Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Could have been a lot better September 15, 2026

By (Psychology, Law, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/06/2026 to 04/15/2026 with

Arcadia: London - Arcadia in London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of independence and strength, but this was all through personal growth from the ordeals I was put through. I did enjoy the experience, but for reasons entirely beyond the program.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Some of the professors had interesting teaching, many were not suited for what they were teaching or made the course unbearable with how hard it was.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Decently helpful, but mostly it was up to students to sort out their own issues. The learning center was small and unlike a real university to study in.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The elevator broke a couple weeks in and while false promises of it being fixed were made, the elevator stayed down for 3 months. I lived on the 7th floor (which in London is technically the 8th floor), so I would climb those stairs everyday. I was also matched randomly with roommates who were completely incompatible with my living style. It felt like all the white women were put in apartments together and I was put in a small apartment on the top floor with the other women of color.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was able to have therapy abroad and a psychiatrist through the help of the program.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Overall, I made the best I could of the experience but several factors made it quite hard. The housing was, while in a good location, very subpar given how long the elevator was broken. Things in the apartment would also frequently break. My roommates seemed to have been randomly placed with me, as we had little to not compatibility in living styles, cleanliness, and for things in common, which made it a lot harder to integrate into this new country. While there were resources for volunteering, etc. through Arcadia, I filled out the forms and then never heard back.

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 was quite expensive, and between transportation, groceries, eating out, and having a social life, I was definitely over the budget I would be on at Brandeis.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~250
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to cook most nights and save those meals for when you are going out with friends.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The location
  • The school's location
  • City of London: Migration and Identity Class
* What could be improved?
  • resources for better housing, subleasing an apartment from outside or in a better place
  • Better situation for pairing roommates, maybe having buddies, or just not outright racial separation
  • Transparency about the quality of the classes and center
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Everything about the school classes, the housing, and how London would actually feel would definitely have deterred me from going abroad with this program. You live and you learn.

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.