Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Good Friends, Beautiful Places, and Lifelong Memories July 05, 2024

By (Psychology and Education, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/10/2024 to 05/31/2024 with

Arcadia: London - Queen Mary University of London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I got to visit 7 different European countries while abroad, and each trip was incredibly fun and eye-opening. The views were beautiful, and I even got to use my French skills when I traveled to France to talk to the locals. I also got to make strong friendships through Queen Mary A Cappella, and I have a lot of great memories from our rehearsals and outings together. I also learned how to live far away from family and navigate around a large city, neither of which I’ve done before! I gained a lot of independence and confidence from studying abroad.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Honestly most of the courses were pretty easy. Most of the work came at midterms and finals, and the rest of the semester was very light.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Polly in particular was very welcoming! Arcadia is a nicely put together program that provides a little intro to the city before sending you to the university.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

A room and bathroom all to myself with a shared kitchen!

* Food:

I grocery shopped myself, and it was fine but not spectacular.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt more integrated after joining a cappella at Queen Mary! In Arcadia it was mostly fellow Americans, so you have to put in effort to meet locals.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn’t have any experiences with healthcare.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I loved my program so much!! I met other study abroad friends through Arcadia, and then at Queen Mary, I met local and international friends through my flatmates and joining a cappella! I love London as a city, and I felt so happy exploring and learning my way around!

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)

I was spending a lot of money abroad, but I also chose to spend money on travel, so you could definitely spend less if you were willing to travel a bit less. I was spending about $50-100 each week on food alone.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to limit the amount of times you eat at restaurants. Also, if you’re getting drinks, try going to a cheaper pub like Wetherspoons or getting your own drink beforehand.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Host Family
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The societies! (Queen Mary A Cappella and LGBT Soc)
  • The city! (London is so beautiful and lively)
  • The opportunities for travel! (It is very easy to get to the London airports and buy cheap tickets to other countries for a weekend)
* What could be improved?
  • I’d love a grocery and travel stipend
  • Urge people to join activities/societies at the uni
  • Offer more day trips
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I knew I would be homesick once I arrived in London, but I wish I knew how homesick I would be for London once I returned back to the States. It is a testament to the wonderful experience I had there how sad I was to leave.

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 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.