Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Tiring, Fun Experience Past Review

By (Psychology and Communications, The College of New Jersey) - abroad from 09/02/2014 to 12/21/2014 with

FIE (Foundation for International Education): London - Study and Intern Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained the ability to live in a large city and basically work, commuting an hour to and from work three days a week

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Despite the internship and classes taking up a large amount of time, i would highly recommend everyone has this experience. This is a program that helps prepare you for the real world, while still being a vacation in a foreign location.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Directly across the street from hyde park, and about a minute walk from Royal Albert Hall

* Food:

I had to survive on frozen pizza every night due to London prices, but it was solid frozen pizza. Frozen solid.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The internship aspect got me connected to many London residents who were interested in the same field as me.

* 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)

It's London.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I tried to keep it between 30 and 40 pounds but i always went for supermarket sales.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? At least in London, supermarkets are huge with sales and cheap meal deals.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?
  • People
  • Seeing Plays Every Week
  • Traveled Alone (Did what i wanted)
* What could be improved?
  • More free time
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Reach out to everyone you meet and get to know as many people as you can.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.