The Education Abroad Network: Study in Melbourne, Australia

Studying abroad in Melbourne was the most amazing experience. I have grown to be extremely independent and full of confidence. I have explored the Australian culture and grown a great love for it. University of Melbourne is a beautiful and prestigious University. I felt extremely lucky to have the opportunity to study there. I would choose Australia and Melbourne over and over again. I would recommend this program to every person out there. I wouldn't change a thing about my experience.

Studying abroad has changed the way I view myself, and the world. Since my trip this spring, I’ve completely changed my perspective on learning, and what it means to grow outside of my college bubble. Studying abroad has shown me to take full advantage of opportunities, for they could lead to some of the most significant and influential experiences of your life. I’ve become extremely passionate about traveling, and the importance it has on higher education. What I loved most about my time abroad was that learning didn’t stop when I left the classroom. As a member of a foreign community I learned to be independent and open minded to all the country had to offer. I believe there’s no better way to learn, than to learn by doing, and immersing myself in a completely new culture has impacted me in ways that staying home could not, and I’m very excited to share my experiences to other students.

Melbourne is the perfect size for study abroad. It’s big enough to have something going on at any given time, but by the end of 5 months I could travel around the entire city and know where I’m going. There is so much culture within art and music, but also has great beaches and national parks, as well as it’s close to the Great Ocean Road and other surfing and hiking locations. It has an incredibly competitive vibe when it comes to footy, but also has an overwhelming sense of acceptance for diversity of fashion, customs, and people as a whole.

Overall, studying abroad with TEAN was the greatest time of my life. I learned more about myself, other people and cultures, about how to be independent, and how travel and adventure through life this past semester. Never again will I be able to befriend 20 new strangers, and be able to travel with all of them to some of the most notable places in the world. TEAN gave me the building blocks to be successful through information sessions, housing, affiliation with the University, our RD, and so much more. Traveling to foreign country can be incredibly daunting, especially a country on the opposite side of the globe. TEAN recognizes that vulnerability and makes sure that we are completely taken care of.

My semester in Melbourne was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The University was beautiful and I really enjoyed my courses there as they were ones unavailable at my home Uni. The housing was nice quality and in an excellent location. It housed a mix of international and national students, some of which became my closest friends in Melbourne. The city is lively and bursting with art which was what attracted me initially. TEAN was very helpful in getting everyone accomodated and feeling comfortable with their new locations. The o loved Australia so much in my time with TEAN that I moved back after graduation!

Studying abroad in Melbourne, Australia with TEAN was the best decision I made in college. The TEAN program is amazing and they truly did immerse you in the culture. Having a resident director in the city allows you to get local advice and find the best things to do and places to go. TEAN was always there to answer my questions and calm my nerves. I loved my resident director in Melbourne, and one of my favorite memories was going to a local concert of a rising Australian artist with the resident director and other TEAN students.
Melbourne, is a great place to live, and I truly believe it is world's most livable city. Overall, Australia was amazing and in my semester I was bale to travel all over Australia as well as New Zealand and even go on a Thailand excursion with TEAN.
I can't imagine how my study abroad experience could have been any better.

To anybody that is hemming and hawing about possibly studying abroad-stop and think. This is the opportunity of a lifetime to study at a college in a brand new place, while exploring a fresh world. Looking back on my experience studying abroad has taught me so much about adapting to new situations, meeting new people, and establishing new routines. Yes the expense is a big consideration, but when will you have another chance like this?

Melbourne is a fantastic city and there is so much to see and do. The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) enabled me to see the best parts of the city and do the most exciting and rewarding activities in the area. Without the help of TEAN I would have been lost in the city, without the knowledge I needed in order to make the most of my time abroad. The advisers and other TEAN staff were very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to navigating the city, deciding what to do, and overall just answering any questions that came up.

I decided to join the Mountaineering Club at Melb Uni so I could get more involved in hiking/climbing/ general outdoors things, and also meet likeminded people. Towards the end of the semester, I went on a hike in the Mornington Peninsula that was supposed to be about 14 miles. There were about 20 of us in the group walking. I went in thinking that it was going to be a pretty casual walk where we could take in the views and take pictures and whatnot. Boy was I wrong. Our group leader literally only let us stop once to eat! We ended up walking almost 17 miles on pretty hilly trails. It was quite the workout. We finished at Cape Schank where we were actually able to see the ocean, and not just Port Phillip Bay which was unbelievable. We were completely beat by the time we finished. Sore, tired, hungry. No one was fully prepared for it food wise either. On top all this, we had to carpool and do some car shifting to get the cars so we could get back to Melbourne. Me and a few other people ended up being the last people to get picked up; we literally felt like we were stranded in the middle of nowhere. It was pitch black and we were by a sort of creepy lighthouse. It was quite the experience. Definitely a wonderful and interesting way to experience a new place. All I can say is Mornington Peninsula is beautiful, but if you want to hike it, be prepared!

