An amazing snapshot of Bath and England at large! August 29, 2024
By Connor B (History, Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/10/2024 to 07/12/2024 with
Advanced Studies England: Bath - ASE Study Centre
The most valuable thing I gained from my time abroad was the friends I made along the way and the memories of experiencing some amazing historical and cultural areas of the United Kingdom. The program did an excellent job of making it easy to get to know people. Additionally, the classes were deeply interesting and engaging, and managed to strike a good time balance so that I was able to learn while still having time to experience the country.
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 class subjects were deeply interesting and very naturally integrated into the history of the region. The ability to travel to historical sites mentioned within the texts we were reading also felt like an invaluable supplement to the courses. Additionally, both the American and British professors were engaging, friendly, and deeply knowledgeable in their fields. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was very well run and didn't have any real administrative issues from my experience. Additionally, the staff was very friendly and did a good job of getting to know and making themselves approachable to students on the program. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing was excellent. I was provided a single room that shared bathrooms and a kitchen with three other roommates. The location was easily the best part, with the housing being located right in the center of town overlooking the river. The apartment also came with pretty much all of the amenities we required. |
| * Food: |
Food was for the most part self-directed, although that was clear during the application process. They did provide food for the various outings and a couple of days' worth of food in our flat upon arrival to help us settle in. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We were essentially living in Bath for the five weeks of the program, directly in the center of the city. This made it extremely easy to travel to local restaurants and pubs. Additionally, the staff provided official program-run activities such as tours and hikes, as well as recommendations for fun activities around the city. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't personally require any healthcare during the trip, but useful information and resources were provided. |
| * Safety: |
Bath felt like an exceptionally safe city, and I had no safety issues during my time there. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The program was fast-paced but extremely rewarding. I made great friends and amazing memories over the five weeks I was there, on top of the interesting classes, and wouldn't want to trade that experience at all. |
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) |
Expenses came out to about $100 a week and were mainly made up of food costs. Because the program didn't come with a meal plan this is a definite expense students should plan for. Souvenirs of course would be an additional expense on top of that, but it was fairly easy to keep to that budget when shopping at more affordable locations like Tesco. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $100 a week on food, and then usually another $25-50 a week on souveneirs. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Definitely get your food at Tesco and avoid the Waitrose if you can. The prices are much cheaper, and if you sign up for the Tesco Clubcard (on the website, the app is unfortunately not available on the American app store) you get access to a ton of savings. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would've maybe saved a bit more money in advance. The number of pubs and restaurants I wanted to visit was high, and a higher budget would have let me experience more. |
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. |
