Cheers to the Best 5 Months Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took all first- and second-year courses, but even so, they were not nearly as challenging as classes I've taken at Brandeis. I think that just comes down to the university system in the UK -- pretty much your entire grade is based on a final exam/paper, and there are very few graded assignments during the semester. (Which was amazing, as it gave me tons of time to travel and explore London.)

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived on campus in QMUL housing and my dorm was one of the newest. There were 11 of us in my flat, all singles with our own bathrooms and one huge shared kitchen. (Each building has a different set-up.) A few of my flatmates were Americans studying abroad, and the rest were full-time QMUL students from the UK and elsewhere.

No one really does meal plans here. At first I was a little worried about cooking for myself but once I got into a routine it was fine. There's a Sainsbury's right across the street from campus so grocery shopping couldn't be easier. Eating out gets expensive but there are lots of good curry places nearby, one of the perks of being in the East End.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

London is such a multicultural city, so it wasn't too hard to feel integrated. It really helped that one of my British flatmates invited me out to gatherings with her friends, so from the beginning I felt like I was having a real British experience. I also tried to see as much of London as humanly possible, and by the end I felt like I knew the city (and the tube map) like the back of my hand and really felt like true Londoner.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was not feeling well for most of March actually, but HTH made it really easy. I found a doctor using their search engine and they covered the visits and reimbursed me for prescriptions.

I had read about the East End before going abroad, and phrases like "up and coming" and "a bit seedy" were used a lot. But really, it's not bad. Sure, the area where QMUL is located is not your idyllic image of London, but it is by no means unsafe. It's really not much different from Waltham safety-wise. I never had any issues. Just use your common sense.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• LOVED living in/exploring London
• Class schedule allowed for lots of time to travel
• Living and taking classes with British/international students was the best way to integrate into UK life

• Caliber of the classes

The Academic or Linguist