Study Abroad in Brisbane, Australia

The University of Queensland is in Brisbane, Australia, and UConn students can take courses there through a program with the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA - there are other alternatives). Marisa spent the fall semester of 2006 there and her are some of her thoughts on the experience:

For anyone that has always dreamed of going abroad Australia will easily surpass any expectations you may have. Upon arrival you quickly fall into the slower paced, "no worries" lifestyle and fall in love with the country. Although it can be a bit scary going as far away from home as possible, it is well worth the journey. There are a few different programs that students can study through, but IFSA-Butler rises above the rest in terms of the amount of help they offer you from the moment you are accepted until well after you arrive home. Starting with an unbelievable 4 day orientation and the chance to meet your new "mates" and university's program representative it only improves. Throughout the semester Butler provides students with events such as a welcome pizza party, a family home stay, sea kayaking with whales and a farewell dinner. This program is also one of the few if not the only program which transfers the grades you receive in the Australian schooling system into the United States' grading system. Also, with representatives right off campus any problems that may arise whether it be something back home or something abroad they are very willing to help as best they can.

The University of Queensland lies just outside the city of Brisbane and is in a great location when it comes to travelling. Being about half way down the east coast, in Southeast Queensland, it has plenty of beaches within 2 hrs. When it comes to longer journeys few flights are longer than 1.5 hours and can be found for very cheap through virginblue.com.au. For the weekends you want to stay around Brisbane, it is a little bit larger than Hartford and very easy to walk around. Every weekend there are plenty of open air markets and different events planned. Transportation in and out of the city is extremely easy with buses and ferries running ever 10-30 minutes between campus and downtown. With many past UCONN students having attended this university there are already many classes with UCONN equivalents, making it much less stressful. Lastly, although the campus is 30,000 students depending on how you get involved and where you choose to live it can often times make it feel very small.

When it comes to picking your housing there are a few different options. The program offers living in a residential college with Australians, a Butler apartment with other study abroad students or living with a family. Living in the residential college gives a student the chance to encounter what Australian college life is like, and it is definitely VERY different from in the US. These colleges consist of approx. 300 people with tradition being the most important uniting fact. Meals are eaten together, often times with a formal dinner 1-4 times a week where Harry Potter like robes are worn, there is a head Warden, and events which further encourage the small community at a 30,000 person campus to unite. The thing to be cautious about is that living in Emmanuel College costs approx. $1500 more than living in the other colleges!! Some students choose to live in off campus Butler apartments with other study abroad students. Although this provides for more independence it also makes it harder for these students to absorb the culture. Therefore, many of them decide to get heavily involved with a team or group on campus. Lastly, the program has just recently decided to let students organize their own housing if they desire, and therefore there are not many details known about this.