James Cook University

Program Reviews

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Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

JCU Abroad

I had so much fun here in Australia! I’ve seen so many places I could never have seen if I didn’t come here. I traveled to Cairns and the Whitsundays as well as all over Townsville. Travel is much more accessible. I even have more trips planned after exams. I also had the opportunity to take classes my school doesn’t offer and I have definitely found my career path! I am studying environmental science and I go to school in a city back at home. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I chose Australia because of the wide range of ecosystems i could have access too. I took marine classes (I 100% recommend Invertebrate Biology) and general science classes that have shown me towards a career path I never would have thought of. I would recommended this to anyone looking to travel and make friends and just have fun.

Pros
  • Classes
  • Travel
  • Community
Cons
  • Going home :(
  • Food
Response from James Cook University

Hi Grace,

You're spot on - JCU really is perfectly located if you're looking to truly experience Australia. Plus we're lucky to have so much natural beauty right in our backyard! We're so happy to hear you had fun while you were here, and also that your time with us helped you with your career decisions!

Good luck with the rest of your travels in Australia!

Cheers,
JCU Global Experience team

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Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Jcu Abroad

I had so much fun here in Australia! I’ve seen so many places I could never have seen if I didn’t come here. I traveled to Cairns and the Whitsundays as well as all over Townsville. Travel is much more accessible. I even have more trips planned after exams. I also had the opportunity to take classes my school doesn’t offer and I have definitely found my career path! I am studying environmental science and I go to school in a city back at home. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I chose Australia because of the wide range of ecosystems i could have access too. I took marine classes (I 100% recommend Invertebrate Biology) and general science classes that have shown me towards a career path I never would have thought of. I would recommended this to anyone looking to travel and make friends and just have fun.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take any opportunity you are given! Especially if you are here for a short time, do everything you can. Experiences like this might not come around all the time and take the opportunity when it comes at you. You won’t regret it and have one of the best times of your life.
Pros
  • Travel
  • Science Classes
  • People
Cons
  • Going home :(
  • Food
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Ellie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

GREAT EXPERIENCE

I am SO grateful to all the friends and professors that made my study abroad experience at JCU so incredible. I originally chose JCU for their marine biology courses since studying marine biology in a landlocked state is hard. I got incredible first hand experiences with marine life SCUBA diving there, I made new friends from all over the world, and I got to do field research with fun professors who really encouraged hands-on and fun learning! The memories I made while attending JCU like the social events, clubs, community events, hikes, and everything else will stay with me forever.

Pros
  • Fun learning environment and city
  • Great student support (especially international students)
  • Getting to meet people from all over the world
Cons
  • Need to take a bus to get to the coast/downtown city/large shopping malls
Response from

Hi Ellie,
We're glad you had such a great time and got to do all that hands-on learning. We are lucky to have such fun professors at JCU :) It sounds like you were able to get really involved both on and off campus! We hope you will come back and visit us soon!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

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Sophia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

JCU Study Abroad

Studying abroad at JCU was the most wonderful and life-changing experiences, and I am beyond grateful for every moment that I was able to spend studying there. As an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major, JCU couldn’t be more perfect. The location of Townsville (on the Great Barrier Reef) makes classes such as Coral Reef Ecology possible, and I was able to attend field trips to reefs including those at Orpheus Island and understand the importance of reef preservation on a very first-hand level. James Cook also offers Biodiversity of Tropical Australia, which gave me the opportunity to learn about and see new systems that I might never get the opportunity to otherwise. JCU also provides so many club and internship opportunities- there is definitely something for everyone. The school also does a brilliant job of integrating and including the international students. They had an International day weekly where people would come to share parts of their culture and there was usually coffee and delicious food as well.I was also able to take advantage of the outstanding outdoor and wildlife opportunities in Townsville, as the school is within miles of the beach and several national parks. Its very hard to describe just how amazing the experience was in words, but If you are considering studying abroad at JCU, I say take the leap- I am forever grateful that I did.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I was amazed at the biodiversity in Australia and around Townsville! There was an abundance of unique plant and animal life to see and learn about.
Response from

Hi Sophia,
You are so right about JCU being the perfect place to study if you're interested in Ecology and Biology. Both our Townsville and Cairns campuses are located in the area of Australia known as the Wet Tropics. According to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "The diversity of the plant communities and animal habitats of the Wet Tropics is recognised as being the most floristically and structurally diverse in Australia and is also outstanding on a global scale." The Wet Tropics is also listed as the second most irreplaceable natural World Heritage site on earth by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

We are so grateful that you took the leap to study at JCU, and we hope to welcome you back soon!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

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Nathan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The times I cherish

Fellow student, do not let all the paperwork and endless forms that you need to fill out scare you away from studying abroad. It is going to be a wonderful opportunity for growth and will let you make friendships across the world that you will stay with you (if you choose to maintain them).

