Program Reviews

I entered the University of New South Wales Study Abroad program on the recommendation of a friend, but otherwise knew little about the university or Australian culture in general. Almost immediately upon my arrival, I felt properly assimilated into my new surroundings; this is of course a testament to the incredible work of the UNSW study abroad staff.

From an academic perspective, I found the curriculum to be as challenging or as carefree as I desired. There was no shortage of challenging, intellectually-stimulating courses for me to consider, across a wide variety of disciplines. If I had one academic regret from my time there, it would be that I did not engage in my classes (and their intelligent, accomplished professors) more fully.

From a social perspective, Australia possesses a unique and welcoming culture. Australians have no inherent bias against Americans, and are ready and willing to accept travelers into their inner circles, even if just for the evening. Moreover, the American students with whom I traveled shared a unique bond and opted to spend a significant amount of time together during our stint abroad, which I later discovered was unique when compared to friends' experiences in other countries. One student from my orientation class loved her experience enough that she chose to return to Sydney full time after college (she still resides there).

Simply put, my experience at the University of New South Wales was one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life. I emerged from my time there with a newfound appreciation for my future, as well as what the world had to offer. And to this day I remain close friends with several of my American classmates I met there. Don't think - go!

Going to UNSW was by far the best choice I could have made with my study abroad experience. The school itself is absolutely beautiful and really catered to every type of student. I think the best part about it was the location. Being in Sydney made it so easy for me to experience as much of Australia as I could. You've got Coogee beach right down the road and are a short bus ride from downtown Sydney. Made for a great jumping point to explore other areas of the country like the Great Barrier Reef.
The University also always had some great activities going on, from concerts to wine country tours as well as a lot of great competitive and recreational sports teams.
One of the best parts was the classes. I got to take a Marine Sciences class where we actually got to go out and learn first-hand about what we were studying, by examining marine life in bays near the University.
I met some of my closest friends at UNSW and wish every day I could go back and do it all again.

Where do I begin on this. First, I'm 28 and working now full-time. I would tell you if you can afford it, or even if you can't to try to go. You won't have the opportunity to spend so much time in a great place like Australia when you have a full-time job. Your college years allow you to do this.

Study abroads will be the trips that you will look back on happily and even get depressed from time to time just because they are so fantastic and because you wish you were there. You will bond so easily with everyone in the program, and you can build connections in the future. I personally went to Darwin, Uluru, Sydney and then Cairns. Study abroads allow you to receive credit and have a structured plan that allows you to get the most bang for your buck in terms of seeing what the country has to offer. UNSW is a leading school, and it was great to be there. It's also in a great location, in a wonderful city, that will always give you something to see.

I absolutely loved my experience abroad. The staff at the Study Abroad office at UNSW were an exceptionally friendly group of individuals dedicated to making sure my experience in Sydney was amazing. I was 100% satisfied with their diligence, friendliness and support.