Study Abroad in Newcastle, Australia with WorldStrides

The Education Abroad Network made preparing to study abroad easy! They were always just an email or phone call away before and during my semester abroad. At the University of Newcastle I joined two student organizations that really defined my experience and made it unforgettable. In the Newcastle University Mountaineering Club I met a bunch of really cool Australians that were welcoming and willing to teach others. The University of Newcastle Exchange Student Network was great for meeting students from Australia and all over the world.

I had an amazing experience with TEAN at the University of Newcastle. TEAN staff was extremely helpful in getting situated and throughout the semester. The university had great classes, professors, and resources that allowed me to continue my education as if I had never left the US, while also gaining a more global perspective on things I commonly study. I also met amazing people from Australia and all over the world through several clubs on campus that also allowed me to take small trips to explore the area.

I was at first very hesitant to travel and live over 16,000 miles away from home, but I am so incredibly happy I did. From Orientation with TEAN at the Great Barrier Reef to meeting and studying with the locals, I would not change my experience if I could. The TEAN staff made it helpful to ease into the new culture of Australia. They also were very prompt in answering phone calls and emails if you had a question, while abroad.

Newcastle, Australia will forever hold a special place in my heart. It was all I had hoped it would be. Living in Newy or a surrounding town you don't have to go far to see some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen in my life. When researching places to study in Australia I was looking for a beach town that was not touristy and Newcastle fit that. There is a city feel to Newy but it's a small town city. I didn't feel overwhelmed or lost walking around. I felt as though I could go to town and be safe and find my way around alone. Newy has it all, small town feel, beaches, shopping, nightlife and great food. It was truly and incredible experience and somewhere I will forever consider home.

Honestly I felt that Newcastle was the best place to pick because it is so well-rounded. I was able to experience a University like never before having the campus basically be surrounded by the rain forest but also got a chance to travel into the city for that sort of life. The academics was challenging in the best way and I was able to make long-lasting friendships both in my classes and where I was staying. Newcastle is a BEAUTIFUL town with a strip of beaches and small towns that have so many different types of cultures to experience. There is also an easily accessible train that can lead straight into Sydney if you want to! As explained by others as well; Newcastle is Australia's hidden gem <3

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Now that I'm back, it feels like my time abroad was a dream. It was the absolute best experience I've had in my life! When you hear people say that studying abroad changed their lives, listen. It's true! The University of Newcastle was great! The academics were challenging, but not too overwhelming, which I am thankful for because it allowed me to also be able to both become more educated and be able to explore such a beautiful country. I was able to live on campus, as well, which I loved. I lived with all Australians and really was able to learn about Australian culture and immerse myself in it! I am so glad that I decided to go abroad with TEAN. As someone who struggled with the financial aspect, they worked with me to make sure I could go abroad, and whenever I had a question, I felt like I could go to them and ask. They honestly want to help students have this incredible experience. The TEAN employees that worked with us in Sydney were a blast and taught us a lot about the country. And when it was time to go to our respective cities and move into our living arrangements, they took care of everything. I was the only one living in the dorms on the campus, and one of the TEAN employees helped me move all my bags in and made sure that everything was okay. It's more helpful than you could imagine to have people there for you when you're so far from home! If I could offer up any advice, I'd say this: For one, save!!! Australia is an expensive country and the cost of living feels a lot higher. However, there are a lot of fun things to do that are super inexpensive, so don't fret if you don't feel like you aren't enough money with you. Second, just apply. GO ABROAD! Go to Newy. You won't have a single regret except for wishing you had done it sooner and stayed longer.

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Going abroad was one of the best decisions I have made in my college career so far! I would recommend doing it to anyone, and further more urge those studying abroad to do it throughout the Education Abroad Network. They made the whole process simple and stress-free. They made me more comfortable going on my own because I knew that I had people to help me on my way and while I was there whenever I needed it. I think my experience would not have been as smooth if I had not done it all with TEAN. They greatly helped in making my time in Australia and experience I will never forget!

