Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best, Most British Year of my Life Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 10/02/2016 to 06/18/2017 with

Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how the world of academia operated, and I especially now understand how British school systems work, which is very powerful for me as I am going to academia.

Review Photos

Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program Photo Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program Photo Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program Photo Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program Photo Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program Photo

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.

Intensely rigorous, and especially suited for someone who imagines herself or himself entering the world of academia or pursuing a higher degree after undergraduate

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Incredible. Full immersion into the Oxford University lifestyle. You will be a student just like you are in your home university.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Spectacular- Felt like being in Harry Potter. Lincoln tried to give its year-abroad students the most immersive Lincoln college experience for one year. You will be housed in college with the first years, in charming in-college accommodations with access to the same resources as full-degree students.

* Food:

very high quality, traditional British cuisine in the dining hall. However, no access to cooking facilities for first or second years, which makes cost of food rather expensive and limits options to eating in hall or buying takeout.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Incredible well integrated into Oxford student life- I forgot that I was a student abroad, and by the end, very much felt like an Oxford student. Take advantage of opportunities to get out of Oxford and explore the greater UK, whether via clubs and organizations or otherwise. It's worth it, and will enrich your memories.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Very easy to access the college's clinic down town, and i had several appointments that were very easy to organize.

* Safety:

Very safe, Oxford is a lovely city but also a small, intimate community; great for student life. Watch out for tourists and bicycles.

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

I cried when I cam back. Doing a full year abroad here made all the difference. After one term, I had had a good academic experience and had been blown away by the place, but after a year, I had lasting friends and relationships for a lifetime. I will definitely be back soon to visit this place.

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)

Quite expensive to live in Oxford as a student; cost of living is very high, although if you eat most in hall it's more consistent. Its hard to avoid spending money, unlike in Middlebury.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? about 200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to eat in hall, and take opportunities to have free food. Going out to clubs every week is very expensive and a big waste of money.

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
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The place; Oxford as a city and its architecture and history
  • The academics were superb, and the resources in terms of library, material resources, etc. were amazing. The lectures were truly brilliant, with the leading experts in their field delivering lectures to undergrads.
  • The people; i now have friends across the pond whom I will definitely be visiting soon. The best part was visiting their families and homes in greater UK and immersing myself in their culture.
* What could be improved?
  • the food system doesnt allow undergrads to cool very easily.
  • The Oxford term means that you are only in college for 8 week terms and then on break 6 weeks at a time. They are very short terms, and I recommend that you try to stay on a few extra weeks in the vacations in college, and definitely spend the extra time in the UK or in Europe traveling and visiting.
  • There is not a lot of class time, by the nature of the tutorial system, which is very different from the liberal arts, so I recommend making a rigorous schedule for yourself and attending as many lectures as possible to get the most out of your academic experience.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? For English, do read as much as you can over the vacation, but don't worry about reading everything; the exams will just gauge how much you have read, and you aren't expected to know everything by the time term starts. Doing the reading over the vacation just reduces the hours during the year that you need to be reading while at Oxford. It makes the work more enjoyable.

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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

English Literature and Language
Course Department: English
Instructor: Michael, Higgins, and McCann
Instruction Language: English
Comments: These courses offer you immersion in the undergraduate course for English students in Oxford. As an abroad student, you get to pick and choose the parts of the degree you want to fulfill. I did Old English for the year with the first years and the Renaissance/Restoration/Romanticism with the second years. If you are only there for the year, especially in your junior year, I recommend doing one of the second year tracts and one of the first years tracts so that you get to experience both year groups.
Credit Transfer Issues: no