Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Despite the terrible airport and banking system, London is the greatest city in the world. Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., The University of Texas at Austin) for

University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I understood that I can live in a large city and adapt to living alone. I loved hearing about politics from all over Europe and seeing how a foreign government works.

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.

The in-class time was significantly less, but there was a lot more reading and writing to do for classes. All texts were online which was a great way to save money.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I really liked the classes, but registration was incredibly tedious and had I not registered before the psychology program told me to, I would have not gotten into my Art History class because it fills up so fast. I liked the sizes of my classes and the professors were great. The work load was not terrible, but it consisted only of papers which were difficult to write.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I really liked the place where I lived. It was close to campus, close to restaurants and close to one of the largest parks in London.

* Food:

English food is not as bad as everyone says it is. I liked almost everything I ate.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved taking day trips within England, such as trips to Bath, Windsor Castle, and Canterbury. I also liked the people in London and I had many interesting excursions with the people I met.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I couldn't get health care because I was in the UK for under 6 months. However, people I know who were also inelligable for health care and still were able to see a doctor in a timely manner if they were sick. London is covered in CTV cameras which made me feel safe even with the terrorism warnings that were issued during my time in London. I also felt safer than in Texas when I was walking around at night because guns are not common here like they are back home. I was nervous about getting mugged in touristy areas.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I can't think of any way to make the program cheaper.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If you're flying out in winter, plan for a cancelled flight because Heathrow does not fly out planes even if it is only lightly snowing. If you want the experience of living in a city that makes Austin look tiny, London is the best place. It is global, diverse and exciting and you have to appreciate the amazing things that happen all the time here.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

International Development and Public Policy
Course Department: POLS6007A
Instructor: Niheer Dasandi
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a challenging course because I am not a political science major like the majority of students that took the course. However, it was very informative.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Human Computer Interaction
Course Department: PSYC3111A
Instructor: Anna Cox
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I really liked this course because it explores a very interesting subject in psychology which is very relevant to current problems with technology.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

19th and 20th Century Art in London Collections 1
Course Department: HART1601
Instructor: Irina Chkhaidze and Michiko Oki
Instruction Language:
Comments: I liked that this course was held at museums instead of in a class room. However, it was very theoretical and did not focus much on individual artists or art movements.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

One Term Psychology Research Project A
Course Department: POLS9001A
Instructor: Costi Rezlescu
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was my one-term research project which I worked on with a faculty advisor and another student. It was my first long-term research project which helped me understand different research techniques.
Credit Transfer Issues: