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American University in Bulgaria (AUBG)

Blagoevgrad 2700, Bulgaria
3.84 / 5 based on 18 reviews.

Reviews
International Partners
Programmes
Accreditations
66% of students recommend
18 reviews
Housing
4.2/5
 All experiences (18)
Student life
4.2/5
 5 stars (0)
Academic
2.9/5
 4 stars (12)
Languages
3.8/5
 3 stars (6)
Expenses
4.2/5
 2 stars (0)
Overall
4.3/5
 1 star (0)
“Take the chance- go abroad and study !:)- enjoy a tremendous cultural exchange” Read Review
flori_furtuna, Moldova

18 reviews of American University in Bulgaria

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1 to 1 of 3 
HOUSING    
by Florentina, Randolph Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, United States
Business Studies, Full time Enrollment
Personal assessment
Cost
KEY:
Couldn't have asked for more.
Pretty good.
Could've been better, but didn't lessen the overall experience.
Disappointing.
Facilities
Location
Cleanliness
Space
Type of housing: On campus
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: On campus
Why? I like interacting and socializing with collegues from AUBG- living on campus seems the best option
Personal comments:
Housing was pretty good- separate bathrooms for each apartment or double rooms, good furniture and most convenient is the location of the residence halls- close to the AUBG main building
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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STUDENT LIFE    
by Beth, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
International Relations, Independent
Personal social experience
Activities
KEY:
Amazing! Hardly had time to study.
Plenty to do when I had the time.
So-so.
Did not get involved.
Nightlife
Travel
Overall
Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community
Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal comments:
"Underground" is the nightclub not to be missed. "Swing" is a cute, jazzy restaurant. "Old Dublin" has the largest variety of foods, while "The Irish Pub" is the ideal place to cry over an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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ACADEMIC    
by Edward, The City University of New York, New York City, United States
Archaeology, Archeaology excavation provided by Brooklyn College in colla
My academic experiences
Quality of courses
KEY:
Fantastic.
Pretty good.
Could've been a bit better.
Disappointing.
Variety of courses
Availability/access to resources
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with other international students
Interaction with local students
Course recommendations:
I was in the region to study one course, so I did not have the pleasure to study at the University. The excavation there is lacking an educational structure. The professor in charge was more interested in "working" the students, but not educating them.



My opinion of the university assessment
Exams at end of course
KEY:
Liked it.
It was alright.
A bit annoying.
Didn't like it.
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course.
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
Overall
Personal comments:
Yes. It would be more advantageous if the professors and coordinators were more willing to teach the students, and make the excavation more interesting. For example, it was exciting to uncover artifacts from the Byzantine era, but without a historical perspective, the finds lacked relevence.

This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Florentina, Randolph Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, United States
Business Studies, Full time Enrollment
Language difficulties
Social
KEY:
No problems.
I coped pretty well.
Sometimes it was difficult.
It was a constant struggle.
Educational
Administrative / Institutional
Overall
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Was learning the local language a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my knowledge
How much did you improve your English?
My level before: No problems in any areas (including slang)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: At ease in most situations
Personal comments:
I improved my English and French language skills as well as learned the host country language- Bulgarian and practiced my Russian with my collegues from the former USSR countries that obtained scholarships at AUBG
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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EXPENSES    
by Edward, The City University of New York, New York City, United States
Archaeology, Archeaology excavation provided by Brooklyn College in colla
The accessibility of student needs
Second-hand text books
KEY:
Very easy.
Minimal effort.
Accessible but required effort.
Almost impossible.
Second-hand household items
Computers / Internet
Administrative
Money from home
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
None
Work opportunities:
I didn't want/need to work
Personal spending habits:
American dollar was very strong, while the local currency in Bulgaria (Leva) was struggling.
Food, Travel, Nightlife, Overall, Telephone, Housing: was less expensive than at home.
Personal comments:
I had a lot of difficulty cashing travellers checks in the small town of Blagoevgrad. Tip: take cash (no more than 1,000 USD allowed to be taken through customs).
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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OVERALL    
by Edward, The City University of New York, New York City, United States
Archaeology, Archeaology excavation provided by Brooklyn College in colla
Important to choosing this university...
Academic reasons
KEY:
Very Important.
Important.
Not really important.
Unimportant.
Culture
Costs
Activities
Campus life
Party / people
Weather / Location
I wish I had known...
It was a pleasure to "learn as I went."
In my opinion:
I loved it but I'm not sure everybody would.



During my experience abroad, I ...
Became familiar with another culture
KEY:
Happened all the time.
Happened quite a lot.
Happened a bit.
Didn't happen.
Traveled
Improved language skills
Met people from other countries
Became more independent
Partied a lot
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies/career
Personal recommendation:
If at all possible avoid the summer excavation program. However, the curriculum at the American University is very strong, more challenging than many I have encountered in the States. I strongly recomend persuance of a undergraduate degree at this institution.



FINAL COMMENTS

In conclusion, my study abroad program in Bulgaria changed my life. I can use it as a measuring tool in my life. For instance, events in my life happened either "before Bulgaria," or after. I returned to Bulgaria the following summer ('97), and additionally five more times. I have a new Bulgarian family vis a vis my wife. I would encourage any student to study at the American University. Moreover, I encourage them to leave their egosentric tendencies behind, and spend a lot of time with Bulgarians.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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