I don’t think I could have made a better decision than to study abroad at the University of Melbourne through The Education Abroad Network. The TEAN program surpassed my expectations in every way and facilitated the best six months of my life. In Melbourne, there was always something to do. If I wasn't spending the day hiking and exploring the bush in the Dandenong Ranges or Mornington Peninsula, you could find me down alleyways looking for the tastiest food, the best coffee, or new and upcoming artists in the heart of Melbourne's CBD.

I am a HUGE foodie, which is probably why I loved Melbourne as much as I did. Melbourne is the food, coffee, and music capitol of Australia and for a good reason. On a Saturday morning, the whole CBD smells of brunch, as delicious smells waft from every direction. I probably spent most of my money on exploring new restaurants and eateries, while becoming a regular at a few. I followed a few food bloggers from Melbourne and found myself exploring further and further out into the different suburbs of Melbourne, literally eating my way through the city.

We lived in the heart of Melbourne right on the edge of the CBD (central business district, aka downtown). I never knew how much I enjoyed city life until my study abroad experience and I didn’t want to leave! Living in the CBD meant that we were never more than a short walk or tram ride from wherever we wanted to go. With music festivals, farmers markets, coffee classes, and adventure clubs, Melbourne was never short on excitement. The city itself had an awesome vibe that thrived on street art, performers, and the diverse communities that make up the surrounding suburbs. If you have been to Portland, Oregon, that would give you a taste of what Melbourne has to offer.

Through the program and on recommendations from my Resident Director in Melbourne, I traveled to Thailand, Indonesia, and New Zealand, and ate my way through many cities along the way. On the TEAN Trip to Thailand, we took a cooking class in Chiang Mai and I fell head over heals in love with Thai curry and have since tried to perfect my favorite, Red Curry. While in Indonesia, I was able to travel with some of my friends from TEAN and we experienced traditional home cooked Indonesian food and took an Indonesian cooking class with the cutest lady around. Studying Abroad in Australia has allowed me to expand my palate as well as my appreciation of where great food comes from.

Along with the Spring Break trips to Thailand and New Zealand (which both are beyond amazing), TEAN does a great job at ensuring that each student has the best study abroad experience possible. TEAN provides students with Resident directors in their chosen cities that make the experience of studying abroad even more amazing!

Studying through The Education Abroad Network was a great decision as it streamlined and organized the process, while ensuring that my study abroad experience was nothing less than amazing! Studying Abroad taught me to embrace new cultures, seize opportunities, and inflamed my desire to travel the world. The Education Abroad Network program provided me with incredible opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else!

Studying in Australia was the best thing I've ever done. Melbourne is an amazing city that's devoted to the arts and food. Whether you want authentic Chinese dumplings, French belgian waffles, Thai mango rice, Greek gyros, or just a delicious burger, you can get it. If you want to spend your nights in hidden bars dancing to some funk, or checking out a play or concert or art gallery, Melbourne is the place for you. If you need to get away from the city, there are beautiful ranges, mountains, and beaches just a short train ride away. My favorite part about this journey was that you can get anywhere in Australia and the South Pacific (Bali, Thailand, New Zealand, Fiji, Sydney, Cairns to name a few paradises).
As for the University of Melbourne, it's considered the best university in Australia. You will be surrounded by bright individuals who are devoted to school. If you find yourself more of an artistic type, opt for RMIT. Both are great schools with great professors and resources.

All in all, I met the most amazing people, experienced the most amazing things, and would recommend studying through TEAN to anyone. They are with you every step of the way, give you lots of treats, and plan the most incredible adventures of your life.

Every day in Melbourne was different, diverse and yes, delicious.

You may have heard that Melbourne is the "Most Livable City in the World" or the "Food and Drink Capital of Australia," but I can tell you after living here for six months, is that Melbourne is a melting pot of all things awesome, controversial, and energetic.

Although I was a study abroad student taking a full course load of four classes, I always found time in between my classes and waitress job to do some solo exploration around the nearby suburbs, buy that delicious $2 borek from Queen Vic's market, or go out for a night of fun in the clubs with my European friends from RMIT University. As an independent soul, I like to say that Melbourne seemed to find me with its creative atmosphere full of gritty street art, never-ending mazes of alleyway (and super cool hidden bars), and independent, sustainable cafes and cozy restaurants. The city is always filled with goings-on and even after five months of living there, I still never fully explored Melbourne city, whether that be the CBD, Fitzroy, or St. Kilda, just to name a few! You will never be bored in Melbourne, especially since everything is within walking distance or a tram's ride away.

