Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A good experience that could have been better. Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/12/2019 to 05/31/2019 with

IFSA: London - King's College London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I feel my primary area of growth was in learning how to live more independently and not rely on other people for entertainment. There were many times that I would spend large chunks of time completely alone in a foreign country, and a big are of growth for me was becoming comfortable with that.

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 - Program did not provide food

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

N/A

* Safety:

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

If I were to choose again, I think I would have picked a program with more structure which would have made it easier to form connections with other abroad students in the first few weeks. The living arrangement was less than ideal, and despite my good location in London, I would have preferred not to have lived with first years.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 150-200$ a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Use the dorm kitchen to cook meals for the week in bulk to save time and money

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
  • International 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Independence/Lack of structure (this was both a pro and a con)
  • Good location
  • Good level of class integration/class with locals
* What could be improved?
  • More opportunities provided to meet people
  • Better explanation of transport/oyster cards
  • Better/less random living arrangement
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew the extent to which I would be living alone on this program.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.