Arcadia Abroad

Initially I was hesitant to study abroad due to never being to another country before. However, a few of my peers recommended Arcadia to me due to their semester-long program in London. Thus, I decided to take a chance and apply. Several months later, I was landing in Heathrow Airport and being greeted by Arcadia staff. From the onboarding process to the departure process, Arcadia was there for me every step of the way. Their staff does everything they can to make your experience as enjoyable as possible. I personally cannot recommend Arcadia enough after experiencing their program in London. However, they are not just limited to London. They offer study abroad programs in many other countries too.

London will always have a special place in my heart! London has always been on the list of places I wanted to travel to outside of the US, and I am beyond grateful that I was able to travel there with Arcadia Abroad. Arcadia Abroad emphasizes hands-on, interactive learning and encourages its students to step outside their comfort zones and venture into the unknown. The care, compassion, and attentiveness expressed by professors at the London Learning Center encouraged me to utilize my voice inside the classroom and gave me the courage to contribute to class discussions. Being housed in the Princess Elizabeth House allowed me to meet new students who attend Arcadia, and other students from various universities studying alongside Arcadia. I was able to participate in university excursions while abroad, and had the privilege of traveling throughout Europe with friends! My experience with Arcadia in London is one I won't forget, and I plan to study abroad again in the future.

I loved the uni of Winchester. The whole campus and the people are wonderful. Everyone is so warm and welcoming wanting you to have the best experience. The town of Winchester is a short 10 min walk from campus with everything you can need. Also a close walk to the train station if you need to go farther. Only an hour train ride to London if you want to see the city. Overall I had the best time ever and loved every minute of it.

Learning abroad with Umbra was one of the best decisions I made. All my professors were extremely passionate about the subjects they were teaching, especially the Italian Renaissance class. I was in awe during field trips, being able to reflect on what we learned in class from photos and seeing it in real life was one of the highlights of this experience.

I had the most amazing time spending my semester in Perugia this fall. I made lifelong friends and spent time exploring not only many cities and towns in Italy, but also other countries in Europe as well! My favorite part of this experience was getting to be immersed in the culture and being able to feel confident in living in a non english speaking country. This included traveling by bus and train, as well as navigating airports as well. I was able to grow in my studies of sustainability and marketing to do with Italian food and restaurants. It was one of the best experiences. I remember being worried about coming originally, scared if I was going to make friends, worried about the language barrier, and missing home. Now I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions of my life. I am forever changed and have grown so much as a person! I am so lucky to call Perugia a second home.

I personally had an amazing time at ISI Florence. I studied abroad for the Fall semester of 2024 and went into the program alone. This program pulls from schools all across the United States so you are mixed in with people from various universities. In the fall the program usually sits around 150 students and in the spring it grows to around 550. You are set up with random roommates and placed in an apartment around the city center. I had 8 other roommates and lived above another apartment of ISI students. ISI does not release your roommates until the day you arrive in Italy which is a little nerve racking but it worked out fine for me. I had such a great experience with my roommates and gained 8 new great friends. Including the 9 boys below us, the 17 of us were able to go on trips together, cook meals, hangout, etc. I was really lucky with my living situation as I was in a central location, but not all apartments are. School itself allows space for people to connect and hangout but my living situation really gave me a great community for studying abroad, so those who didn't end up as lucky as I might not have the same view on the program. School is far easier than my home university and the workload is significantly lower. The professors are a mixed bag but all relatively nice and fine lecturers. The staff is amazing, they are all helpful and very kind. There is little cultural immersion as all the classes are in english, besides your mandatory Italian course. I worked on the Global Leaders Program through the program which got me further immersed in the culture due to the assignments and interviews we did. Overall I had a great experience but some of that was up to luck!

I truly loved my time studying at the University of Winchester! I know it might seem more exciting to go to London or Oxford or one of the bigger, more touristy cities, but if you looking for a traditional English town experience, Winchester is the place to be. Every time I walked into town to get groceries or pop out for a drink, I felt like I was walking through a scene in a Jane Austen movie. This might have also been because Jane Austen did, in fact, live in Winchester at one point! I also was very grateful that I went through Arcadia! Every step of my journey from before I left the U.S. to even after I got back they were great! They communicated well and often and always responded to emails in a timely matter. My Advisor was also a huge help in settling me in and checking in on me throughout the semester and I still email her now after the completion of my program. I highly recommend Arcadia!

I went on this program in the Summer of 2017, and I can't recommend it enough. The on-site staff are very friendly, and very willing to help you with any problems you have. The classes aren't super difficult, but they do require you to put the effort in. The professors are all very knowledgeable, friendly, and approachable. I took Scottish Wars of Independence and Marketing/Branding in Scotland, and had great experiences in both. Most students only have class 2-3 days a week, which leaves a lot of time to travel in your spare time. The program organizes 3 day trips to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St. Andrews, and you'll also have 2 class field trips. There is also an optional trip to the Isle of Skye that I highly recommend. You'll have to step a bit outside of your comfort zone if you want to engage with the locals, but you'll have plenty of opportunities to do so.

