Fall Study Abroad Programs in Brisbane, Australia

This was truly one of the best experiences I have had. From many of the courses having field trips to meeting people from all over the world, I truly could not have had a better abroad experience. I lived on campus and was able to be part of the community and become part of the university as well by volunteering in a lab on campus and having an on campus job. I traveled all over the country and to a few other countries as well! I was so excited for this opportunity and I now have an opportunity from the university to come back for further studies.

Going to Brisbane, Australia and studying at the University of Queensland was one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life! I went abroad my junior year of college in the fall. I had to go earlier than most abroad programs (left in early July), so I was already so nervous. IFSA's staff was incredible. As soon as I got off the plane, my IFSA advisor helped me get a SIM card to contact my parents and tell them we landed. IFSA staff does a great job of being attentive and responding immediately to anything which may concern you. Whether it was directions to a bus stop or picking a place to go for the weekend, IFSA acted as a family would. They were my rock. They gave me advice. I was able to contact them about big and small issues. Also, IFSA planned several group trips, such as one to Morton Island, which was incredible! All you had to do was show up and be ready for an amazing weekend! Also, the University of Queensland's campus was breathtaking. It was the perfect place to get out after class and stroll on campus to a coffee spot or visit the library. I felt very comfortable navigating through campus. I love the sun shine and being outdoors, so studying on this campus involved days of reading outside on my favorite park bench. Brisbane stole my heart. The people, the memories, the friends. Everything I made there is irreplaceable. Going halfway around the world was worth every second. I visited beaches, met new people, and traveled around Australia while being a student as well. I got to surf and see kangaroos. I got to experience independence while never feeling alone. I highly suggest looking into IFSA's University of Queensland Study Abroad Program! I was worried about my studies while abroad, but travel and school was manageable. Also, the sunshine made me excited for each and every day!

My experience in Gold Coast was something irreplaceable, I would go back and do it a hundred times over. While deciding where I wanted to study, I always desired to see Australia. Unlike many people, I took an unusual root and signed up for the IFSA program without knowing one other person. I recommend IFSA to anyone who asks me about my experience. Even before taking off they give such detailed instructions for everything you need before you go abroad and assign you an advisor that can help with any questions you might have. I set up calls with mine so many times and I was always able to benefit from her advice. IFSA also makes sure to include excursions, our orientation took place in Sydney where I got to meet the rest of the 20 kids on my program. I still stay in touch with a majority of them we were a very tight-knit group. Our advisors there were always so eager to find us new night-life, restaurants, and sightseeing tips throughout the experience. My peers and I looked to those two women as our home away from home moms! There are monthly activities like boating, Morton Island weekend trip, Barefoot Bowls, Three Sisters, and more. Who wouldn't want to live in the heart of Gold Coast? The surfer century apartments are located a block from the beach and at the center of the hustle and bustle. I grew so much as a person starting fresh in a brand new place. No matter where you decide to study, just do it! There is no better time to put your life on pause for 6 months. It's a rare opportunity and a total blessing. In the Spring of my junior year, I did another program not through IFSA to Dublin, Ireland. I can say whole-heartedly IFSA is an amazingly organized program to trust to get you there in one piece and also be there when you need guidance. While living in the apartments, IFSA also partnered with a program at the school. Everyone who lived in my apartment all shared the same student mentor, who happened to be the student body president at Griffith! He gave us all the tips and tricks to navigate in a new place. He hosted events where we could meet other international students as well. Surfer's Paradise seemed gigantic at first but by the end seemed smaller and more like home, where I would see familiar faces on the tram, on Cavill Ave, at the grocery stores, and bars. I would take anything to go back and travel along the east coast of Australia and IFSA made it all possible. It was my hardest goodbye and my greatest love and to IFSA and Griffith University I am forever grateful.

From Day one, when my pre-advisor contacted me with the necessary steps I had to take to get ready for abroad, I knew there were a lot of little details I had to work out (i.e. cell phone plan, getting credit card without international fees, obtaining Australian money, what I should/shouldn't pack, etc.). My pre-advisor could not have been more helpful! She answered all my questions in a timely fashion, and she gave me great advice when I wanted her opinion. Once I got to Australia, I could not have been more blessed with the Student Service Coordinator (SSC) I had. She really cared how each of us were doing, both inside and outside of school. She wanted to make the transition to and from abroad as effortless as possible. She would hold coffee chats so we could hang out and talk with her. She was able to help me on some big decisions. And most importantly, she was always there for me (including leaving her family to sit with me in the ER until 1am just so I wouldn't be alone). Having such a caring SSC really made my abroad experience memorable!

