Location
  • Australia
    • Sydney
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring
Subject Areas
Archaeology Art History Arts Biology Business Chemistry Communications Computer Science Creative Writing Criminal Justice Earth Sciences Ecology Economics Education Engineering English European Studies Film Finance Geography Geology Health Sciences History Law Linguistics Marine Biology Marketing Media Relations Political Science Psychology Public Relations Social Sciences Sociology +23

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Housing
Apartment Dormitory
Language
English

Pricing

Starting Price
$20,000 USD
Price Details
All of our programs include events and excursions exclusively for our students throughout their time abroad. We see these extras as a part of the larger academic experience. There are no hidden fees or expenses on an IFSA program. All of our fees, deposits and any supplemental charges such as meal plans are clearly outlined in our program fees.

IFSA has awarded millions of dollars in merit- and need-based scholarships over the past five years. Awards range from $500 to $5,000. We also believe that study abroad should be within the reach of every student, so we offer a wide range of scholarships and financing opportunities for our students.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance Wifi
Aug 20, 2021
Sep 25, 2020

About Program

If you are looking for a city and university that has everything, look no further than the University of Sydney! Australia is a beautiful country, filled with friendly people, and an outstanding environment. Combine that with one of Australia's most prestigious universities that has a reputation for academic excellence and you have a recipe for a once in a lifetime experience. With over 4,000 courses available, the University of Sydney offers something for every student. The University of Sydney encompasses everything a student could want in a study abroad program, and with all of the support, excursions and services through IFSA, we are sure you will have an amazing study abroad experience.

Video and Photos

Scholarships

IFSA Scholarships

IFSA Scholarships and Financial Aid

We believe that study abroad should be within reach of every student, so we offer a wide range of scholarships and funding opportunities for all our participants.

Value
$500 - $2,500

Program Reviews

9.63 Rating
based on 8 reviews
  • 9-10 rating 87.5%
  • 7-8 rating 12.5%
  • 5-6 rating 0%
  • 3-4 rating 0%
  • 1-2 rating 0%
  • Academics 8.5
  • Support 9.6
  • Fun 9.6
  • Housing 8.9
  • Safety 9.5
Showing 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Default avatar
Phyo Thuta
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Being a Dancer in Sydney

When I was on a study abroad program with IFSA at the University of Sydney, I got a chance to join Orbit, a K-Pop focused dance crew, and SoulXPress, a Hip-Hop society.
Orbit Dance Crew produces dance videos where we cover-dance choreographies of famous K-Pop songs as well as participates in dance competitions. I joined Orbit in August, and we started practicing together soon after. Our practice location was around the ground area at the International Convention Center (ICC Sydney), and we used the glass wall of a building there as our mirror for rehearsing the choreographies. It was in public, and we were not the only group practicing in such a way. In fact, a lot of different groups such as skaters and football skill-freestylers would also come there to either practice or showcase their works. That was a very unique experience as a dancer for me because I had to build courage to practice dancing in public, which was new to me. Nevertheless, with the help of my fellow lovely Orbit members, I was able to bring my confidence up and danced along well. We entered a dance competition in Sydney in November and won the second place. I really enjoyed my time with Orbit.
SoulXPress always holds dance classes in various sub-genres of Hip-Hop in a dance studio at the University of Sydney every week. It was also very affordable for SoulXPress members to take these classes, and the dance teachers were amazing. I was able to shape up and improve my dance skills a lot better from those dance classes. SoulXPress also occasionally holds dance battles together with other dance societies from nearby universities, and those give a chance to show our skills to a wider audience while being able to learn from other dancers at the same time.
In conclusion, there are a lot of opportunities for dancers studying in Sydney. With all the helpful peer-dancers around, I am sure that every dancer will enjoy their times in Sydney.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I went camping with the Myanmar Cultural Society from the University of Sydney at the Basin campground in Ku-Ring-Gai National Park. It was my first time camping and sleeping in nature while listening to the ocean waves with wallabies (who also snatched our food) outside my tent! It was a very unique, exciting and relaxing experience during my journey in Sydney.
13 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Liana
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Interning and Personal Development in Sydney

The pre-departure for my study abroad experience was fraught with personal uncertainty. I didn’t even decide I wanted to go for sure until the day of the application deadline! Working with IFSA helped make this logistical process smoother for me. Guidelines on filling out visa applications, access to detailed course catalogs, and flexibility on deadlines helped me feel less daunted and actually capable of going on this new journey. If not for that, I wouldn’t have had the incredible experience I did.

