Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Something beautiful and elusive about the aura of London Past Review

By (Literary Studies, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/21/2014 to 12/12/2014 with

University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Living and working in a city. So worthwile. Grad school.

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.

Excellent resources No real sense of rigour

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

What a mess. Big schools. Big bureaucracy,

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Located in the heart of central London. Dorms were clean and close to campus as well as tube/bus stations.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Unsure. Didn't make use of healthcare.

* Safety:

London is a big city. Just depends where you go like anywhere else.

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)

London is EXPENSIVE

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $120-200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't eat out so much, even though it may seem easier at times. Save the money for going out and doing things. And don't shop at Waitrose. Go to Tesco or Sainsbury's instead. East London has cheaper places to go to as well. Look for weekend markets and buy your veggies there.

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
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The location
  • The people
  • The books
* What could be improved?
  • More communication
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The exact syllabi of some courses. Rather than finding out the day of registration there.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Modern Lit I
Course Department: English
Instructor: Hugh Stevens
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great reading.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Shakespeare I
Course Department: English
Instructor: Juliette Atkinson
Instruction Language: English
Comments: interesting lectures. Wish we could've read more plays though.
Credit Transfer Issues: Not so far
Course Name/Rating:

European Political Theatre
Course Department: European Studies
Instructor: Nicolai Marta
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great reading. Foundational works. Dreadful discussions.
Credit Transfer Issues: Not thus far
Course Name/Rating:

19th/20th Century History of Art in London Collections

Course Department: History of Art
Instructor: Afonso Dias Ramos
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Best class i've possibly ever taken. Each class occurred in different galleries and museums. Amazing reading discussion and of course looking at art was so fulfilling and beautiful in such a wonderful city.
Credit Transfer Issues: Not thus far