My study abroad experience began with TEAN orientation in Cairns and included a boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef, going to Hartley's Crocodile Zoo to see lots of crocodiles, kangaroos, and koalas, and skydiving. This was an awesome opportunity to embrace Australian culture as well as meet other students who were also going to be studying abroad at schools in Australia during the same semester as me. Once I was settled in Brisbane, our TEAN advisor was very helpful with seeing if we needed anything and making sure we were adjusting to this new atmoshpere. I loved all my classes at the University of Queensland and there were so many different opportunities to get invovled and join clubs such as the surfers club! TEAN was always helpful throughout the process of selecting schools and deciding which school in Australia I wanted to study at. We also had scheduled events such as going to the Steve Irwin Australia Zoo and going to footy games that were coordinated by our TEAN advisor in Brisbane. I would highly recommend this program and would definitely say it was the best 5 months of my life and such an amazing experience!!

IFSA was such a gift to- and really did define- my study abroad experience. From the constant presence of resources and information that lasted from my first thoughts about studying abroad to my re-acclimation to school in the U.S., to the easing into Australian culture and life at the orientation in Sydney, to the wonderful friends that filled my time in Australia with so much comfort and joy, I cannot imagine having studied abroad without IFSA. For example, as an introvert and someone who is slow to warm up to new places and new things, it was immensely comforting to ease into the novelty of studying abroad with IFSA's extensive support and staff. Learning about Australian Aboriginal communities that first day at the orientation in Sydney opened the door not only for many further conversations with other IFSA students, but also for personal academic exploration and work. Thus, I most appreciate the organization, orientation, and information that IFSA was able to provide, allowing for a smooth transition and quick adjustment to a new place, which enabled a much more full, engaging, and transforming experience.

I had the time of my life studying abroad in Gold Coast, Australia! IFSA did an incredible job of providing amazing housing, support, excursions, safety, contact information, and everything you can imagine! Staff was there to help me every step of the way until I was ready to explore Australia on my own, and once I did it was amazing. Using the tools IFSA gave me I had success in school, joined a tennis club, explored beaches and rainforest, and made amazing friends and memories.

I absolutely loved living in Brisbane, Australia. Everyone was so incredibly friendly, the weather was perfect and sunny, and the academics and living situations were great. I enjoyed going into the city on my off days and just exploring everything that Brisbane had to offer. The best part about the city is its close proximity to many of the larger Australian cities. It made for the perfect home base and definitely exceeded all of my expectations. I would choose to live in Brisbane in the future if I could because it is family-friendly, safe, and definitely packed full of fun activities and events for everyone to enjoy. I hope to return to Australia soon!

I studied at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. From the application process to the day I left, TEAN advisors were there to help if I needed them. They helped me adjust to life in the city and resources if anything were to go wrong. Luckily, I never ran into trouble. Brisbane was a very safe and beautiful city. After traveling to many different locations in Australia, I was pleased with my decision to pick Brisbane as my host city. By the end of the trip, I felt like a native Australian and I hope to visit again someday.

I had one of the greatest times in my life going on a Pacific Discovery trip. It was incredible and I learned more about myself then I ever imagined I would. Rach and Scotty led the trip and they were amazing guides and teachers. I have always highly recommended this type of trip to students who might feel stuck in college or not sure what to do. The trip will open up your eyes to new experiences, cultures, and make you think about how to live your life in a more adventurous way. Wish I could do it all over again and experience everything I did again for the first time. Cheers, Gregg Starr

A once in a lifetime experience I am forever grateful for. Helped me grow and learn more about myself. I met some amazing new people and it helped open my eyes to a new way of seeing things. Now that I traveled, I want to travel more and see more of not only Australia, but other parts of the world as well.

Studying abroad through TEAN was an incredible experience. Through the orientation that TEAN organizes you are able to meet a lot of the people that will be studying at your university. This was a huge advantage because I was able to have peer support right away while across the world. The staff were very helpful in making sure we were adjusting to life in Australia. Whatever questions or problems I had while abroad they made sure to fix. It was a great opportunity going through TEAN and would recommend it to anyone.

