Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

London was amazing-- take me back! Past Review

By (Neuroscience, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/06/2014 to 06/14/2014 with

IFSA: London - University College London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Through the program I gained independence, interesting acquaintances and friends, and a love of London. It was extremely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I really enjoyed all my courses at UCL. Particularly the ones that I took for my major, Neuroscience, were informative, valuable, and extremely interesting. I really enjoyed the lecturers and material.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I'm glad that I went through IFSA-Butler instead of just by myself. The orientation program, while not stellar, was helpful and definitely nice to have instead of being immediately thrown into a new place by myself. I wish they had helped me more for classes. There were some which, by the time I got to signing up for them, were already filled up! It's good to know that you need to contact certain department heads to get into classes before you arrive.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I really enjoyed where I was living. It was extremely close to campus (20 minute walk), but there were other arrangements were it would have taken much longer (to the point of having to take a bus or the tube). I really love the Bloomsbury area and enjoyed the experiencing of living there.

* Food:

Food is really what you make of it. Since London is extremely expensive, eating out all the time is not advisable, but when I did eat out I always found it good (why do people complain about the food in England??). I did not have a meal plan, I was in a self-catered hall, and I'm glad that I did that.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I didn't really join any of the clubs at UCL, which I do regret. Most of the friends I made were other international students who I met either during orientation or in the dorm where I was living.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I sprained my wrist at one point and visited the campus healthcare center. They checked it and told me to come back if it was still an issue in a weak. I don't think this is particularly different from what I would have expected at home.

* Safety:

I never felt unsafe, but I also didn't go creepy places at night by myself. I would definitely advise walking around in groups at night, but the UCL area and where I was living were generally very safe.

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)

I spent about $50-80 a week. I was self-catered, and I tried to go out and have fun, visit cafes, etc.. I could have been thriftier, but I think I would have been missing out.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $60
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Choose your grocery store wisely-- Waitrose is expensive (but awesome). I opted to get most of groceries at Tesco and Sainsbury's (Tesco being the absolute cheapest option). Get a student oyster card (or at least just an oyster card) as soon as possible; don't buy individual day tickets. If you have a smartphone, get the citymapper app and ride the bus instead of the tube (the citymapper app will help you get around the city optimally) or walk! Walking around London is a treat. Also, Primark is your friend for clothes, bedsheets, pillows, misc.

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
  • 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • classes
  • ability to travel
  • location
* What could be improved?
  • pre-arrival knowing more about how signing up for classes work
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? As I've mentioned, I wish I had known more about how signing up for classes would work. I also wish I had planned my trips from London better. Doing everything last minute was definitely not a good money saving technique!

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.