I learned a lot but had zero free time August 05, 2023

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This was a very intense academic experience, and while we were warned that the program would be difficult the full extent of the workload was not communicated prior to enrolment in the program. Every student was writing 2 essays each week that were a minimum of 1,500 words and doing extra reading for a seminar course leaving next to no free time. We were able to use the bod libraries which was a helpful resource and the on-site library was well stocked. I do feel that I learned a lot over the semester and loved my Oxford tutors, but wish that the program had been more transparent about the workload while I was making my decision.

On-site administration of your program

I think that while the on-site administration had good intentions when it came to supporting students and their abroad experience, I was pretty disappointed by how they interacted with the students. I felt consistently talked down to during presentations and did not feel like the experience fostered a space for open or respectful communication. At one point during the program, one of the academic leaders had a conversation with my tutor about our meeting schedule, based on their misunderstanding that painted me in a disrespectful light. The leader did not attempt to communicate with me directly to clarify the situation before making statements that could have potentially damaged the relationship between me and my advisor, and later sent an email to the whole program with a reprimand. When I later spoke with them to clarify the misunderstanding, they were dismissive of the situation. Overall, I did have a relatively positive experience with the program staff. I appreciated the trips and events that they organized and their knowledge when it came to helping us with our work.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living arrangements were in a good location and were clean.

Cooked for ourselves in a kitchen we shared with 30 other students.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I did not feel integrated with the local culture. Due to the nature of the program and arriving mid-way through the year it was hard to meet Oxford students.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

N/A

I felt safe for the most part.

Workload was unnecessarily hard. I had several tutors tell me that it was harder than many Oxford programs due to the pace and constant work.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

It was relatively easy, groceries weren't crazy expensive and you could find cheap-ish places to eat out.

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• Dorm

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• Americans

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• Americans

• Location
• Other students were fun
• Classes were interesting

• Way more work than it needed to be
• Staff did not foster a supportive environment