Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best year of my life, fingers crossed for grad school there Past Review

By (Physics and Philosophy, Kenyon College) - abroad from 09/28/2016 to 06/17/2017 with

IFSA: Oxford - Oxford University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Absolutely worthwhile. The best year of my life, hands down. I'm applying to go to graduate school there right now because I can't wait to be back

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.

Most intense academic experience I've ever had, I absolutely loved it because it was exactly what I was looking for

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The IFSA Butler London staff were absolutely delightful

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

LMH has visiting students live with other undergrads in dorms which was really nice, but the dorm I was in constant disrepair

* Food:

LMH's hall food was mediocre so I cooked for myself. Tesco was a 10 minute bike ride away and I could get decent food for much cheaper

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I worked really hard to integrate myself into the community by joining lots of clubs and meetings lots of people. My best decision was to join an a cappella group, the Alternotives. They took me under their wings and thanks to them I really feel like I got the full Oxford/UK experience

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Never got sick but I knew where to go if I did, and Boots had everything I needed

* Safety:

Since LMH was so far from most places worth going, I ended up cycling everywhere. Traffic got wild at times with careless drivers and lots of cyclers and I wrecked a few times but with the proper safety equipment and good judgment you should be fine.

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)

Living in Oxford is quite expensive compared to living in the US, but by budgeting well I was able to get by just fine

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 60

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
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 academic experience
  • The a cappella scene
  • The city of Oxford
* What could be improved?
  • LMH needs to repair their dorms
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Traveling around the UK and Europe can be done easily and cheaply, it just takes a lot of research. Do that in advance, because when term hits you won't have time for it

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!