Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An awesome year at LSE Past Review

By (Political Science and Government & French, Davidson College) - abroad from 09/22/2014 to 07/04/2015 with

IFSA: London - London School of Economics

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Independence, budgeting skills, a passion for traveling, knowledge of a different teaching/learning style, cross cultural understanding. Extremely 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.

At LSE, you take the same classes that the normal students take. Classes are tough and you actually have to do work but they are manageable. The learning system is different from the US, much less guided and very independent and reading based so be prepared.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

At LSE, you live in dorms with other freshman. Almost all rooms are singles. Some dorms are flat style with a kitchen included, others are suite or hall style and include nightly dinners. Over the summer you put in your preferences and generally get your top choice. You'll be within walking distance from campus. The only downside is that you're with freshman, so you'll be living with kids 2-3 years younger than you who are going through their first year.

* Food:

Dinner is provided in my dorm and it is typical college food. Food in London is great but can be quite expensive if you want more than a sandwich. LSE subsidises food on their campus so meals are cheaper for students.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

At LSE you'll be right in the centre of London, surrounded by all it has to offer. LSE is very international so if you're looking to only meet Brits, maybe choose a different school.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Since you're in London for the whole year, you can access NHS for free. All you do is fill out a form your dorm will give you when you arrive and they will do the rest. It is easy to call and make an appointment and get access to care.

* Safety:

As a girl, I felt very safe in London. As long as you're alert and don't go into bad parts of town late at night, you should be fine.

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 very expensive and the dollar to pound exchange rate is not in our favour. Depending on your tastes, London can be very affordable. Museums are free and websites like TimeOut and The Londonisy provide a list of free activities and deals. There are affordable lunch chains like Pret and grocery stores offer 'meal deals'. Alcohol is of course more expensive.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? £50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook meals yourself, go for meal deals, if dinners are provided at your dorm, eat them. Get a bank account in London so you don't have international withdrawal fees.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The school/classes
  • The people
  • The program length (year)
* What could be improved?
  • Program administration
  • Better program orientation
  • More opportunities to meet students our age
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it would be hard to meet students from Britain. How expensive London actually is. The weather isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Schedules are very inflexible. You won't be traveling every weekend like your friends on their study abroad programs but LSE is still amazing and so is London itself!

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!