Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Three Es: Educational, Exciting, Expensive Past Review

By (COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES., Sarah Lawrence College) - abroad from 09/16/2013 to 12/13/2013 with

ISA Study Abroad in London, England

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I got to take a lot of great classes, learn from a different perspective, be part of the London comedy scene and actually integrate myself into the city.

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.

I felt the academics at Queen Mary were a thoroughly refreshing experience. If anyone's worried that abroad can add up to a waste of time due to the tendency for less rigorous classes to be offered, let it be known that Queen Mary offers the full course catalogue and if you want to maintain an academic standard for yourself while you travel, this is definitely a place to consider

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

These guys are the best. Queen Mary Prides itself on its abroad program and opportunities and deservedly so, they are incredibly helpful.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Absolutely amazing. I don't think I could've dreamed of better housing. My own room with my own bathroom? I was very pleased

* Food:

I would recommend making one's own food in the provided kitchens. The food in the dining halls that you can subscribe via meal plan are criminally awful. The other places to eat on campus offer plenty but it'll be costly.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The abroad program does its best to integrate international students and for the most part they do a wonderful job. However there are a LOT of international students in this program, most of them American, and one might wish to go to a place that has less Americans around in order to feel fully integrated into the culture. I found London a great place to integrate however, and had the most fun exploring the city on my own independent of the school.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

It's a complicated process but Queen Mary does it's best to assure every student has the proper precautions for a health incident at the beginning.

* Safety:

London FEELS harmless a lot of the time which I think can cause students to take higher risks. There was one incident of an American student getting beat up near Brick Lane. The key is to realize that although London is a bright and colorful city, it's still a city. Crime happens and the easiest way to stay out of trouble is to stay with a group at night and not walk home. Just suck it up and take the bus. Also don't flash your stuff around, getting pickpocketed is no fun.

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 is expensive and getting more expensive by the week. The east end is cheaper but the truth is London will cost quite a lot if you want to do and see everything.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? roughly 60 on food, but up to 60-70 just participating in other activities/transportation
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Definitely cook all the food you can, that will save you the most money. Also invest in student passes for every type of public transportation under the sun that will come in handy!

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?
  • Definitely how much like home the whole place felt like within the first few weeks, it was never alienating
  • Living and learning with local students was a great experience, I really enjoyed it.
  • The surrounding area is cheaper than most of London and its also an exciting place to live
* What could be improved?
  • Food, definitely. But that's the school itself I suppose
  • I lived with both Americans and Local students but mostly Americans. I think I would've preferred to live with more local students!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? There's a week long break half way through the semester. This wasn't made clear until I got there and I wish I knew because I really could've used the extra time to book cheaper travel!

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 Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.