An Amazing Year in London Past Review
By A student (International Relations, Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/21/2017 to 06/08/2018 with
London School of Economics (LSE): London - General Course, Year-Long Study Abroad Programme
I learned a lot about myself in terms of handling money when it's tight and socializing with new people. And I really treasure learning the different style of "learning" in the UK - it was a transition but I found that it really worked for me, being SO personally responsible for my own study the way you're forced to be.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was very difficult for me, from an academic point of view. I was challenged more than I expected, but I had and used the resources available and thanks to this I pushed through. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It took a long time to make appointments for every administrative need - everything was snail-paced. But, once I met, everything got taken care of, and there was a wonderful system of updating over email afterwards. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was 25 min away from the university, which I absolutely loved, in a quieter part of town with a lot of student accommodation halls and coffee shops around. Getting to classes wasn't difficult, the busses in that direction came every 4-6 minutes (actually!) for those lazy mornings. The hall was catered, which was actually lifesaving at times. The rooms were very old, I was put off by that at first. |
| * Food: |
If you like eating fish, you're okay. I enjoyed the food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Everyone speaks English, I think it's easy enough to integrate. Be social - grab a drink at the bar with some classmates or people from your hall. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any medical experience at all. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe enough, even late at night, BUT a lot of phones get stolen in London, and many of my friends experienced this throughout the year. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It was everything - I got to live in a large city, right by the center, I got to immerse myself in a different culture (similar enough for it not to be a shock but still new in many ways) and I was really challenged academically. I made a lot of progress in my field of interest and am thrilled with the classes and professors I got. Lifetime experience. |
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) |
It's expensive but I kept a very tight budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Under 20 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make your own lunches, watch the pub spending - drinks are expensive! Shop at the smaller/cheaper grocery stores, (not Waitrose). Bring your own clothes - don't shop on the spot much. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? |
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? | I wish I knew that I would get very homesick - I really didn't expect to. And I wish I had known just how much fun I would have living in and exploring London, I was definitely underwhelmed before I got there. The coffee shops are amazing - drink as much coffee as you can! |
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! |