Its been a little over 4 months since I returned from Newcastle and there hasn't been a day where I haven't thought about my experience. Through this experience I made so many lifelong friends and had my eyes opened to how vast the world truly is. I lived about 2 blocks away from the beach and a 15 minute walk from the town center and train station (on which you can pay $5 and get to Sydney in 2 hours). I lived in an 11 person share house with not only Australians, but people from all over Europe. And with the 4 other houses that had the same amount of people next door, it was like our own little international community. I learned so many things about so many different countries and cultures. I also learned that I love to travel as we camped up and down the east coast of Australia as well as drove an RV around the south island of New Zealand. I also got to fulfill my lifelong goal of surfing every day and becoming a good surfer. I just wanted to write this review to say that if you are thinking about going to Newcastle, GO! People will tell you that its scary to travel away from home for such a long time and that might be true, but after leaving Newcastle I was wishing that I'd chosen to stay a year. ISA is a great program that helped me every step of the way and gave me opportunities to meet so many fun people. I know its a big decision to commit to a program like this one, but I promise you it will teach you so many new things about yourself and completely change your perspective on the world.

I spent five amazing months in the incredible land of oz! The Education Abroad Network helped me chose the right program for me with their detailed website on each University. The University of Newcastle was such a unique experience and I loved the being in a place that had a small city so there was always something to do, being conveniently located a ten minute bus ride to the beach or campus was great. I lived in group housing with around 20 Australians and 9 Americans. I also joined the University women's soccer team. Both of these experiences allowed me to be submersed in the Australian culture! I made lifelong friends and fell in love with Australia. I was also a 2 hour train ride from Sydney which is one of the most amazing cities in the world (yes that is a biased opinion, but oh so true)! I have never met such friendly people that were laid back but outgoing at the same time. The University of Newcastle had awesome events for students to get together, they even had an international scavenger hunt during "O-week" (orientation) where I met people from all over the world that I became very close with and spent most weekends with! TEAN offered an orientation in Sydney and a pre-semester excursion to Cairns where I did things I never imagined would be possible. For example, I was able to bungy jump, white water raft, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, kayak, and sky-dive through a rainbow into the beach all in the same week! Talk about an adrenaline rush! I would 100% recommend this program and university!

Choosing to study abroad was a big decision and picking Australia and TEAN was the best choice I could have made. I had the most unforgettable time in Newcastle. I lived in the Samdon Street housing and really made the most of the immersive culture. Living with a bunch of Australian students and truly feeling Australian was crucial for me. I really liked how I wasn't constantly surrounded by other Americans. I also thought TEAN was an amazing provider. The orientation was super, I didn't feel overwhelmed and it was a great mix of being able to go off on your own with new friends and planned activities. I also got a good grasp on Sydney (a place I traveled to weekly while in Newcastle). The University of Newcastle was a good mix between social and academically challenging. I took interesting classes that transfered to my home college without flaw. Overall Australia became a home away from home and I cannot wait to return in the near future.

My most memorable experience was my trip to Bali with friends. Bali was a place I have always wanted to travel to and being able to visit with friends was unbelievable. The people and the laid back culture there can't be replicated anywhere else in the world. It was also very inexpensive which allowed us to do whatever we wanted. I chose TEAN because right from the start they made me feel really comfortable and they were really committed to making sure I was alright through every phase of study abroad. There was always someone available to talk with, they responded to my parents quickly and made the application and transfer process super easy. Samdon Street housing is a huge share house in Newcastle's Hamilton suburb. It was the best place to live because I wanted to get really involved with the local culture and living with a ton of locals made that really easy. I feel like it gave me a truly unique experience because I was around Australians 24/7. Hamilton is also a very cute area with lots of cafes and stores to buy necessities. The train station was also a 10 minute walk and this train could go to campus and Sydney so traveling was always simple.

Going to Australia was always a dream of mine and TEAN made it come true. I think studying abroad is something that every college student should do. Experiencing a different culture is enriching and definitely opened my eyes to the differences but also the similarities our cultures have. TEAN made the whole process so easy and then while in Australia were only a phone call away. If I had to do it all over again there is only one thing I would change. Instead of doing a semester I'd do a full year. :) My most memorable experience was creating amazing friendships with the local Australians I lived with and all of the traveling that I did (Sydney, Great Barrier Reef, Whitsundays, and Melbourne). I chose my program because they were the most professional program I found while researching programs. I found that their website was so easy to navigate which made the whole beginning process so easy. TEAN' s staff members are all so amazing and their on site representative was so enthusiastic and passionate that she really made the difference for me. Best living situation that TEAN offers is through the University of Newcastle. I lived with local Australian students in a large house. We had two community living rooms (flat screen tv, couches, tables), a (fully equipped) kitchen, washer and dryer. Grocery stores, cafes, shoppes, and restaurants were all within a 5 minute walking distance. I used the bus and train to get to school everyday. I it absolutely love this housing it enhanced my experience while abroad because we got to live with locals and build amazing friendships. Absolutely loved it. The TEAN staff from program administration to on site staff members are incredible. They are so helpful, patient and understanding. I probably emailed on staff member 20 time in the course of one week and she always responded quickly and was happy to answer any concerns I had (and the concerns of my mom haha) TEAN holds free cultural events for the students through out the semester. While abroad I saw a show a the Sydney Opera House, a friendly international soccer game between the Socceroos (Australia's National Team) and South Aftrica's national team, and also took a free surfing lesson at Australia's iconic Bondi beach. These events were not only FREE but so much fun. If you study in Newcastle you have to go to Euro Bar (its a cafe) in Hamilton. Or in actual Newcastle you have to go to Customs, best beer garden! I never had any health issues while abroad.