Don't go through Arcadia if you are traveling here the expense is enormous and there is almost no pay off at all! I am paying almost $10,000 more than some who directly enrolled in University College Dublin "UCD". (UCD is great btw) The only benefits of Arcadia are: 1. They give UCD your application. You can easily do this on your own. 2. They sign you up for housing. Again, you can do this online on your own! You will save so much money and have the option to live in the city or wherever you want. 3. They organize trips for you in Ireland. But these trips are on weekends when you're traveling to other countries and oh yeah you have to pay an additional cost for these. Also UCD organizes very similar and total free trips as well. Arcadia is a scam. They have made promises to check over our classes before registration ended, process payments from UCD, and track our travel plans for safety reasons. They have failed to fulfill these promises. What am I paying for? No idea.

Arcadia is one of the few universities with a first year study abroad program. You are guided through the process step by step (they even book your flight for you!) and the fee is only around $600, which includes your flight, airport pickup, etc. Housing is excellent, always in travel zones 1 or 2, I lived in Notting Hill which is one of the nicest neighborhoods in London, and only a few minutes walk from Kensington Gardens. The professors at the Arcadia Centre are amazing and focused on getting you out into the city. Amazing amazing amazing time.

Studying abroad was one of the greatest experiences in not only my time as an undergraduate student but also in my life. Arcadia made this opportunity more feasible as the process of applying, preparing and participating was organized and well designed. Advisers were always willing to assist me at every step of the way. I could not have chosen a better program!

Before studying abroad in London, I was beyond anxious and scared. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and living away from everything and everyone I knew and loved for 5 months seemed impossible. A year later, I still think about my life in London daily, and I have not one regret about studying abroad. The Arcadia program made me feel comfortable almost immediately after stepping off the plane in Heathrow. The first few days, when I was so overwhelmed, Arcadia had activities and information sessions planned, so that I could feel some normalcy and become comfortable in my new home. My best friends from studying abroad came from the Arcadia program because we started out together and were very like-minded...we all wanted an adventure! Throughout the semester, Arcadia had planned trips that made it easy to explore some places, such as Stonehenge, that would have been difficult to do on my own. The staff and directors in London were always very friendly and helpful, and I could tell they wanted to make sure every student had the best experience possible. I highly recommend the Arcadia program at Queen Mary. As a student, you get the security of an American program, but the experience of living and taking classes like a British student at a real college campus in East London. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything, and I'm thankful that I chose this program, because it made my experience abroad the best it could be.

Going to Robert Burns' hometown and the house where he was born for my birthday with a few of my friends in the Butler program. His writing was the reason I wanted to study there so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to go to his birthplace and see where a lot of his inspiration came from. I wanted to study Scottish Literature in Scotland, and Arcadia is the program that my home university worked with for all Scottish programs.

I felt so much support during my time abroad. I was nervous to be away from my family, but it was easy to make new friends with all of the planned activities. We met for dinner every week and did some great activities that I never would have tried otherwise. We went SCUBA diving and visited museums.

I will always remember being in Scotland and the Lake District

A school that does a great job of allowing kids to still have free time to go out while also taking academics seriously.

Great balance of academics and cultural experience! Would not have loved anywhere as much as Granada!

I've had an awesome time abroad. I've learned a lot about the Spanish culture through trips/tours around Spain. Also, through my roommates coworkers and teachers.

Granada provides a great mix of the academic, the cultural, and the social experience of the studying abroad

So far, this has been a really good experience. The Arcadia staff here are so helpful in immersing you into the culture and helping you get adjusted. yay Study Abroad!

This has been an amazing cultural learning experience thus far!

I stayed with a family here and they changed the way I see the world and accepted me as family. The sun is beautiful, the beaches are wonderful, relaxing learning experience, but you still have to go to school. Academics: School was not cool. Living Situation: Amazing, perfect. I've never eaten better and never will. Cultural Immersion: Lived with my family who are amazing. Program Administration: Very confusing where to meet, but once I got there it was great.

Granada provides a great mix of the academic, the cultural, and the social experience of studying abroad.

The Arcadia program at the University of Westminster is really good. There are really great classes offered to study abroad students. If you are a media student and take two classes at the Harrow campus you are required to live there which is a bit out from the center of London but it isn't too bad if you have a monthly oyster card (student discount). Also, my best advice to meet people on this program... GET INVOLVED. Join a team or a club and your experience will be amazing and the friends and memories you make will be forever!

I took classes at the Umbra Institute through Arcadia, so I didn't primarily deal with Arcada. however, when ARcadia was involved it was great. The Umbra Institute was amazing and Perugia is beautiful. I would highly recommend this program. I felt like I was able to have a truly authentic experience in a small and closely knit city. I also was able to immerse myself culturally and my language ability was much improved by the end of my year abroad.

