A fun experience Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/04/2016 to 12/15/2016 with

Boston University: London - London Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The internship experience was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed being a part of an office in another country. The professors were all very knowledgable and helpful, and I liked being able to hear their perspectives on issues.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

N/A – no food plan for program

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Classes are only with Americans, so until the internship it does not feel very immersive.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no issues but it seemed very well organized on the health care front

* Safety:

City is very, probably one of the most so

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

The internship and academics were great themselves, but take up a lot of time compared to most other typical study abroad programs in London. It was hard to plan travel and do activities, especially when the internship component begins. I had a lot of fun and enjoyed all aspects of the program, but I think I may have enjoyed taking classes at a British university more, especially immersion wise. No overall regret, but I would have liked being able to do more in London each day which was hard with a 4 day per week internship that was 9-5 and a 4 hour class the fifth day. I think I would have liked to know more about the day-to-day commitments involved when applying, but I struggled to easily find this information as a non-BU student. Still, I had a lot of fun and my internship as great. London is an amazing city with an incredible number of things to do and you will not be bored.

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 relatively expensive, but the pound was lower because of Brexit, although food prices are supposedly going up now. Book travel in advance as much as possible.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150-200 a week maybe? Pound is lower than last year, but still you spend more money than you realize.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to change money when the pound is low. This may mean changing money in America a long time in advance.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Internship for a immersion in a foreign work environment
  • London has a lot to do
  • Professors were quite good
* What could be improved?
  • Information accessibility prior to application
  • Class schedule at an earlier date to plan semester better
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Time commitments of the various components.