I had an amazing time studying at James Cook University. I met people from all over the world and shared special moments with them all. The professors and staff were great, I'm better for having met them. It took a lot of effort to make it happen but I'd do it 10x over to relive it. I dream about the day I can come back and be reunited with my friends. And maybe this time stay!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
I didn't know anybody when I arrived there. I had one friend who I just met three days prior from my ISA group and that was it. I've always been nervous about making new friends. It's hard to do! After the first night I tried to say yes to every invitation and gathering. I made an attempt to sit with people at meals and not by myself on my phone. This paid off pretty quick and I found a great friend group
Response from

Hi Nathan,
Thank you so much for the great advice you've offered future students. The part about saying "yes" to invitations and consciously making an effort to meet new people is such an important part of studying abroad. It sounds like you had the right attitude to create a really positive experience- no paperwork was going to stop you from coming to JCU! And we're so happy that you did come! We hope to see you back here in the future and would love to have you stay longer than a semester.

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

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Kelly
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

James Cook University

I loved my time at JCU! The campus is beautiful and the support of the international team was amazing. Being so close to magnetic island and the Great Barrier Reef was a dream. I wish I could go back and relive it all again! I would definitely recommend this university to anyone wanting to study abroad in Australia who does not want to be in a big city. Townsville is just big enough to have everything you need while also being connected to nature. If you are considering going I would highly recommend joining the international Facebook group!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Wallaby’s right outside my dorm! They would graze and sleep so close to the buildings and they were so cute to watch.
Response from

Hi Kelly,
Isn't it so cool to have the wallabies right on campus with you? I'm happy to hear that you felt so supported by the International Team during your time here. Thank you for pointing out one of the benefits of studying at JCU- even though our Townsville and Cairns campuses are regional, you have all the amenities that you need without losing that "small town" feel. And you're right- the connection to nature is a big part of the JCU experience. We hope to see you back again in the future!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

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Briana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

JCU Semester Study Abroad

JCU was a great experience for me! I made friends from all over the world, explored the nearby area, and had so much fun learning what it’s like to be a college student in another country. Luckily, I was also able to travel to different cities in Australia and discovered even more how beautiful of a country it was. The way college works in Australia was definitely an adjustment from how it is in America, but it was the experience of a lifetime and I’m so grateful I was given the chance to be a part of it.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take full advantage of the fact that you’re in another country! Make friends with the locals, travel around the country to different cities/towns, try new foods, and don’t forget to enjoy the little moments as well. I remember I saw a kookaburra, and I just smiled and stared at it for a long time. My friends from Australia thought I was crazy, but I knew it was a once in a lifetime experience since we don’t have those animals in America. I still remember that moment because I stopped and appreciated it, no matter how small it was.
Response from

Hi Briana,
Thank you for the kind words! Your advice to future students is so important- to take the time to appreciate the world around you and enjoy the little moments. I'm glad that you were able to do that and take the memories of the kookaburra back home with you. What a beautiful photo of the sunset as well! We definitely have some stunning views up here in North Queensland. We hope that you'll get the chance to come back and visit us to take in more small, but precious, moments.

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

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Merril
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Study Abroad Program EVER

This Program is AWESOME. It was one of the best experiences of my life. The classes are so engaging and the professors are passionate about their research and studies.
Campus life is a family type community and you really feel like home in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Not far from campus is Magnetic Island where you can explore and sightsee. It really is paradise at your fingertips.

I highly recommend this program, you won’t regret it! This program was such a rewarding and exciting experience that allowed me to grow and learn lessons that truly enhanced my future for the better. I’m so thankful and lucky to have had the opportunity to attend JCU.

What was your funniest moment?
One of my more fun and favorite moments was when I went hiking around magnetic island in search of Koalas.

Another was Skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef at Mission Beach.
Response from

Hi Merril,
Wow! It looks like you had the time of your life in those photos and you really took the opportunity to explore the beautiful landscapes and adventures that Australia has to offer! One of the things that really stands out to me from what you said is the passion that our JCU professors have for their research and their teaching- it really makes all the difference! We hope to see you back at JCU and Australia soon for more exciting adventures!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

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Mark
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

JCU Abroad Experience

I had an amazing time both studying and living on campus while attending JCU. The people at the university were very welcoming and made the transition easier on me. Also, as a marine biology major I was able to take advantage of some amazing course opportunities and dive club trips that I could not do anywhere else in the world. I was also fortunate enough to make friends not just from Australia but all over the world due to JCU's large study abroad program. I loved my time at JCU and have been looking to get back ever since!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Either kangaroo or crocodile, although vegemite was also up there however cliche it may be.
Response from

Hi Mark,
I'm so happy to hear that you were a part of the JCU Dive Club- they offer such great opportunities to get out on the reef. It's true that you can meet amazing people from all over the world, and I'm glad you did. I hope you can get back to the Land Down Under to visit us again soon!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

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Amanda
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

JCU study abroad

Studying abroad at JCU was the best experience of my life not only academically but allowing me to meet people from all around the world. This experience has allowed me to meet people from all different backgrounds and cultures and has given me best friends from all around the world. This program has truly had such an impact on my life and I can’t wait to return and hopefully one day come back to get my masters ! I wish everyone could experience such an amazing program at least once in their life !

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to future travelers is to get out and meet as many people as possible ! Eat in the dinning hall, go on the o week trips, talk to everyone because they will make your experience !
Response from

Hi Amanda,
Your pictures are amazing! It looks like you really got involved and immersed yourself in the JCU and Aussie community. You are absolutely right about the rich and multicultural family we have here and I'm glad that you made great friends. We also hope that you'll get a chance to come back and do your Masters at JCU- we actually have a number of students who are doing that after their positive study abroad experiences here! Hope to see you back soon!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU