Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My London Experience Past Review

By (Saint Leo University) - abroad from 09/10/2018 to 12/12/2018 with

ISA Study Abroad in London, England

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live independently on my own. It really taught me what it means to "survive" when you live on your own and have to take care of yourself on your own. I think my entire experience was worth while and I encourage anybody who's thinking about studying abroad to do it. It teaches you a lot about the world and about yourself.

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 gave it this rating because the academics was really good. I don't know about the other UK schools, but at Kingston I enjoyed the educational experience. It is a bit different from schools in the US, in the case that you don't have a lot of homework. For the first month and a half you have a bunch of lectures and discussion but for the last month that your there, they will give you the tests you need to take and any assignments you need to do. Also, if you are given a paper to write, make sure that is it of very good quality. The way they grade at Kingston is very different, whereas your grade is based off of a few faculty members reading your essays instead of just the professor you gave it to.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration at Kingston were very helpful in assisting me with any help that I needed. I felt very comfortable around my teachers where I could go up and ask them anything I wanted to.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was very good. It was nice that I had my own room and bathroom. I just didn't like that we had to pay for our laundry which was a bit expensive.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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? No

If I could do it all over again, I would choose a different country to study in. London was amazing and I would definitely go back again, but I would like to see different cities around the world. Maybe I would study in Ireland or Paris maybe.

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 would say try and buy cheap food at a grocery store like Sainsbury's or Acme. London is a very expensive city, so I would say make a budget and try and save as much as you can. I would give it a 2.5

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? For food, no more than $150 a week. But also keep in mind if you take the train or the tube to get around that can add up very quickly
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make a budget for yourself. I would say that you should save a certain amount of money for food a week and a certain amount of money for traveling.

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

  • 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?
  • I liked the friends that I made. Granted they wer other Americans, they made me feel comfortable around them and helped feel like I wasnt alone.
  • The cultural diversity.
* What could be improved?
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To bring other forms of money instead of just my one debit card. I basically used my one debit card for everything but looking back at it, I should've brought other forms of money because what if I lost my debit card? Thank goodness I didn't, but I should've thought about that before going abroad.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.