The enriching atmosphere provides for all sorts of individuals from the theater lovers to dessert connoisseurs and the athletics fanatics! Like I said before, you will never be bored, and as a result, you might find yourself learning new things whenever you walk around. I can proudly say that I ran my first half marathon into the MCG, feasted on a three-course Moroccan meal, felt classy while wine tasting in the Yarra Valley, volunteered on one of the sunniest days in a North Melbourne event, and watched a play in ACMI that used a bloody cow as a prop, all in Melbourne.

Never did I expect to go through all of these wonderful and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but now I am back in the States thankful, renewed, and even more thrilled about the future and what it holds.

I just want to start off by saying I am so incredibly happy that I chose TEAN as my program for study abroad. It can seem like a daunting and scary experience, but TEAN made it so incredibly easy before I left, while I was abroad, and coming home. They really take care of all questions or concerns you or your family could have about study abroad.

I started my study abroad experience with a TEAN orientation in Sydney. TEAN set up a ton of fun activities such as a Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb and going to a wildlife preserve to pet kangaroos and kolas. It was nice to meet other people from the program and get they provided you advice to get you more adjusted to Australian culture.

When I arrived in Melbourne for the rest of my study abroad, I was extremely happy with housing TEAN provided. It was right in the heart of the city near bars, restaurants, museums, and anything else you could want. It was also close to Melbourne University where I would be taking my classes. The accommodations exceeded my expectations.

University teaching style is different in Australia compared to the United States. But overall, it wasn't a hard transition and I got used to the schooling quite quickly. All my professors were approachable if I had any questions. It's fun to go to an actual Australian university and interact with other Australians my age. It can be easy to get distracted while studying abroad, but it's important to remember that you are STUDYING there and to remain on top of coursework.

Melbourne is a vibrant city with so much going on! In each city, TEAN provides a resident director. He or she tells you about events coming up in the city and is also there to answer any questions. Mine was such a great resource and it was nice knowing you had someone to turn to if you had any problems. TEAN also sets up events, such as footy games or music concerts, so you get to experience the Australian culture. I loved all of these activities and made me fall even more in love with Melbourne. The social scene is great and I felt like there was always something to do. Australians are incredibly friendly and nice so it was easy becoming immersed in the culture. Melbourne is also such a safe city! I never felt unsafe and found that really comforting.

I would definitely create a budget before going abroad. Australia is expensive and even though you may know this it doesn't actually hit you until you are there. So be smart money-wise and try to stick to your budget.

I wish I could re-live my study abroad experience. It was 100% worthwhile and I will remember it for the rest of my life. I definitely would recommend TEAN to anybody interested in studying abroad! It's a once in a lifetime experience and TEAN helped make it so amazing.

My typical week in Melbourne was only three days of class a week and four-day weekends. I took all general electives for my major so my semester was very relaxed and much easier compared to my previous semesters at my home university. Classes at RMIT are typically one lecture and one tutorial, both are much longer in duration than classes in the US, but you don't have three lectures a week. I took a biology class which had a lab every week and I felt that was comparable to lab classes at US universities. Work outside of class was also very reduced compared to school in the US. There was no weekly homework assignments; the only required work I had to do outside of class was to prepare two lab reports and one research paper. If you want to do well in your classes though, you do need to spend some time doing assigned reading because most classes have a weekly quiz, midterms and a final exam.

Most weeks I needed to go grocery shopping which was very convenient considering the location of my apartment in the city. My apartment was within the CBD and so I was close (within short walking distance) to everything I needed during the semester. I also went out to eat at least once a week; Melbourne has a huge variety of restaurants so there is something for everyone an almost any budget.

Melbourne's nightlife has an almost overwhelming amount of options when you first get there. There are a huge number of bars and clubs in the city and public transportation is very easy to use if you want to get out to the suburbs. One of my favorite parts of Melbourne's bar scene was that there are several bars that are on building rooftops which give you a great view of the city. The city is very safe and never once did I feel like I was in a "sketchy" place.

Melbourne also has a lot of options for day trips both within the city and outside it. There are a few national parks and the Great Ocean road which I believe anyone who studies in Melbourne needs to visit. There are also several parks in the city if you just want to go out and relax outdoors, which you can almost any day you like because the weather is usually great. I also went to St. Kilda Beach a few times. It's a nice beach, usually not too crowded, and at night you can go there and see penguins that nest in the harbor which is really cool.

My semester in Melbourne was an all around great experience and I believe that going through the semester with The Education Abroad Network only enhanced that experience. Apart from the help I got from them for my pre-semester preparation, they also offered lots of excellent opportunities to get out an experience life as the locals do. If it wasn't for the cultural events they offer, I'm not sure I would have broken out of my daily routine to experience some of them. They are also very helpful for any problems that arise during the semester. I had a problem with the financial department at RMIT and all I had to do was notify my TEAN resident director and the problem was fixed that day.

In short, I highly recommend this program to anyone because I went in reluctant about study abroad and I've come away from it a huge supporter and wish I had time to go again.