Study abroad program from Hell! University offering is great though February 09, 2025
By A student (St. John's University) - abroad from 09/24/2024 to 12/05/2024 with
Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP): Oxford - Study Abroad at Oxford University
I learned so much about organisation and the British culture system. Definitely make sure you have a budget before and that all cafeteria, housing, and administrative issues are resolved or it becomes more expensive with far location and no food plan!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academic rigor largely consists of 3500-4000 words a week in writing for humanities majors. Education was mixed but avoid Tudor Jones if you can. Will not cooperate or work to assist students. However Oxford is an unmissable opportunity for those who put effort into it, with some of the most intelligent and interesting students and professors in the world. Housing was horrible, and almost everyone in my cohort had some level of mould inside their housing. Do request housing in Jericho if possible and ensure your university has a partnership or can advocate on your behalf with this program. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration was lacklustre, and issues and concerns will be met with attitude if going through the director of the program or its manager, Judson. Please ensure you have great relations with your home university's study abroad partnership and beware if unstable coursework, administration or housing will be an issue. Would recommend if you have a 'visiting student' status, and I'd 100% recommend to anyone to try to study directly with a college which you can find through the Oxford websites. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was one of the worst experiences of my time at university. Would not recommend unless you have a partnership with your home university in which you can advocate for better treatment/visiting student and lodged in Oxford housing. They originally had an add-on option for luxury housing which is why I applied since it was the centre of town, only to be relocated upon arrival to the south side of town which frequently floods. |
| * Food: |
Food was great, but due to an issue with surname the associate college was not able to find my OSAP account, leading me to eat out of college the majority of the semester. Definitely would recommend formal dinners in college which are fortunately subsidised. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Cultural integration was quite poor, and you have to make an effort to make friends outside of the study abroad program if you want to interact with local students. Loved my time with local students, however became a pain as housing was across town and coursework was on a rigid schedule despite poor organisation. As an associate member, you also may not have access to certain sporting activities, so be sure to check before applying and make lots of friends before courses pick up in rigour. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was very good, but even had a situation where a tutor would question the legitimacy of illnesses or accidents. Again, avoid Tutor Jones if possible. |
| * Safety: |
One of the best cities of England, with lots of options for going out and exploring the town. I would stay in well lit areas, but never had an issue with robbery outside of luxury items going missing inside a dorm. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
See info below |
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) |
Ensure your housing is suitable and meal plans work the first week of arriving. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 pounds due to issues with cafeteria registration for the entire semester |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Definitely get a bike or scooter subscription in the city as it's a great means of transport. Taxis can be slow and there are no Ubers in Oxford. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Please ensure you have a support system at your home university and that everything is good when you arrive, they are very reluctant and in many cases refuse to reimburse or refund minor issues, so try to make sure that is resolved. Also get involved as much as you can in the local campus life, as there is a small American community there and many international students at the university. Perhaps even attend a lecture on a subject of choosing if you can, because OSAP alone will not allow you to get your money's worth, as it costed $21k without scholarships. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
