Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Live the London Life Past Review

By (Public Relations, Creative Writing, SUNY - College at Oswego) - abroad from 09/04/2013 to 12/14/2013 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: London, England

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Studying and interning through CAPA London is the best decision I've made so far in my academic career. It was a great program that allowed me to make international connections both personally and professionally. What's great about CAPA London is that they are all about you getting the most out of your study abroad experience. They have so many events and are so helpful about making sure you're getting the most out of your internship placement. The city of London is so immersed in the classes in that you're constantly going on field trips around different parts of the city, museums, etc. My experience in London has helped me grow as a person. It's completely changed my life and I made life-long friends as well. If you're on the fence about studying with CAPA London, take the leap and do it! You won't regret it.

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.

The courses were not very difficult, but there were a couple challenging assignments. The course load was a good fit with the 20 hours of week I was working at my internship site and other traveling I wanted to do.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CAPA staff are extremely friendly and always willing to help!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our accommodations were fantastic. I was placed in Hawley Crescent which is located in Camden. It was a great flat and Camden is such a hip area. You can shop in the Camden Markets and there's always such fantastic food in the stalls. Also, the grocery store is right across the street from the building which is super convenient.

* Food:

Food is great in London but it will take the biggest chunk out of your budget. Be sure to budget a lot for food!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I think I got the most integration in my internship because other than that I was living and had classes with American students. However, CAPA was always putting on events and classes had field trips to constantly put us right in the middle of everything going on in London and it's history and culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

London felt relatively safe and I didn't have any bad experiences with that. However, it is a big city and so you should always keep an eye out for pick pockets and such.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Look for trip deals! There are tons of companies with awesome trips for a great price.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • My internship
  • All of the day trips that were included and run by CAPA
  • My Oyster card! I could go anywhere in Zones 1-3 in London
* What could be improved?
  • Unlimited wifi in housing
  • More computers in the CAPA centre
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I just wish I had budgeted my time more so I could've seen more places within England!

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.