Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great neighborhood; not a very supportive program Past Review

By (History/English, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/02/2014 to 06/07/2014 with

Arcadia: London - Queen Mary University of London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was absolutely worthwhile. I gained so much confidence from this past semester, and I really feel like I've grown from it. East London is also seriously my favorite place I have ever lived. It's lively, diverse, and full of options for people from every walk of life.

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.

Good, interesting classes, but little professor interaction in larger classes and it's difficult to contest a grade once it's already in the system.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Apart from Orientation and a few optional paid trips, I had little interaction with Arcadia.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The facilities were pretty good, but the living arrangements for international students are in first year accommodation. As a result, it can get very loud very easily and the walls are very thin.

* Food:

The Village Market has a decent selection of snacks and sandwiches if you don't want to walk down the road to either of the nearby grocery stores, but the Curve restaurant is just awful.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It's difficult to make friends at Queen Mary. Most students commute, and there isn't much in the way of club life. If you work at it you'll find people in your classes and in society meetings, but it takes a lot of effort and there's very little support either from Arcadia or Queen Mary to facilitate friendships.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

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? Get an Oyster card straightaway, and if you're at Queen Mary get a Nectar Card from Sainsbury's on your first grocery shop. You'll be able to save money both at the Sainsbury's Local on the corner and at the much larger Sainsbury's Whitechapel. Also, walk wherever you can and look up the tube's peak hours. Plan any trips around Europe as early as possible so that you get the best air and hostel prices.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Neighborhood
  • Classes
  • Convenience of location
* What could be improved?
  • Community support
  • Food
  • Living accomodations
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I'd known how different Queen Mary would be from Brandeis. While Brandeis has felt like a community since freshman year, Queen Mary can feel incredibly lonely if you're not ready for what feels a lot like a commuter school.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A 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.