London - Queen Mary Past Review
By Kaitlin (Santa Clara University) - abroad from 09/13/2018 to 12/16/2017 with
Arcadia: London - Queen Mary University of London
Yes! I feel more independent and I think I gained a more global perspective.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I was able to take interesting classes and felt that I learned a lot but was not overwhelmed with academics. The lecturers and TAs were very good. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Arcadia did a great job of helping us adjust and organizing fun excursions for us. I felt that they were more than willing to help if I needed anything. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was able to live in campus housing with British and international students. |
| * Food: |
London is expensive but there are many cheap and tasty options in Mile End (near campus) and if you cook it is possible to eat without spending too much. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I liked being able to go to classes and join societies/clubs on campus, which let me meet a lot of British students. Arcadia provided many resources and opportunities to experience the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues but know that Arcadia required us to enroll in GeoBlue health insurance so we would be covered. I think Queen Mary requires or strongly encourages you to get a meningitis vaccine before moving in to campus housing. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in London. I generally felt safe walking from the tube back to my university housing because the street was busy and well-lit at almost any time of day or night. Arcadia had a system in place to check in and let them know we were safe during some of the terrorism-related incidents that occurred while we were there. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Arcadia was very helpful. I loved the excursions they organized and they communicated everything we needed to know very clearly. Queen Mary was great. I loved its location in East London and the fact that it has a very international student body. |
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) |
London is expensive but most museums are free and there are many other cheap or free things to do. It doesn't have to be extremely expensive if you budget carefully and take advantage of student discounts and other deals. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $100 per week, accounting for local travel |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You should probably get a SIM card. I wasted a lot of money on an international plan. Take advantage of student discounts, coupons, young person railcard, etc. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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? | Sign up early for excursions. They fill up fast. |
