Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

England: Why oh why did we ever leave??? Past Review

By (Anthropology., Wellesley College) for

University of York: Heslington - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience was incredibly worthwhile! I loved every minute of it. It has definitely been one of the defining experiences of my life. I learned that not only do I want to live in England, I want to live in York specifically for the rest of my life. My experience also helped me realize that attending graduate school abroad is not only feasible but probably the best option for me.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was much lighter than I am used to at Wellesley but that can be said of most institutions. The grading system was a bit of an adjustment. Coming from an American institution where a 60% is failing and having to adjust to the English system where a 40% is failing and a 60 is a decent grade was very interesting. The teaching methods were much the same. The only real differences were those that would be expected when moving from a small liberal arts college to a large university.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

As mentioned before, my particular department was a bit unwieldy and confusing due to circumstances beyond their control. Despite the paperwork disorganization they were very easy to work with and incredibly helpful. All of the staff members were incredibly supportive and the University has an amazing support system built in for study abroad students.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a student cottage as part of university housing. The housing system is randomly generated at York and I was just lucky enough to win a spot in one of the two cottages. The neighborhood was incredibly safe and absolutely idyllic. The entire street was lined with ivy covered cottages complete with English lavender trailing out of each gate. The only downside was that it was 3 miles away from my classes but that allowed me the opportunity to walk through the fabulous city of York a few times a week. I needed to buy cookware but the university has a donation system in which graduating students donate all of their cookware and the university resells it and donates all of the money to charity. In this way I was able to purchase all of my cookware for less than 10 pounds.

* Food:

I would definitely recommend that students choose the self catered option unless you are absolutely opposed to cooking. Food is incredibly cheap in northern England and the cooking facilities in the student accommodations are fantastic (the dining halls are not so magnificent or healthy).

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I joined the Erasmus Society because one of my flatmates was in it. That was the best decision I made. I made so many friends from all over Europe and was able to participate in numerous cultural events with them. My favorite events were the dinners. A group of about 20 of us decided to cook dinner once a week that was representative of our culture. For my dinner I hosted Thanksgiving for 20 people who had never celebrated it before. The dinners were so much fun because I learned a lot about other cultures in a relaxed environment.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

York is incredibly safe. I never worried about my safety at all while there. I personally did not have any health related issues so I cannot personally speak to the healthcare system but one of my friends used it and said that she had no problems and it was very easily accessible. There is a clinic on campus that is open 24/7 specifically for students.

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 would definitely recommend purchasing a bus pass. You will use it a lot and the pass will save you quite a bit. I would also recommend shopping in the permanent farmer's market in the city centre everything is so much cheaper and it is organic and locally grown. I cannot think of any unanticipated expenses. My last piece of advice would be that if you plan on travelling bear in mind that although Ryanair tickets are incredibly cheap they do not include all of the additional charges that you will get hit with. In the end they generally end up costing just as much as a British Airways or other comparable airline.

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

  • Apartment
  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved the hands on framework of my courses.
  • I really liked the fact that you apply to the specific departments and not the university as a whole. This created a much greater sense of community.
* What could be improved?
  • The advisory system could stand some improvement. One man was the adviser for all international students. He is fantastic, but that is a bit too much for one staff member who is also a full time professor.