Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad was an amazing, life-changing experience! Past Review

By (Truman State University) - abroad from 09/12/2016 to 12/16/2016 with

Missouri-London Program at Roehampton

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of self confidence from traveling around London by myself and planning my own trips to different cities. I experienced a lot of different cultures and met so many great people with different life experiences than myself that I really did learn so much about myself.

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.

Not very rigorous classes. Not many lectures or on campus resources.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Generally unorganized and not very responsive. Nice enough people but didn't address basic things like showing students where on campus to buy food when they arrive.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was very hit or miss since you didn't get to choose your own housing. Some people randomly got placed into really nice new buildings and others (like me) got placed in really old buildings.

* Food:

Meal plans were not available so students mostly cooked in the flat kitchens or bought from cafes on campus. The cafes were reasonably priced and average food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Since you live in a flat with other British students we all got to know each other and hung out quite a bit. By going into central London you also get to know the city and feel more integrated.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health care issues while abroad.

* Safety:

There are locked gates on campus which is good but there are parts of campus where you walk through poorly lit wooded areas which can be a bit creepy at night. However there were never any incidents that I heard of on campus regarding sexual assault or anything else.

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

Even though there were drawbacks to this program I would definitely choose it again. It was a great experience to live in a city like London and still get to be on a campus that was somewhat suburban.

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)

London is a very expensive city and I took full advantage of being in such a cool big city so it was fairly expensive. It can be more or less expensive depending on how much you want to do in the city and how much traveling you want to do around Europe.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Weeks varied a lot but and average would be around $100.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? It's important to cook as much of your own food as you can to save money on weekly expenses and to try and book trips as far in advance as possible.

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

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Being in London
  • Being able to travel to different cities.
  • Making good friends.
* What could be improved?
  • Study abroad office communication
  • Some housing could be updated.
  • Orientation could be more helpful about getting around London and basic information about campus.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish they had been more upfront about how far away the campus is from central London. I also wish there had been more information available on the housing options.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'