Fit life March 22, 2021

By (Yale-NUS College) - abroad from 01/01/2019 to 04/20/2021 with

Queen Mary University of London Study Abroad programme

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Definitely worthwhile. Independence was a big learning experience for me.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

As a Junior (3rd Year), I found the overall academic rigour to be adequate. I took my semester abroad to dabble in fields that were unavailable at my home university, including linguistics, geography, and global health. Because such courses were unavailable at my home uni, however, this meant that it was virtually impossible for me to have any of the pre-requisites required for the higher-level courses, limiting my course options. For example, it was particularly tedious getting into the health communication linguistics course I was interested in, not only because I had no prior academic experience with linguistics, but also because it was meant to be a final year/masters course. I remember having to bounce from office to office trying to get approval to join the course, and eventually had to email the course professor (who also felt that it was an appropriate level class for me) to request her help. After successfully getting into the class, however, I felt that the class was not one that necessarily needed a pre-requisite. As someone who had never studied linguistics, I found it easy to keep up with the material and class content. This made me curious as to how many other courses that were closed to exchange students I could actually have considered, if not for the fact that they were not allowed due to pre-reqs etc. Similarly for the global health course I took, which was meant to be for seniors/masters students, I felt that the rigour was slightly lackluster. Many students came to class without having done readings, making discussions flat and insubstantial. It was quite frustrating especially because doing the readings then seemed to have little impact on how much I learned in class. One thing that I really appreciated about my time at QMUL, however, is the willingness of the professors to go the extra mile. They made clear that they were open to questions and clarifications at any time and made me feel welcomed as an exchange student and as a student new to the field they taught.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

A lot of courses were made unavailable to exchange students, which I was quite disappointed by. It was tedious trying to get into courses with pre-reqs, and I feel that the pre-reqs at times may not be necessary (refer to my answer about the overall educational experience). I wish the University would widen the course options for exchange students and take a closer look at the placement of pre-reqs.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in an ensuite single room in Feilden House. The room and toilet were clean upon arrival and the common kitchen was kept relatively clean as well. On colder days, the heating in my room was insufficient and I often had to make use of a hot water bottle to keep warm (this could also potentially be due to my low tolerance for cold, however). What I particularly disliked about the accommodation was the arrangement of the rooms. The rooms were placed in a long hall with one of the doors leading to the kitchen. Apart from the kitchen, which people were reluctant to spend much time in due to the cold and smokiness from cooking, there are no other communal spaces to hang out with other students. Additionally, the fridges are placed in students' personal room rather than in the kitchen, which means carrying ingredients to and fro for cooking (the kitchens only have freezers).

* Food:

I cooked my own food on campus.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

i LOVED the location of QMUL in East London. I knew many friends from my home institution that were studying in central London for their semester abroad, but being in East London felt really special due to its culture and alternative scenes. I would say however, that most of my exploration of London and particularly East London were independent. Again, though, this was something I really loved.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any experience with healthcare there.

* Safety:

I felt relatively safe on campus.

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

The range of academic courses felt limited. I would have also liked more academic rigour.

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 very expensive -- everyone knows that -- which is why I opted to cook to save money for travel/other touristy things. I cooked mostly plant-based meals and managed to spend around 35 pounds per week on groceries. East London also has quite a few flea/farmers markets quite closeby and it was fun to check those out to try to find good deals. Also, thanks to the walkable nature of London, I opted to walk to any place that was within an hour's travel time, which saved me a lot of tube/bus money. You get to see every interesting nook and cranny of London when you walk everywhere!

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? groceries (~35 pounds), transport (~8-10 pounds if i tube/bus), eating out (15-25 pounds, but only select weeks)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? COOK COOK COOK!!!! If you're someone who eats plant-based, you're going to LOVE London for how much plant-based stuff their stores have (and at such good prices too). Eating out in London is expensive so cooking every-day meals is definitely a big way to cut costs. I would also recommend walking as much as you can (which means having comfortable shoes). Not only will you save a lot of money on the tube (2.5 pounds per one-way trip), but you'll get to find cool spots you wouldn't otherwise find.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • 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?
  • Accommodation (personal room)
  • Helpful and passionate professors
* What could be improved?
  • Range of courses
  • Strict pre-reqs for classes
  • More support for exchange students (safety tips, hangouts, etc.)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The real range of academic classes available to exchange students.

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.