Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Seriously a once in a lifetime experience in the heart of London! Past Review

By (Business-Marketing, Marist College) - abroad from 08/26/2014 to 12/15/2014 with

FIE (Foundation for International Education): London - Study and Intern Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Although England is an english speaking country, there is still a bit of a language barrier due to colloquialisms that is great to experience and navigate. I learned how to travel by myself, use public transportation, and ultimately live on my own comfortably in a foreign environment.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My classes involved a lot of experiences, such as museums and eating new foods!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was amazing for FIE. We had our own apartments (Londoners call them "flats") that we shared with 3 to 4 people in the smaller flats. Or 10 in the large flats, but each bedroom had 1-4 people in them (they were good sized). There is also a cleaning service that comes every day, just tidy up, but it still is a perk. Laundry machines are also provided in the housing.

* Food:

Food was was provided in the program, but London has every type of food you could ever want.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The FIE program that I took part in involved an internship. Working with local residents, getting to know the Tube and bus routes, and meeting new people got me acclimated.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally did not fall very ill while studying at FIE, but I had a friend who got Bronchitis. FIE was great about referring her to a doctor and telling her where she should go to pick up medicine. The staff at FIE are generally very helpful and caring toward the students.

* Safety:

I always felt safe walking around London, even at night. Like any major city there are always a lot of people around and street lights everywhere. We were placed in a very nice neighborhood, South Kensington, so safety was never an issue.

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 and traveling can can be expensive, not matter how you experience it. Just prepare and budget yourself and you will be fine. FIE does give you an unlimited Oyster card for Tube use, which helps to cut cost tremendously.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Know that you will spend more money than the usual semester at school. Budget and eat in as much as possible.

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

  • 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?
  • My British Life and Cultures Professor who rocked and took us to the coolest places around London that I couldn't find by myself- this was our class time, hardly any classroom sitting.
  • My art class that took me to amazing museums in London like the Tate Modern.
  • Meeting new people from my school and other schools, traveling and experiencing everything with them!
* What could be improved?
  • Marist's preparation.
  • All British Life and Culture classes should be as immersive as mine was!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It actually does not rain as much in London as everyone tells you. It actually rains more in NYC :).

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.