As N.U.in expands, students say program becomes increasingly inconsistent across locations

Berlin. Glasgow. Madrid. Paris. Prague. Thessaloniki. 

These were just some of the cities where students in Northeastern’s N.U.in program studied abroad in 2024. But even though they are in the same program, the wide range of locations mean students sometimes have widely-differing experiences.

For the fall 2024 cycle, there were 1,554 N.U.in students spread across 10 locations worldwide. Some students reported difficulty getting to campus, while others had classes right in their residence halls. Despite the different experiences, many students shared common highlights — getting to explore new places, travel to different cities, and meet people from around the world.

The N.U.in Program first launched in fall 2007, when a group of students spent a semester at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. Since then, the program has grown and adapted to fit the changing needs of Northeastern and its students, according to Northeastern’s website. Today, students in the program spend their first semester abroad, taking classes that count toward NUpath or major requirements, along with one course focused on the culture of their study location. 

The transition to university life is significant, and for students in the N.U.in Program, this change is amplified by the need to adjust to a new country, culture and academic structure. When choosing a location, Andrea Galicot, a first-year nursing major, considered Thessaloniki, Paris and Berlin. Paris stood out as the ideal choice, as the city had always fascinated her. From the moment she arrived, living in the city seemed more like a dream than reality.

“I remember the first day, walking past the Eiffel Tower on my way to orientation — it felt surreal,” Galicot said. 

The academic setup in Paris differed from Galicot’s expectations. Rather than a centralized campus, classes were spread out across different buildings in the 7th arrondissement. Walking between them took only five to 10 minutes, which was manageable, but the real challenge, she said, was the daily commute to and from school.

The student residence — YouFirst — was located in La Défense, a modern business district outside the city center. Students with 9 a.m. classes had to leave by 8:10 a.m., often experiencing crowded metro rides. Returning to residence halls between classes was impractical, Galicot said, as the trip back to La Défense took around 40 minutes by Metro. Instead Galicot said she and many other students spent their breaks at a nearby Starbucks, struggling to stay awake between lectures. Evening commutes posed another challenge, as classes ending at 6:30 p.m. meant returning home late, often in the dark.

Salvador Gutierrez, a first-year business administration major who also spent his first semester in Paris, described the experience as secluded at times. 

“The daily commute was exhausting,” Gutierrez said. “Living so far from the city made it feel a bit isolating, and I often wished we had housing closer to campus.”  

Students in other locations had vastly different commuting experiences. Daniela Chocron, a first-year public relations major who spent her first semester in Madrid, lived just a nine-minute walk from campus, making daily travel fast and convenient. 

Nicole Ortiz, a first-year international business major who spent her first semester in Prague, had an even shorter commute, with classes just three minutes away from her residence hall. Additionally, Diego Suarez, a first-year business administration major who spent his first semester in Berlin, had a convenient setup, as his classrooms were located within his residence hall building. 

In contrast, Max Carbunaru, a first-year computer engineering and computer science combined major who spent his first semester in Thessaloniki, found the bus system reliable but limiting as the last bus left at 11 a.m., which created challenges for students with afternoon classes.

Despite the commute, the social aspect of the Paris experience was a highlight, Gutierrez said. While the location of the residence hall made spontaneous plans more difficult, the friendships he formed were invaluable. ​​

“When I found the people I truly wanted to spend my time with, I chose to stay by their side — and the friends I made became an irreplaceable part of my journey,” Gutierrez said. 

Jose-Maria Moncayo, a first-year business administration major who spent his first semester in Lisbon, described a welcoming atmosphere where events and icebreakers helped students connect easily. 

“There were only about 90 of us, so it was really easy to meet people,” he said. “We were put into different groups all the time, which helped everyone get comfortable fast.”

Sofia Lamarche, a first-year psychology major who spent her first semester in Glasgow, also said the transition felt smooth, and she found it easy to adjust in Glasgow. 

“The cultural adjustment was seamless,” she said. “I didn’t have a hard time getting used to my surroundings or the people in Scotland.”

Suarez also found it effortless to form friendships in Berlin, describing the social scene as “vibrant” and “inclusive.” In Thessaloniki, Carbunaru observed that while making friends within the N.U.in cohort was easy, connecting with locals posed a greater challenge due to language barriers. “But the locals were usually very friendly, and if they spoke English, there was basically no issue at all,” he said.

In Glasgow, Lamarche found that understanding strong regional accents was an unexpected difficulty, though professors were generally easy to understand.

In Thessaloniki, Carbunaru was implored to explore the country. 

“The biggest challenge I faced during my semester abroad I would say is finding a good balance between studying and exploring,” Carbunaru said. “Greece was a very beautiful country and at every moment there was something going on. It was hard to sometimes back away from a cool experience just so I could go study for a midterm.”

Beyond academics and daily routines, travel is one of the defining features of the N.U.in experience. Galicot and her friends took full advantage of weekends, traveling to Madrid, London, Copenhagen, Lisbon and Amsterdam. 

“The opportunity to immerse myself in diverse cultures and discover new cities was undoubtedly the most unforgettable highlight of the entire semester,” she said. 

Students in Paris often felt inclined to leave the city, as living in La Défense sometimes created a sense of detachment from the heart of Paris, Galicot said.

“From La Défense, Paris never felt real — so we spent our weekends in other countries instead,” Galicot said. Had their housing been more central, they might have spent more time immersing themselves in Parisian life, she said.

A unique aspect of the program was the opportunity to meet up with other N.U.in participants in different cities, students said. Chocron and her friends from Madrid visited Paris, and the experience of reconnecting in a new environment reinforced the global community that N.U.in fosters. 

“Don’t be shy — get out of your comfort zone and embrace every moment,” Moncayo said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”