible experience in Australia. I made so many friends and experienced so much around Australia. The housing made it easy to hang out with friends and meet new people. Also the trip offered to study abroad students in the beginning of our time there was a great way to meet everyone. Academically I took electives which were okay. I did not really like the actual education that Deakin offered. But, for me the experience in Australia was the most important part and I had an amazing time.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I tried vegamite which Australia is known for and it was definitely an interesting flavor.
Pros
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Making friends
What other participants should know
  • Academic
  • Traveling to the airport
  • Distance to the center city
Casey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Yonsei Was Great

Studying abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul was honestly one of the better experiences of my life. My professor was awesome, and the school itself was super nice and welcoming. Exploring Seoul was amazing, there is always something new to see and do, and the food alone made the trip worth it. I also got to meet people from all over the world, which was a cool part of the experience.

If you ever get the chance to study abroad, definitely go for it. It is such an important experience that really helps you grow, and you will come back with memories and that last a lifetime.