Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Adventurous June 30, 2026

By (Law and Politics, Brandeis University) - abroad from 10/06/2025 to 06/20/2026 with

Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Academically, I learnt a lot about improving my writing and technique for essays. Socially, it was great getting to meet others from different colleges and even see the social scene with formals and other Oxford programs. It was a worthwhile experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It was an academically intense experience but in the best way possible. My time here helped me improve greatly on my writing with the amount of writing we did each week. It may take a bit of time to get used to the amount of essays you need to push out a week but you truly do get a hang of it as time goes on.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The visiting student faculty were extremely accommodating and helpful. They responded in a timely manner and were able to help with every question we had. Shout out to Andrew Williams! He was really great during my time there.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We were giving on campus housing in LMH and I enjoyed my stay in this accommodation. One thing to note is that the room can get really cold and I ended up having to buy an extra space heater so if you get cold like me, it'll be good to keep that in mind.

* Food:

I cooked my own food most of the time but the dining hall was available for those who don't want to cook. It doesn't open all the time so you may have to keep that in mind if you're coming from a place with a dining hall opened most of the time.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved being in Oxford, the city was extremely walkable and we were able to join all the clubs and societies we wanted based off our interests. I was able to integrate into Oxford culture such as trying punting and would definitely recommend.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not need to see any healthcare professionals during my time, but the LMH nurse was able to take our medical records during the start of the term in case anything came up.

* Safety:

Oxford is a very safe town, I was able to walk about on my own without fear and I Feld very safe in my accommodation as well.

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

I had fun in the program and believe I benefitted a lot academically from it. Apart from my academics, I believe I was able to try new things and get to attend events and conferences I may not have been able to studying back in my home institution. I think studying at LMH was a great experience where I got to meet so many people in Oxford as well as other visiting students and would definitely recommend.

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)

It depends on if you are a big traveler/ spender. Going into town or even to other cities (ie. London) takes some money. You can decide to eat out of the dining hall which saves some money or also buy stuff to cook in the kitchenettes.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 70
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try as much to cook/eat in your accommodation, it's really easy to walk around and buy stuff but I recommend saving on that so you could spend on other things you might want to do such as traveling/ visiting new places seeing as you're studying abroad.

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

  • 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 tutorial system
  • The walkability of Oxford
  • Close interactions with tutors
* What could be improved?
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You need to be able to put yourself out there because you are immersed into the college as a student it feels like you're starting out as a freshman again. Have fun and be prepared to make friends all over again like freshman year.

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!