While I was in Sydney, I felt myself becoming more confident and independent. I planned a solo backpacking trip up the east coast of Australia during one of our reading breaks. I was able to meet a few people in hostels and pushed myself to have the independent travel experience I wanted. I saw some beautiful places and was also able to take the time for self-discovery.

In the classroom, I became clearer on what I wanted to do with the rest of my undergraduate education. At my home university, I am a double major in economics and environmental studies. Until Sydney, I had never taken courses explicitly combining those two interests. But, seeing the intersection of economic management and environmental justice concerns opened my eyes to new perspectives. In an interdisciplinary field, it is important to have a broader view of the issues, as different regions around the globe have different approaches. I was able to see environmental policies employed in Australia that I had never come across in my studies in North America. Through the IFSA partnership, I was even able to secure an internship at a local company, which I did for school credit. The skills of cross-cultural communication in the workplace and at school deepened my experience and have served me in new situations ever since.

12 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Amanda
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Interning Abroad

While I was abroad I participated in an internship course at University of Sydney. My internship was in an ecology research lab on campus that worked with wallabies,
ringtail possums, and bush rats. It was a very relaxed setting and I really enjoyed helping different PhD or Honors students with their projects and field work excursions. I worked around 10 hours a week and I am really glad I was able to participate in this unique global work experience. The internship opportunity was what drew me to IFSA and I am really glad I chose to study abroad with them. There are many different internship placements for students and some of friends studying business were able to intern at various companies in Sydney. No matter what you are studying, there is an internship or research position available for you.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I went skydiving with some friends! I never thought it would be something I would actually do but we had so much fun. Australia has so many fun activities and it made my trip even more memorable!
12 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Taylor
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

What Surprised Me About the University of Sydney

Everything about my study abroad experience was beyond what I could've hoped for — I made so many new friends, took interesting and challenging courses that aren't offered at my home university, and had the opportunity to go on most of the cultural events and trips offered by my program. One part of my experience that I wasn't prepared to have enjoyed to the degree that I did, however, was the my experience at the university. What surprised me most about the University of Sydney was how comfortable I felt at such a large university. My home university is a small, liberal arts college in rural upstate New York, so I figured that the transition to a large, urban university would be shocking at least. What I found however, was that even though it was a large university, it still had a campus, and even though my lectures were larger than I had ever experienced, I was still able to connect with my teachers and classmates through tutorial sessions. These two aspects of the University of Sydney shocked me the most because they made such a large university feel like more of a community than I could've anticipated.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
One thing that I was sadly unable to do (because of a lack of time) was take a solo trip in Australia. If I were able to re-do my abroad experience, I would EXPLICITLY carve out time to take a trip by myself. Australia is a really big country, which means traveling can mean anything from a car trip to a flight, but everywhere I traveled I felt safe, comfortable and welcome. All of the strangers that I met in passing or on tours or other things like that were always so friendly, so if I were to give future travelers any advice it would be to try and take a trip (responsibly) by yourself to wherever you want to go. It could be a weekend trip, an overnight trip, camping, anything that you're interested in! I would suggest taking this trip alone, however, because in my experience I haven't had as many opportunities to pick almost any destination and know that I would feel safe during my trip. Australia is THE place for this because you can step out of your comfort zone to do something that is maybe on your bucket list or will aid in your personal development, and you can do it in what I found to be a safe place. You'll also be able to meet some Aussies on the way!
14 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Eliza
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible Sydney Experience (IFSA)

