way place. As for the host institution, the University of New South Wales is prestigious and absolutely gorgeous. They are very friendly towards international students and make your stay incredibly comfortable. 2. How are the semesters divided abroad? When did you have time off? Arun: I attended semester 2 , meaning my first class took place on August 27 and the last final exam on November 22. There was also a mid -semester break lasting from September 28 to October 2, though I spent a large portion of mine in the field for one of my classes. Alex: Australia does not refer to semesters by
3. What are the facilities like around campus? Was there a lot for students to do?
that allow you to get involved in almost anything you can think of. There are individual costs associated with these, but they are very fairly priced for a starving student. I spent a large amount of time with the Outdoors Club which host’s multiple weekly student climbing nights as well as trips every weekend that include canyoning, hiking, climbing, etc. I also got involved with the local chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology, which gave me stronger insight into the types of research that Australian scientists have been tackling.
Arun: There is a multistory library on campus, as well as a gym and pool that is affiliated with the local YMCA. In addition, there is a wide array of sports teams and clubs
Alex: Somewhat like Concordia, the campus area was massive, taking almost an entire suburb in area to cover it. It is also equipped with fences all around that display
the names of the seasons. Instead, it refers to the semesters by Semester 1 and Semester 2 (with summer semesters starting after Semester 2). Semester 1 runs from March to July whereas Semester 2 runs from July to November. After Semester 2 in November, there is the summer break (much like ours in duration but during our own winter season). During my stay, I was there for semester 2 and I arrived mid-July.
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the borders of the school. Being this grand, there were many facilities, some specifically geared towards international and study-abroad students. For instance, there were multiple housing areas within the school with their own IGA Supermarket inside the campus. There were also pharmacies, travel agencies and travel/ health insurance outposts throughout the campus. There were no extra fees included to use these facilities, but the facilities themselves have small associated fees with them. 4. What was it like selecting classes and getting credits transferred? Arun: While matching courses for credit transfer is not hard, it is definitely a lengthy process and should be done well