Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

CAPA London Internship Program Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., Clark University - Worcester) - abroad from 01/16/2014 to 04/26/2014 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: London, England

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to be independent and learned quite a lot about London. I also learned how to acclimate to new environments and culture. My experience was definitely worthwhile!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were not as difficult or challenging as the classes I am used to at Clark, but if they were much harder, it would be incredibly difficult to balance the class work with the internship.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My flat was not CAPA housing, it was arranged through the study abroad office at Clark. It had a fantastic and very central location (just a few steps away from the British Museum), but the flat itself was not in the best condition. We repeatedly had to file maintenance requests and the flat was a bit run down.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

CAPA had a lot of great MyEducation events that helped the students immerse themselves into the culture of London. They also were there to support students who were having a hard time adjusting to the new culture and gave students tips on how to make the transition easier.

* 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)

London is a very expensive city, so it is up to you to budget. Clark gave us a meal stipend for food, and in my opinion, it was pretty doable to live off of the stipend.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I probably spent around 60 - 100 pounds each week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Sign up for rewards programs at the grocery stores and other places you shop at.

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?
  • Structure of having class and an internship
  • MyEducation events
  • London!
* What could be improved?
  • Housing
  • More information about the program should be available to students
  • Class assignments
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew just how much time would be taken up by the program. Between an 18-20 internship and 12 hours of class per week, there isn't really a whole lot of free time.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Gender and Citizenship in Europe
Course Department: Women's Studies
Instructor: Joy Frith
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was absolutely great! I loved every minute of it and Joy is such a great professor and a brilliant person. It was by far my favorite class that I took while I was abroad. All of the field studies are relevant and it is really interesting getting an international perspective on women's studies. This class is a great introduction to gender studies, so I highly recommend taking it regardless if you are studying women's studies or not.
Credit Transfer Issues: I had no problem with my credits!