An experience that grew my independence and maturity. Past Review
By Alexander Aikman (Queensland University of Technology) - abroad from 01/12/2019 to 05/24/2019 with
University of Westminster: London - Study Abroad Semester or Year with an Optional Internship
The people I met, the places I traveled to were all amazing and life-altering. I became far more adaptable than I thought I could.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 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 |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I did not live on campus as the pricing was much higher than I deemed necessary. |
| * Food: |
One does not go to England for the food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I found it very easy to integrate with the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Fortunately, I did not require medical assistance while in London. However, a number of my friends struggled to find a general practitioner to assist them. Particularly out of hours. |
| * Safety: |
As is the case with most big cities, one must be constantly alert. Crime is much more prevalent in London than it is in Brisbane. I did not come to any harm while away. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
If I were to go on an exchange program for the first time again then I wouldn't want to go anywhere else. |
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) |
London is a very expensive city. My rent per week alone exceeded $200 AUD. However, this was expected. Transport was also expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Not including my rent. I would spend approximately $200. This would fluctuate depending on my social activities for that week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The type of exchange program you want will dictate your spending/saving. I wanted to make the most of staying in London by exploring the city and traveling Europe whenever possible. I placed a greater emphasis on this than maximising my savings. For travel I would recommend staying in Hostels rather than hotels. Try to buy some groceries to cook your own meals rather than eating out every meal. Travel insurance will save you more in the long run. |
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
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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? | Which areas of the city were best to live in. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
