An incredible year! August 02, 2026
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/08/2025 to 06/20/2026 with
Worcester College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program
I gained a lot of confidence, both academically and socially. I learned how to write quickly, how to defend my ideas, and how to converse with experts in my field. I also got to try activities outside of my comfort zone.
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. |
I was able to really dive deep into my subjects. Because I studied English, I could come up with my own tutorial topics, which meant that I could learn about whatever I wanted! I was even able to take a tutorial in a subject which I had not initially applied for. While the coursework itself was difficult, tutors were very understanding and likely go a bit easy on visiting students, at least in my case. The September Seminar in the Humanities operated much like a course at a liberal arts college. |
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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? |
Everyone gets a single with an ensuite. I did have some issues with the plumbing in my shower, but maintenance was really responsive. The actual housing team was a bit difficult to deal with. |
| * Food: |
Lots of vegetarian options in Worcester and across the UK in general. Subsidized meals in the dining hall were pretty reasonably priced for the amount of food received. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Worcester students are very friendly and happy to meet visiting students. I also was able to join societies and make friends across the university. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Adjusting to a program without a meal plan can be a bit difficult |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buying a few pantry staple items that last the whole week or longer (loaf of bread, large container of yogurt, jar of peanut butter, etc.) can help save money on food. Coordinate eating in hall with friends to take advantage of the cheaper food. If you are going to eat meals out of college, the best time to do that is lunch as that's when there are more student deals. Take advantage of the many libraries not just for books but also for free study spaces, as each library has its own general atmosphere. If you will be taking the train to London on the weekends or doing trips around the UK, a 16-25 railcard will save you a lot of money! Get it early so you can take advantage. |
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? | Everything that people will tell you about the self-directed nature of the program is very accurate. You have to work hard to balance everything if you want to participate in societies or travel. Yet doing things outside of the academic curriculum is crucial to success and wellbeing at Oxford, whether that is working on a student theatre production, taking a day trip to another UK city, or even just prioritizing exploring Oxford. |
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! |