If you want to get involved on campus and truly get to know the native Australians in this laid-back beach town, TEAN Newcastle is for you! Health and Safety: Very Safe! Social Life: Newcastle is just a 2 hour train ride away from Sydney ($8 roundtrip with concession). I found myself going to Sydney to visit my Sydney TEAN friends almost every weekend. Obviously Sydney has superb night life!

If you want to get involved on campus and truly get to know the native Australians in this laid-back beach town, TEAN Newcastle is for you!

Choosing to study abroad with TEAN was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had the most amazing time in Newcastle and traveling all over Australia. I really immersed myself in the culture and people. It opened a lot of new doors for me and helped me realize valuable things about myself as a person. I think living in the Samdon Street housing was a great experience because I lived with lots of locals who turned into life long friends.

Going to Australia was always a dream of mine and TEAN made it come true. I think studying abroad is something that every college student should do. I mean come on what student wouldn't want to spend 5 months in a different country and get college credit. Experiencing a different culture is enriching and definitely opened my eyes to the differences but also the similarities our cultures have. TEAN made the whole process so easy and then while in Australia were only a phone call away. If I had to do it all over again there is only one thing I would change. Instead of doing a semester I'd do a full year. :)

My most memorable experience was waking up in the early hours of the morning to meet me two Australian friends that I met at Uni. We would take walks for miles down the different Newcastle beaches. Sometimes we would go for a swim in the ocean baths or they would give me a surfing lesson. The experiences I shared with my native Aussie friends helped me to understand their culture, while I even taught them about my native culture. This was my favourite way to begin my mornings. I chose TEAN because I knew they would have my back every step of the way. Before, during, and after my experience in Australia TEAN has kept close ties with me. Pre-departure to Australia I think I called TEAN's Chicago office once a day to ask them any question I could possibly think of. During my abroad experience TEAN had housing representatives in New South Wales to move us into our new house and Uni. Throughout the semester they would take us out to cultural events and meals to make sure we were enjoying our experience. TEAN is what made my experience abroad the best semester of my life because they organized trips throughout the semester like (Thailand, New Zealand, Melbourne, Sydney, and Cairns) that were packed with the best activities. Also, the other TEAN students I met are still my best friends today. My housing was what made TEAN's Newcastle Uni program stand out from the others. I lived in a big boarding house with 25 native Australian students, 3 other TEAN students, and 1 Chineese student. Samdon house was located close to the public transportation system so I could take the train to Sydney or take a bus to Uni. I was a short walk to the shops and a 10 minute bike ride from the beach. It was a great location and opportunity to truly indulge in the Aussie culture.

I spent five months in Australia and fell in love. The people were extremely friendly, the food was amazing and the culture was so exciting. I got to swim in the Great Barrier Reef with sharks, eat kangaroo and even go to the biggest IMAX theatre in the world! I would definitely recommend going through The Education Abroad Network and going to the University of Newcastle. It will change your life! Academics: The classes were very hands on and challenging. I learned so much! Living Situation: We lived in a share house with twenty Australians! It was the best experience ever because we really got to engage with the culture. Program Administration: Everyone was so helpful and always knew how to help.

I had the most amazing time in Newcastle at the University of Newcastle. The campus is like a jungle, and there are about 5 gorgeous beaches in Newcastle alone! The big city feel is right around the corner with a quick trip to Sydney, I found myself going there for a weekend at least once a month! The University had multiple campuses to choose from, including one right in the city walking distance from the beach, or and that is more of a remote close knit community made up of dorms, or "colleges" of students from all over the world! Either way, both campuses are about an 8 minute train ride apart :) If you choose The University of Newcastle, you will not be disappointed!