USAC Reviews

When I first arrived in Alicante, it was in a state of anxiety. The woman with whom I was going to live was suddenly uncertain that she could take me in, as her mother had been taken to the hospital, with the worst seemingly inevitable. The USAC staff was so supportive during this terribly uncertain time, making sure I was kept in the loop and constantly working to resolve this issue. Everything worked out for my housing situation and was able to have a wonderful host mother. Yet the USAC staff never abated in their dedication to making my experience, and all the other participant's experiences the best they could be. They made themselves available and worked hard to ensure that field trips and outings were offering the greatest potential for enjoyment to the students.The area of Alicante begs for enjoyment and provides it, with fun downtown areas, beautiful local beaches, hiking, and so much more. I loved Alicante because of what it gave me, which was a real love for Spain.

This program is designed with the students in mind. The program advisors are there every step of the way for the students with the full intention of providing a better experience for them. The city is located right on the Med and is just a short tram ride away from the school. The local people are extremely nice and patient, especially when trying to practice your Spanish. The city provides great public transportation including a bus to and from the airport. All housing locations are centered around the city center and no more than a 10 minute walk to the beach.

The housing is in the city center, which give you access to lots of restaurants and clubs. It is also walking distance to the beach and the gorgeous Castillo de Santa Barbara. If you live in an apartment you will have your own room and 2-4 roommates. My apartment has plenty of space and views of the city.

To get to the University, you will take a tram or bus for about 25 minutes. Classes are not stressful but they will help you majorly improve your Spanish. You will be taking classes with other USAC students, but have the chance to interact with Spaniard through Intercambios- conversation partners who go to the university. Take advantage of any Spaniards you meet, as this will be a great way to practice conversation and learn about culture.
The Spanish in Alicante is fairly neutral, Valenciano, a dialect of Catalan is also used in the community. It is easy to reach Madrid by high speed train and the airport is a 30 minute bus ride away. It's a great city to be in if you wish to travel around Europe. All of the staff and professors are fantastic- truly supportive and caring. I had such a fantastic time and want to return already!

Couldn't get enough of Spain and my program! The leaders were amazing and supportive the whole way through. They organized activities outside of our class schedules that really helped me understand the country a little bit more and were just a wealth of knowledge! Also, my host mother went above and beyond to make sure that I experienced her homeland to the best of ability. We would sit down for a homemade lunch every day and talk politics, current events, or just about life... and then siesta. That is what made this experience so extraordinary, the people :) Loved USAC Alicante!

If I could give USAC Alicante a score of 1,000 on the scale of 1-10, I would. Aside from Alicante's beauty in itself the USAC program made my stay nothing short of amazing.... It was hands down the best year of my life and it wouldn't be that way without the help of the USAC staff; from the housing they provided, to the organized field trips (which were awesome) to the all-around constant support and just being my parents-away-from-parents they truly made Alicante feel like a second home to me. I HIGHLY recommend this program to anyone interested!!!! Thank you USAC Alicante for the best year of my life!

Studying abroad for a semester was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and doing it in San Ramon only enhanced my experience. Costa Rica is a teeny tiny country which means it is very easy to travel through! A 7 hour bus ride places you across the length of the country in warm oceans among laid back locals, while another coast is an easy hour bus ride away and offers great surf and camping options.

San Ramon offers a great climate (particularly in the Spring semester) with lots of friendly people. Many people don't speak English, so the opportunity to practice Spanish is very available. The staff is extremely available and helpful to the students, and all of the students in my program were very happy with their families they lived with. The classes that I took in Spanish language, literature, and culture were all fantastic, and the marine biology class allowed me to go on two snorkeling trips. The most fun classes were definitely the cooking and dancing classes. I also had the opportunity to volunteer at a preschool and teach English which was amazing.

My family introduced me to loads of different foods (especially fruit!!), taught me how to make tamales, told me loads of stories, and even celebrated my birthday with me. Over Spring break I was able to travel to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. All of the travel trips set up by USAC were fantastic, I would highly recommend them!

Make sure to visit Las Musas, a secret San Ramon destination ;)

My experience in Costa Rica was so much fun and enriching. I learned so much new information and facts while I was in Costa Rica! The staff/counselors were so much fun, and I really connected with them. I spoke lots of Spanish to the locals and really got to try out the language I've been learning in school for four years! I seriously miss my time in Costa Rica! The highlight of my trip was the warm weather and gorgeous place I was in.

Something I still talk about almost everyday and it's been two years now.. One of the most amazing experiences to learn someone else's culture in such a unique way. I lived in Bilbao, Spain (in Areeta) for six months with three other Americans in a flat next to the river. I visited over 8 countries while studying abroad, and went to a business institute in the city. (Universidad del Pais Vasco). I studied Spanish and International business. In Bilbao I loved shopping, going to Casco Viejo, finding new mini-markets for fruits and vegatables, and going to specific culture events (such as Bilbao basket games, shows, etc.) I also traveled to Barcelona and San Sebastian in Spain as well, in which I grew to love Spain as a whole. I now work for a travel company upon graduating from college at California State University, Chico. My life goals are to be a videographer related to something in the travel industry. I now work for an Ireland, Scotland and England travel company, taking care of social media marketing as well as photography & videography.

L'Université de Pau et des pays de l'adour is only of those universities that brings in students from all over the world, so I met people from all over. At the same time, the program helps big time in connecting its students to French students/locals. Both in and out of class, my French level skyrocketed. Also, lots of cool excursions and things to see and do in/around Pau. Hoping I get to go back someday!

My summer in France was amazing. The USAC staff was great at making the before process really smooth. My advisor had no problem answering all of my questions.

My host family was really nice and made an effort to help me feel like part of their family. They took me on all of their family trips and even helped me practice my French. Even just spending a couple weeks in France made a big difference in my language skills.