The worst staff and facilities that ruined Oxford for me Past Review
By A student (University of Massachusetts Amherst / UMass) - abroad from 01/07/2019 to 05/15/2019 with
Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP): Oxford - Study Abroad at Oxford University
Oxford learning is great, but only when it comes from Oxford professors
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It's all at the whims of tutors they don't really screen (OSAP hires them on an hourly basis). Avoid Tudor Jones...he's not even an Oxford professor and is out of touch with writing and assignment expectations Request only Oxford professors! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The attitude of the program employees is what makes this terrible. They are just a small office with one person organizing tutorials, one person doing housing, and the others all employed to market and bring in more revenue. They do not take housing or academic concerns seriously, and there are so many discrepancies within themselves (on what they say they'll do) which they try to blame you for when you remind them. There is zero customer (student) service. The problems wouldn't have been that bad, academics or housing, if they had simply respected student concerns. You will always be told you need to adjust or are at fault for unsafe living or unsustainable tutorial conductions that verge illegal. I never knew what a nightmare study abroad could be until I came through OSAP/WISC. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
They strive to find the worst housing in Oxford at the cheapest rate, and then charge you above-average city rates |
| * Food: |
Eat in hall at College. It's pretty bland though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I'm a social butterfly so it works out! Take advantage of meeting people in your same area of study at your college! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
This isn't on OSAP, but the NHS and the clinic they are affiliated with is terrible at scheduling. Like you only get 10 minute long appointments that you have to wait weeks for |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
See other comments. All because of terribly rude and manipulative staff, their business model, and lack of regard for students. |
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) |
Eating out is really pricey |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | The attitude of staff and the reality of the housing and education they would provide us |