Going to Cape Town, South Africa is the best thing that I could have ever done. Not only did I learn a different way of life, like any other abroad experience, but the atmosphere and people were just as beautiful as the beaches and Table Mountain. Along with that Cape Town , being a young democracy, is at the forefront for diversity and equality. It was great for me to be there as an International Studies major. Using Arcadia was my best decision and I do not regret anything! Academics: University of Cape Town follows the British system of education and it was difficult. The professors are not very hands on with the students, but that's what happens at big universities all over the world. Living Situation: Lived in Mowbray a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It was very close to everything including the university in which it took about 20minutes walking to get there. Program Administration: The Arcadia staff was always there for us 24/7 if anything happened. They were very friendly and outgoing. They definitely made the program worthwhile.

Everything about The University of Wollongong is great....gorgeous campus, gorgeous beaches, nicest people, great classes! I could go on for days. I have dreamed of coming to Australia since I was about 7, and this experience is better than anything I could have imagined. I live on campus in Kooloobong, and the people here are really like a tiny family, right from the start they took us in and made us feel at home. The city of Wollongong is great too, tons of good night life, shops, food and beaches. I really cant stop saying good things about this place! Health and Safety: We got notified if there was any issue with safety rather quickly....and I never felt unsafe

I loved my study abroad at University of Edinburgh! The city, university, fellow students, and Scottish culture are all amazing. The University has a decent number of study abroad students, so they are very accommodating and it is easy to fit into the culture in just a semester. Because all instruction is in English, the courses fit well with home college curricula- I was able to get many distribution and major credits from the program. Arcadia runs a decent 3 day orientation, multiple weekend trips throughout the semester (I was too busy with my new Scottish friends to go on any!) and academic and logistic support if necessary. I would definitely recommend studying in Edinburgh to anyone interested!!!! Academics: Living Situation: Cultural Immersion: Program Administration:

Arcadia's program at the University of Otago was beyond great. The staff representatives were helpful and responsive when needed but allowed independence, and the few excursions they planned for us were a blast! Shane and Jane were great! In 5 months in New Zealand, I did almost everything I ever dreamed of doing including every goal I set for my time abroad. I had the experience of a lifetime and will never forget the places I saw, people I met, and things I did. My time abroad forever changed the person I am and aim to be and opened up an entirely new perspective on the world for me. I was very close to transferring and living in New Zealand permanently! Wish I could go back.

I had a great semester abroad. The Arcadia staff in New Zealand did a great job easing us into the semester and then turning us loose to do our own thing. They were always available when I needed help or advice.

My semester here in Australia has been one of the greatest experiences of my life so far. I learned about Australian culture, indigenous culture and history, and also a lot about myself. I studied at UQ (Uni of Qld) and it was a gorgeous campus, situated about a half hour from the beautiful and lively city of Brisbane. I loved the freedom that I had. When I first got here, after orientation, the Arcadia staff helped to ease us into the new country we were living in without breathing down our backs. They provided a lot of different excursions which were awesome, I don't think I would have ever scuba dived at the great barrier reef, but I did. Everyone was so nice and friendly, and genuinely cared about how we were going. I would definitely do another trip abroad with this Arcadia staff. Love them all. The reason I gave the academic a lower score is probably just because of my trouble transitioning to the Australian style of teaching and grading. Very different from American, but you'll get used to it (just in time to leave haha). I just had to stress less and remember to have fun! I also got the chance to have a lot of fun with class field trips to study ecology and zoology hands on!

Deciding to study abroad with Arcadia University was probably one of the best decisions I made to enhance my study abroad experience. I went to James Cook University in Townsville, which is a great school located in tropical North Queensland. My experience has been wonderful. The Arcadia staff made my transition smooth sailing and easier. Plus, with the orientation that they give you in the beginning, they prepare you for a semester/year spent in another country. Also the excursions that they offer are wonderful. Not only are they fun and a great way to travel, but they are also very informative--my favorite one was the long Outback excursion. Basically, Arcadia is AWESOME!

My semester here is drawing to a close and I hate to have to go home. I decided on Arcadia University after much research and speaking to alums from the program. I made the perfect choice. My entire stay has been full of fun and exploration from Arcadia's orientation to the final farewell. The Sydney based Arcadia staff is warm, fun loving, helpful, and full of information that makes the time here worthwhile. They are attentive to any needs or concerns, and you can't help but fall in love with them! From the pre-departure process to your arrival, the Sydney staff is busy helping and forging a friendship that spans oceans. The sites you see, the memories you make, and the people you meet along the way will stay with you forever. I enjoyed the freedom to live and explore not only my surroundings but myself as well. Sydney is a beautiful city, and Australia as a whole has so many amazing activities just waiting for the adventurous soul. If I had to do it over I would do it 100%! So come to Australia with Arcadia Uni! You won't regret it. I know I don't!

Really liked my program. I was able to live on campus at University of Queensland and get exposed to Australian Culture. The program helped with the transition but gave you your freedom for the most part.