shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use Abroad101?

TripAdvisor-style review site for study abroad programs - abroad101.com

Worth it. Free and genuinely useful for students researching study abroad programs through peer reviews. Not enterprise software — universities and providers get marketing value only, and security transparency is weak.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~20 public sources; pricing and feature specifics sparse

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo evidence either way
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo evidence either way
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Students & reviewers

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Students shortlisting study abroad programs
  • Universities directing students to program evaluations
  • Providers seeking review-based visibility

Not for

  • Anyone shopping for B2B software — this is a review website
  • Programs wanting guaranteed or curated positive reviews
  • Students needing applications, booking, or visas — it only informs
  • Teams expecting verified or audited review data

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Student side is free; provider and university pricing undisclosed — ask before assuming.

medium

Privacy policy dated 2014 and no security page — verify data handling directly.

low

Blog mixes travel-marketing content (eSIMs, VPNs) with program reviews.

low

Company runs its own Reddit account posting travel content, not organic discussion.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free for students to read and write program reviews.
  • Positions itself as the first and largest study abroad review platform.
  • Scholarship directory awards money to students.
  • Referenced in Tufts' official short-term abroad resources.
  • Program finder spans providers and direct-enrollment options.

Cons

  • No public security page found.
  • Rankings press releases stop at 2016 in sources reviewed.
  • Independent user discussion scarce; Reddit posts appear self-promotional.
  • Guess: review depth varies wildly per program; some single anecdotes.

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/27/2026 - 14 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x5review x3security x1news x5

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free for students; solid research value
  • Ease of use. No evidence either way
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Reviews, program finder, scholarships, crowdfunding
  • Support quality. No evidence either way
  • Security posture: 2/5. No public security page found
  • Free Student price 'free of charge' per Global Learning Cloud
  • 2010 Founded Per University World News launch coverage
  • 2013 Acquired By Ledra Capital / Mark Shay
  • 2025 Active as of Fresh blog posts; 2024 program reviews

Pricing

Students & reviewers

Free

  • Read and write program reviews
  • Program finder
  • Scholarship directory

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

Companies that use it

  • Tufts University10
  • New York University11
  • CEA Global Education
  • DIS Copenhagen⁸
  • Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona⁹
Full analysis

Based on ~20 public sources; pricing and feature specifics sparse

Free TripAdvisor-style reviews for study abroad programs. Great student research aid; weak security transparency, not enterprise software.

Methodology

Based on ~20 public sources; pricing and feature specifics sparse

Sources

  1. Study Abroad Reviews and Programsstudyabroad101.com
    official
  2. Abroad101 pricing via Global Learning Cloudgloballearningcloud.com
    official
  3. abroad101.com/security checkabroad101.com
    security
  4. Acquisition by Ledra Capital (2013)studyabroad101.com
    news
  5. University World News on Abroad101universityworldnews.com
    news
  6. Boston Herald profile (2011)bostonherald.com
    news
  7. Crunchbase company profilecrunchbase.com
    news
  8. DIS Copenhagen review (2024)studyabroad101.com
    review
  9. Barcelona program reviewstudyabroad101.com
    review
  10. Tufts short-term programs resourcestudents.tufts.edu
    official
  11. NYU external scholarshipscas.nyu.edu
    official
  12. Scholarship directorystudyabroad101.com
    official
  13. Reddit posts by Abroad101 accountreddit.com
    review
  14. PIE News on crowdfunding campaignsthepienews.com
    news

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