Living the London Life Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/02/2016 to 05/18/2016 with
IFSA: London - University College London
My experience was extremely worthwhile. Mostly I learned how to be completely independent while at the same time interact and travel well with others. I also learned that there are different ways to study and learn. I had to completely adjust my study habits when it came to taking London classes especially at such an esteemed university like UCL.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Loved the housing- was in a single room with own bathroom in a suite with 7 other people. The area we lived in (Camden/Bloomsbury) was also wonderful. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
London felt extremely safe especially the area in which I was living. My only advice would be not to walk around alone too late at night and take usual precautions but otherwise safety was not a concern on a daily basis. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I fell in love with London. I spent 6 months there and still feel like there was so much I didn't see. London is such an incredible city filled with so many different cultures/languages/groups of people. There are endless things to do and you can never be bored. I also enjoyed studying in a new school system that was extremely different from the one in the U.S. as I believe it helped me develop study skills that I may not otherwise have focused on. |
Finances
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* 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 extremely expensive. It takes a lot of work to budget properly. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Book things in advance. Prices go up on a daily basis so the earlier you book the better. Cook your own food rather than being on a meal plan if possible. It will save a lot of money over the course of the semester. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | London is extremely expensive and you must know how to budget well |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
