UGA Exchange - Universidad San Francisco de Quito : Reviews (Quito)
The following program review responses have been selected for publication by UGA StudyAway
Program Evaluation
Spring 2017 Participant
I felt well prepared for the study abroad
Fall 2018 Participant
Their orientation was very helpful. Also the UGA orientation for exchange programs was helpful.
Fall 2018 Participant
In terms of my courses and what was expected of me as an exchange student representing UGA, I felt adequately prepared by the course materials.
Fall 2018 Participant
Health care was very accessible, as there is a private hospital associated with the university, and it is of very good quality. In comparison with US healthcare it is a little bit below, but very very affordable, especially because as a student, you get discounts. I had to get a head CT while I was there due to a chronic migraine condition, and it only cost about $90.
Spring 2017 Participant
Very safe neighborhood
Fall 2018 Participant
I lived in a very safe area, and was walking distance to the bus that I normally took to campus. Campus was in a very safe and nice area. The area is more where the wealthier people in Quito live, and so it had a much more safe vibe than I was expecting. Still, always be aware of your possessions, as you should be in any part of the world.
Fall 2018 Participant
My house and location were very safe; I didn't experience any crime personally, and what petty crime does exist in Quito was covered extensively during orientation.
Spring 2017 Participant
I learned a lot in my classes with Ecuadorian students.
Fall 2018 Participant
The classes were very easy. I was taking upper level psychology classes in Spanish while I was there, along with a couple other classes made specifically for international students. The professors were pretty good, although the level of understanding expected from the students was a lot lower than I have experienced in the US. There was more homework than I am used to here at UGA but still not very much.
Fall 2018 Participant
High quality classes; workload was largely variable depending on how many classes were taken. I might take one fewer classes (5 rather than 6) if doing the program again, to free up more time for travel.
Spring 2017 Participant
Easy to travel to other locations from Quito
Fall 2018 Participant
While there are some university-organized trips, I did not go on any of them because I preferred to plan my own trips. It is very easy to do so, as most of your friends will end up being other international students who also want to travel the country. Trips are easy and affordable to organize. Tip- make friends with someone who has a car and also wants to travel with you!
Fall 2018 Participant
Travel was self-led.
Fall 2018 Participant
I loved my host family, and for the most part I heard the same from all of my friends. The location was nice, and my apartment was clean and modern. A+ experience
Fall 2018 Participant
My host family's house was exceptionally clean and well kept, and very hospitable.
Fall 2018 Participant
My meal quality was pretty low, and I heard that from a few other friends, although I think the norm was that people had excellent meals. A lot of the host families are married older couples whose children have already moved out, and since it is a very traditional culture, most of the women of that age are excellent cooks and enjoy spoiling their host children. My host mom was younger and less traditional, and did not like to cook. This resulted in some interesting meals. I ended up eating out a lot and in that aspect the food was amazing, and also extremely affordable.
Fall 2018 Participant
It was initially difficult for me to transition from cooking my own meals to showing up for mealtime and having much less control over what i ate for breakfast and dinner. Even so, the meals were of good quality and homemade. Lunch around USFQ is very affordable.
Spring 2017 Participant
Sometimes it was intimidating to talk to Ecuadorians but I feel like I understand the culture well
Fall 2018 Participant
I had an amazing time making friends, traveling, eating in various restaurants, riding the city bus, etc. All of those experiences were amazing ways to get integrated into the culture. That is why I chose to do an exchange program instead of a UGA program, because I wanted to have my own unique experiences, and integrate myself more into the culture than I normally would be able to when traveling with a group.
Fall 2018 Participant
I would recommend a homestay program for this specific reason, rather than living alone or with other students.
Spring 2017 Participant
Veronica Castelo (she is in charge of international student affairs) is amazing
Fall 2018 Participant
I think the program was very well organized, and managed the program well. My one complaint is that they are maybe too overprotective of their students, which, depending on the person, could be a good thing. I found that they had a lot more rules than I expected (nothing too crazy, but although it is not forbidden, they get weird about romantic relationships between international students and domestic students, they forbid you from driving any sort of motor vehicle in South America while participating in the program, and they restrict travel to certain provinces that are considered more "dangerous" with a penalty of losing your spot in the program. They said that if we wanted to travel to those places we would need permission from our parents, even though most students were 21-22 years old). On the positive side, I found them to be very proactive about helping students. One of my friends from another university in the US got appendicitis while there, and the head of the international student department spent the night in the hospital with her after surgery. Very helpful and would do anything for the students.
Fall 2018 Participant
Program was so well managed that i didn't interact much with program staff; resources were always available to me when i needed them.
Fall 2018 Participant
They helped me get into a class that I wanted, and do all of the transcript stuff for you, so no effort on your part to get your transcript sent to UGA.
Fall 2018 Participant
No issues. My professors were available and very helpful during office hours.
Spring 2017 Participant
Things are expensive in Ecuador, but the program costs themselves (since they are equal to UGA tuition) are definitely worth it
Fall 2018 Participant
Good value, especially if combined with Hope Scholarship.
Fall 2018 Participant
I thoroughly loved my time there. The university is beautiful and safe, and the students are wonderful. I did not expect to make so many friends with other international students from all over the world, and that was such an experience as well. You don't have class on fridays, and so you have a three day weekend every week to travel around the country. Bus fares are cheap to get around Ecuador, and there are many amazing places to travel that are within 2-3 hours from the city. A+ experience
Fall 2018 Participant
Would do it again!
Spring 2017 Participant
I joined the debate club and would recommend joining a club or trying to make Ecuadorian friends so that the student can truly improve their Spanish outside of the classroom, because it is very easy to merely talk to the other American students most of the time.
Fall 2018 Participant
I advise packing more clothing options than you think. I found myself getting very tired of the wardrobe I had brought with me. I also felt unprepared for the amount of occasions I found myself wanting a blouse and jeans instead of a tshirt and jeans. I'd say most people dress on the nicer side, even to class, so things like going to dinner or getting drinks with friends leaves you wanting more nice options as well. At the same time, you need athletic clothes and lots of coats, because a lot of the trips you will want to do involve hiking or climbing, and are usually in chilly areas.
Fall 2018 Participant
One thing that i struggled with is finding an ideal balance of social, work, relaxation, and travel time; I think that if I had outlined a more precise schedule, or done more extensive research beforehand, I might have visited more places. Falling behind on schoolwork caused me to miss out on other opportunities that I might have had to go and do things. To anybody considering the program, I recommend it unreservedly--and be conscious of how you spend your time, because the semester goes by way faster than you think it will. Also, I found myself occasionally buying American snacks just to enjoy the familiarity of that food; consider bringing a small stash of favorites with you, because may products are hard to find or taste different in Quito.
Spring 2017 Participant
"Wonderful experience - 10/10 would recommend!"
Fall 2018 Participant
USFQ is a lovely university in a valley outside of Quito, and is one of the premier universities in Ecuador. They are so helpful to their international students, so you will never find yourself in a situation in which you don't have help. Aside from the university, Ecuador is a beautiful mountainous country with more adventure than you expect. I hit several things off of my bucket list while traveling through Ecuador and visiting Peru for 8 days, including hiking a glacier, visiting the Galapagos, snorkeling with sharks, summiting a volcano, and visiting Machu Picchu. Incredible experience, and I miss South America so much now that I am back.
Fall 2018 Participant
Studying at USFQ was awesome! Quito is a beautiful and historic city with lots of food, art, and travel opportunities. Can't recommend enough.