Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Mixed: mostly an interesting academic experience, lackluster social one Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/03/2017 to 06/09/2018 with

Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP): Oxford - Study Abroad at Oxford University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Experiencing a different academic system (the tutorial system) was worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The amount of unstructured time and independence.
* What could be improved?
  • Not integrated with the local students at all (though I don't think the program administrators can reasonably have much control over this)
  • Also, unlike the rest of England (where I travelled around), Oxford is a stuffy, rather snobbish and status obsessed place. There's hardly any ethnic, socio-economic or even geographic diversity. The air reeks of the British class system.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? What Oxford culture is *really* like.