A slow start that led to a rewarding overall experience May 03, 2022
By A student (Computer Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/03/2021 to 12/04/2021 with
Worcester College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program
I enjoyed living in a different country and seeing how different it was from what I was used to. It showed me the pros and cons of different government/systems.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt that Oxford provided a lot of resources, but many I was not made aware of until the semester kicked in. The tutorial experience itself was highly dependent on the tutor and the program. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very kind program administrators but definitely spread a bit thin. They were great people and helpful (if they knew information), but culturally the country was more laid back than I was used to. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The accommodations were spacious and affordable. There were some issues with cleaning up the kitchen, but my room itself was great. |
| * Food: |
I found Worcester food incredibly affordable and tasty. Unfortunately, the dining halls were open for very short periods of time so I was not able to eat there frequently. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I joined a sports team, which allowed me to engage more with the university. Otherwise, I definitely would have struggled to integrate. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
It was very difficult to obtain healthcare. Access is much easier at home. I had to register to visit a doctor and that registration was not processed for several weeks. I did appreciate the free covid tests, however. |
| * Safety: |
I felt incredibly safe in Oxford. I was comfortable walking at night and rarely experienced any discomfort. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would choose the same program, but probably would have chosen to stay longer. The half semester made it difficult to feel comfortable and make friends until it was time to go. |
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) |
3. Housing and food in college were very affordable. If I wanted to be more frugal, it definitely would have been doable. Social activities did become more expensive though, most activities were not included. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | I wish I made more of an effort to immerse myself in the program and culture very early on. I became involved much later. |
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. |