Because of my experience in Australia through TEAN, I fully believe every student should study abroad at some point in their life. No matter who you are or where you are from, studying abroad changes your perspective of the world and increases your independence and confidence. TEAN did an amazing job at helping me through every single process. From the very beginning such as buying flights and getting my visa up until the very end when I returned home. Every single staff member was amazing. They were always willing to assist me whenever I needed it. Through TEAN, I was able to meet friends that I will have for the rest of my life. I loved the girls I roomed with and our apartment was incredible. Brisbane is an incredible city and I highly recommend studying at the University of Queensland. If you have any nerves or uncertainties before studying abroad I can promise you than you can trust TEAN to make every transition seamless.

Pacific Discovery planned out the trip incredibly, and everything we did was mind-blowing. The trip really allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and experience new things that I definitely would not be able to do at home. The program also really allowed me to explore myself as a person in a way that I never have before. I felt like I really grew through all the activities we did and through any hardships that we had (we had very few though). Overall, I had the time of my life and learned so much, especially with two incredible instructors, Beth and Stacey.

I experience a good business environment. It is very helpful for my success in the future. With the help of this experience i got a lot of opportunities to get right way for successful career. I have good ability to communicate with others and confident in my decisions. On the other hand i am weak in intuitive thoughts. With the help of my experience i will overcome my weakness and improve my strength.

There is truly nothing I would change about my experience and time abroad. TEAN made it very easy for me to fully immerse myself into the culture through t events they put on. The events helped me make life-long friends that I travelled the world with since then. There is nothing I would change about the experience.

I had the most amazing experience with IFSA Butler at the University of Queensland. With the help of IFSA, I was able to have an advisor there in my city during my entire time abroad and it was incredibly helpful to have her to reach out to. I had questions about using my student health insurance to questions about places to eat out in the city, and she was always an instant reply away. We also had dinners throughout the semester, an incredible orientation experience that allowed us to immediately adjust to the Australian life, and a very fun mid semester trip. IFSA also is how I got my housing in the International House in Brisbane which is where I met friends that I have been in contact with and even traveled to see since returning from Australia. The International House hosted several cultural events, allowed me to meet people from all over the world, and felt like home in a country I had never even been to before. The staff at the International House was also incredibly supportive of its students and helped me get my extended time approved, with the help of my advisor through IFSA.

Incredible location. Classes allow you to make friends with locals. The university has a lot of events for international students. Classes range from challenging to easy but you have plenty of choice. Locals are friendly and approachable.

Australia is a great place to study abroad; you will have so much fun, learn a lot, and grow from your travels. Brisbane specifically is a lovely city. The third largest in Australia, Brisbane is not overwhelming and it is easy to get around. I enjoyed the city for it's abundance of entertainment, quirky cafés and restaurants, and friendly, laid back inhabitants. There is a man-made beach near the central business district and you can kayak on the famous Brisbane river. There is a large shopping center as well and a free art museum! Night life is amazing too--be sure to check out the Valley. Brisbane truly has endless entertainment. The University of Queensland is a terrific school--I enjoyed all of my classes and learned a lot about Australian Aboriginal culture and the Australian environment. Campus is beautiful and you will see new faces every day. You can sit on the quad and study, or just people watch. TEAN is an incredible program. They really supported students in transitioning to living abroad and helped us feel like locals through the cultural events they chose for us, such as a Brisbane Broncos rugby game. Orientation was amazing--you get to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef and wake up to views of mountains and palm trees. TEAN supports you every step of the way--from planning to go abroad and being abroad.

Institute for Study Abroad provided an experience that I would have never imagined living a year ago. IFSA-Butler prepared me for my trip to Australia months before the departure, answered every question imaginable, and ensured that I was taken care of on the other side of the world. When planning a trip to study abroad, having a strong and reliable program provider is of utmost importance, and IFSA surpassed those expectations with flying colors. They provided stellar housing accommodations, insight on scheduling classes, and have a reliable staff who are always ready to help. Not only does IFSA contribute to the predeparture logistics of studying abroad, they hosted an orientation in Sydney, Australia, and remained in contact throughout the semester. I highly recommend utilizing the benefits provided by studying through IFSA-Butler.