Studying abroad is a precious experience and a great opportunity Past Review
By A student (ZHAW Applied Languages) - abroad from 09/17/2018 to 01/17/2019 with
University of Westminster: London - Study Abroad Semester or Year with an Optional Internship
Thanks to the internet, living abroad has become much easier than 20 years ago, on the other hand, it is less an adventure. It was definitely worthwhile. I loved being in London, exploring the city and the habits of its people!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I only missed an overview of the facilities in my university building (computer rooms, printers, water fountains, canteen et cetera). |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I organised my own housing (not through university). |
| * Food: |
Food at the canteen is okay, at a reasonable price, but the location in the lower ground is not very inviting. Coffeeshop on-site as well, but the range of snacks was rather poor. Unfortunately, coffee and tea was only served in paper cups, which I find bad in terms of taste and waste. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
as a one-term student, registering at a local GP turned out to be impossible, so I ended up at St Thomas Hospital's emergency department, where I was extremely well taken care of without any costs (wow, thank you, NHS!), but I felt bad using this 'channel' which should be reserved for emergencies and not misused for minor issues and a simple blood test, as mine was. But there wasn't any other way to do it :-( |
| * Safety: |
I always felt very safe in London. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I love London, its diversity and the Study Abroad programme at the University of Westminster is amazing! |
Finances
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* 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) |
Luckily, I am in a financially comfortable position. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | £900 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | - if you're on a tight budget, bring all your clothing and beauty products from home - if you have some money to spend, you get great student deals on almost everything, especially at restaurant chains and for well-known brands (except high-end cosmetics) > make use of the app UNIDAYS and ALWAYS ask for student discounts! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
I am not sure if these questions are about the English language or my Spanish program... if English, then Advanced and 5*, if Spanish, then Intermediate and 4* |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | ? |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | If the last question is about English, then certainly 4-6 hours, if it is about Spanish, then about 1-3 hours. Advice: Live in a place with English-speaking fellows and try to avoid your native language. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | nothing comes to mind |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Writing London |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Monica Germana |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Expressions of Spanish Culture 1 |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | several |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish & English |
| Comments: | Great mix of language work and contemporary Latin-American history. Unfortunately, I don't feel that I have made progress language-wise. I really enjoyed learning more about Latin-American history. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Jack the Ripper: Myth, Reality, Culture and Popular History |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Helen Glew |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | I really enjoyed the holistic approach to the subject, in a way that I now feel like knowing a lot about late nineteenth century London: society, history, police work, socio-economic challenges, fashion, art and literature, living conditions et cetera. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