My time in Australia was absolutely incredible. I fell in love with Sydney and also had the opportunity to travel to numerous other locations in Australia and New Zealand. I met so many amazing people along the way who helped me understand Australian culture as well as rethink my own culture at home. I have nothing but good things to say about IFSA. From the moment we were accepted into the program, they helped us every step of the way. They not only walked us through important requirements and logistics of traveling (Visa, packing lists, travel documents, etc.), but they helped prepare us mentally, emotionally, and culturally by asking us to reflect on our identity, values, goals, and so on. When in Sydney, we became so close with our IFSA program directors. I really enjoyed getting to know them and they were always there for us when we needed them. IFSA also provided us with amazing opportunities, such as visiting the Opera House, wildlife sanctuary, the Blue Mountains, an Aussie sporting event, and a homestay weekend. I highly recommend attending each and every one of these activities - they were included in our program fees and provided moments of priceless cultural immersion. IFSA also prepared us for our experiences returning home. IFSA constantly prioritized our individual experiences, identities, and thoughts and opinions, which was so beneficial in every aspect.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
There are endless things to do and see in Sydney, which can be extremely overwhelming. At first, I was somewhat stressed about covering everything. My advice would be to make a bucket list of activities, places, restaurants. At the beginning of each week, look at your class schedule and workload and decide when you may have time for completing things on this list. Remind yourself it's impossible to do every single thing you've heard about in that city or region, so set priorities and goals. Planning ahead will be your best friend, but take it one week at a time so you don't get too overwhelmed. With that said, do set aside time for these cultural/social/fun activities, because it's a huge part of immersing yourself in this new place!
11 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Amanda
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Semester Abroad

I really enjoyed my study abroad experience at Univeristy of Sydney! I am a Biology major so I was able to take a really interesting Marine biology course that is not offered at my home university. I also enrolled in an internship course that placed me in an ecology research lab where I assisted with field work with wallabies, ringtail possums, and bush rats. I lived in the Urbanest apartments close to campus with many other American students from different universities as well as international students. The apartments were very nice and very close to the train station. Sydney was an amazing city with beautiful beaches and coastal walks! IFSA did a great job of planning events throughout the semester that taught us a little bit about Australian culture. We went to an Australian Rules Football game, Country Life Weekend where we stayed with Australian farming families, and a Harry Potter show at the Sydney Opera House!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I went Skydiving outside of Sydney with a few of my friends!!
11 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Aubrey
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Science Major Studies Abroad

I am a junior physics major and thought it would be very hard to get credits while abroad, however the IFSA staff in the US and the onsite staff made it a very easy transition! I was able to obtain 2 major credits, a minor credit and a general education history credit. The classes were challenging and I was able to take classes that aren't offered at my small liberal arts college normally. I also loved my time at the University of Sydney because I stayed at an on campus residence college where I lived with Australians everyday and got to know them very well from day to day and made some of my best friends there. The campus itself was beautiful and the city was an endless adventure with something new to do every weekend. I loved this program and experience and highly recommend it to anyone interested in Australia!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I highly recommend living at one of the on campus residence colleges. I found it was the best way to interact with Australians on a daily basis and actually befriend them. I still keep in contact with all of the friends I made on my hall.
11 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jarryd
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Sydney

The University of Sydney is a gorgeous campus, the city of Sydney is a even more stunning, and the country of Australia as a whole will leave you breathless. I would recommend this experience to anyone who is even considering Australia. I made lifelong friends, engaged in cultural practices, and even learned to surf ( like a tourist). For me, it was the perfect choice because I wanted a place that was new from home, but also similar. It opened my eyes to the world and has led me to pursue a career in international relations. After taking a course called International Business Strategy and having the opportunity to asses the inner workings of an Australian based company, I realized that the only thing more rewarding than studying abroad would be working abroad. Please, if you have the chance, pursue this opportunity .

What would you improve about this program?
I loved Fiona and Tom. They are the best! Just keep up the good work..
12 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers