London is the best city ever Past Review

By (University of the Pacific) - abroad from 01/15/2018 to 04/26/2018 with

IES Abroad: London Direct Enrollment – City St. George's, University of London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I'm capable of living in a completely new place and mastering public transportation, language barriers, and international travel. It was definitely worthwhile.

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.

I did not like the UK school system very much. There is only class once a week and the entire grade in each of my courses was only made up of one exam and one assignment. It was a lot of memorization and very little actual learning.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very organized and great resources

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Good location, however, the building had a ton of issues. The staff was incredibly unprofessional and it was frustrating to have to share a kitchen with the entire floor.

* Food:

I grocery shopped to save money 90% of the time but London has amazing food. Housing did not have any option for meal plan.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I did not get to know many English people in depth despite direct enrolling. I lived with other Americans.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I needed to get an injection that was not covered by the mandatory health insurance. Therefore, my program did not help me whatsoever. On my own I found a clinic and successfully got my shot. The line was long, however, it was free. I did not need any specific vaccines to enter the UK.

* Safety:

I felt safe at all times even late at night/early in the morning. Use common sense and you will be fine.

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

I loved London as a city. While the general thought is that direct enrolling is more difficult academically that doing an island program, I liked going to an actual university.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $40
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? It takes discipline especially when everyone around you is going out/spending money, but it is definitely doable. I exclusively grocery shopped and limited activities to the things I wanted to do most. I tried to walk everywhere and if not, I took public transit. I never took a cab/car.

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
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • London as a city
  • The simplicity of travel
* What could be improved?
  • I wish the program was longer
  • The classes were far less worthwhile that at my home institution
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That the UK school system is so different than what I was used to.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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!