Lyon 3 : Reviews (Lyon)
The following program review responses have been selected for publication by UGA StudyAway
Program Evaluation
Fall 2016 Participant
Very accurate. I enjoyed meeting Lyonnaise students before departing.
Academic Year 2018 Participant
The material provided at both orientations, meaning the one stateside as well as the other at the host institution, is extremely helpful and it's highly recommended that one attends both and all orientation sessions: the more information, the better.
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
I had no real issues with safety during any of my time in France. Lyon is known to be one of the safest cities for students.
Fall 2016 Participant
I felt very safe.
Jan Andersen Berland,
Spring 2018 Participant
Campus always felt very safe. There were guards checking large bags that people brought in and on occasion, there would be police patrolling the grounds. I lived near the campus and the neighborhood was filled with students and young families. Never had any problems on public transit and Lyon as a whole felt very safe on my entire voyage; there were isolated areas of the city that could be considered less safe.
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
I loved, loved, loved the academic experience I had. Due to the nature of an exchange program, I was only one of a few Americans in my classes. This meant that I got to take international affairs classes among people from Italy, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Korea, Russia, Sweden, and many more countries. It changed the way the classes interacted because I was getting a real global perspective on global topics.
Academic Year 2018 Participant
I am majoring in International Affairs and History, and I was highly impressed with the types of courses offered. Each course will be three hours long, except for a few which are only an hour and half long, with a five-ten minute break every hour. The three hour long courses meet only once per week; the workload is reasonable. As an exchange student, your final note will most often be the result of only one test whether it'll be an oral, written or multiple-choice exam. Yes, the courses are instructed entirely in French, and so too will be language in which you take the exam. The professors provide exceptional quality material to their students, but it is what the student makes of it. As the cost of attendance at french universities is often waived or considerably low (under 500 euros/year) for french students as a part of their social-capitalist system, the direct consequence is that the University itself has hardly any funds with which to invest in newer technology and equipment; So, you might find some teaching methods to be a bit dated, but effective nevertheless.
Jan Andersen Berland,
Spring 2018 Participant
For an exchange program there were no previously organized trips/excursions, so I, and the friends I made, did all of our trip planning ourselves and I would highly recommend that over organized trips to anyone considering semesters abroad.
Fall 2019 Participant
The international office offered several excursions for international students to attend which seemed like great experiences. I was only able to attend one or two but they seemed like great opportunities (ski trip, Beaujolais excursion, trip to a play in the old town, restaurant outing, etc.).
Jan Andersen Berland,
Spring 2018 Participant
All of the studio residences for students were a bit small and most didn't have air conditioning, but they were always clean and comfortable enough for one person.
Academic Year 2018 Participant
I chose not to have meals because it was far more expensive than I could afford. So, I would go to the local grocery store and purchase my weekly foodstuffs.
Fall 2019 Participant
We were on our own with meals unless you wanted to pay to enter the dining hall for lunch, which was a valid option and fairly inexpensive but not open for very long during the day.
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
I did not really find this through the exchange program itself. However, the exchange program left me enough freedom to be able to find local culture on my own.
Jan Andersen Berland,
Spring 2018 Participant
You have to make your own opportunities happen, but they are everywhere!
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
The exchange program is very hands-off, but I liked that. You really are on your own a lot and it helped me to really suck it up and figure out life by myself.
Academic Year 2018 Participant
Absolutely brilliant, wonderful and extremely helpful.
Academic Year 2018 Participant
Very considerate, readily helpful, full of patience and understanding.
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
Yes! The program is wonderful in relation to the cost. You really are living the full experience. You find your housing, food, travel, etc. You can make it whatever you want and you're paying your own school's semester fees anyway.
Academic Year 2018 Participant
The value of this experience is priceless: you'll get your money's worth and more.
Jan Andersen Berland,
Spring 2018 Participant
This program was so outstanding. I spent 40 days traveling to other cities in Europe after exams finished, and I have no doubt in my mind that Lyon was the best city I spent time in. It has every type of attraction that a traveling student could want out of a city: it has charm, history, endless nightlife, it is the capital of gastronomy in France and a huge young population. I have absolutely no regrets or doubts about the value I got out of my semester and I wish I could have spent a full year there.
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
I did not really have many expectations going into this program, but I ended up loving it. I loved getting to meet so many people from different countries.
Jan Andersen Berland,
Spring 2018 Participant
I chose to go to Lyon instead of a program in England simply because I took French classes and wanted to practice speaking while abroad. I had no idea how much my expectations would be surpassed, and for all of the reasons mentioned in the previous question. The city was a huge factor, but I would tell any other student that the most important thing is to take advantage of every opportunity there is to make new friends, go to new places, try new food, and take all the time you can to really LIVE in Europe. Lyon became a second home to me rather than a destination.
John Gerard Irwin,
Academic Year 2015 Participant
You'll have a lot of free time during the semester, but don't forget to study for the final exams!
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
Know what you're getting yourself signed up for. The nature of an exchange program is that you are on your own a lot. Find fast outlets to meet other people and try to connect with someone to live with in the program before you go. My roommate was another girl from UGA who I did not know well previously and I am so glad I lived with her. I had her as support, a reminder of home, a travel buddy, and a general companion day to day. That was a really important part of my time in France.
Emily Kathleen Barton,
Spring 2017 Participant
Go on a program without other UGA students!
Academic Year 2018 Participant
Stay focused whilst in class, and enjoy your time spent whilst in leisure.
John Gerard Irwin,
Academic Year 2015 Participant
A total cultural immersion. The city has so much to offer and Lyon's location in Europe makes it easy to explore the entire continent.
Abigail Mary Criswell,
Fall 2016 Participant
The exchange program offers students exactly what they should want in a study abroad- guidance with lots of freedom. Exchange offers the opportunity to meet others from all over the world in a way that other programs can't offer.
Emily Kathleen Barton,
Spring 2017 Participant
This was the best semester of college. I loved every bit of my study abroad. It was amazing meeting people from all over the world. I made so many amazing friends and had some really worldly experiences. 10/10 would recommend.
Academic Year 2018 Participant
If you really want something ... to experience something absolutely incredible and to be able to tell stories that are hardly believable, think about how much you want it and how you can have it, then work towards making it come into fruition.
Rachel Zhong Priest,
Fall 2018 Participant
Studying abroad, while challenging at times, was one of the best experiences of my life. I will carry the memories I made with me through the rest of my life and I can say I'm a better person for having stepped outside my comfort zone and learned to embrace a new culture.
Jan Andersen Berland,
Spring 2018 Participant
Before I left, my roommates asked me, "Why are you going abroad for a WHOLE semester? Don't you know how much you're going to miss on campus?"
And I'd respond, "Yeah I'll miss a lot, but I won't be missing 6 months living as a college student in Europe."
Since then, all three of them have signed up for study abroad trips.
And I'd respond, "Yeah I'll miss a lot, but I won't be missing 6 months living as a college student in Europe."
Since then, all three of them have signed up for study abroad trips.
Spring 2020 Participant
Lyon offers a variety of learning opportunities for students wanting to dive into the french language. The city is full of history, beauty, and amazing cuisine!