Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A great experience; wish I could relive it! Past Review

By (Regent’s University London) - abroad from 09/01/2012 to 12/14/2012 with

Regent’s University London: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was worthwhile, but again, this wasn't my first time abroad so I can't say I learned much.

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.

The classes I took were not throwaway elective classes, like most take when they study abroad. They were challenging and informative; class discussions were great. The structure of the courses were excellent and my lecturers were better than my home institution if I am honest.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living in Central London was absolutely great. The grounds were beautiful, and living in a park was fantastic. The dorms themselves were a bit shabby, but they're old so it was part of the charm. My only real complaint was that the cafeteria closed at very random times.

* Food:

The food was great; especially in the Brasserie. Prices were definitely decent.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I'm going to give this a two, not because I didn't feel integrated with London culture (I did, but that was because I lived in the city before and had friends outside of Regent's). The university itself felt very isolated; most of the permanent students hung out within their own group; the study abroad Americans did the same. The two groups rarely met up. It was mostly a question of whether someone wanted to make an effort to go out and find Londoners and explore London, but on a university level, there wasn't really anything there.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

N/A

* Safety:

Please don't bring your expensive iPhones to clubs! At least two girls on my floor either lost them or had them stolen, and the sad thing was, they weren't even able to really use their iPhones across the pond anyway. The university was super attentive about telling us to be safe.

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

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 super expensive city, even though dorms were relatively cheap. Factor in the fact that the dollar was worthless against the pound, travel and food (especially when the cafe was closed) amounted to a lot.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably like £250/week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? It's probably easier to open up a credit card that gives you no transaction fee because those add up. Just pay the credit card in full and act like it's a debit card so you don't go crazy. Always look for student deals, and don't be afraid to ask if they have deals - you have a Regents ID, may as well use it! Also: embrace walking. It'll be cheaper on your wallet.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
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?
  • The city
  • My new friends
  • The classes
* What could be improved?
  • n/a
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing.

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 Linguist
You 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!