Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Regent's had an ideal location and I fell in love with London. Past Review

By (Literature, Communications, Roanoke College) - abroad from 01/14/2015 to 05/01/2015 with

Regent’s University London: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I loved learning about other cultures and learning how to navigate and be on my own in foreign places. It was completely and totally worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I really enjoyed my classes and the library was great, my professors were all enthusiastic about their classes. However, I did not find my classes anywhere near as academically challenging as my home university.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was decent enough but not terribly impressive. The bathroom trash was often left well after it was overflowing. Also, the beds were supremely uncomfortable.

* Food:

The menu each week was exactly the same just in a different order. Most of the food was not terribly great, and was incredibly overpriced. However, the actual restaurant part of the school was divine, you just had to save meal points up for the end of the semester.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The school (Regent's American University) itself did not provide many opportunities to mingle with local students, however, the university's location in the city of London allowed a high degree of integration and interaction with local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any problems, so I'm not sure how the program would've addresses them.

* Safety:

The security at Regent's was super tight, and with CCTV everywhere I felt perfectly comfortable walking the streets of London on my own. Totally 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)

As an international hub, London was a very, very expensive city to stay in. However, there were great student discounts and some managable ways to navigate and stay within budget. The 3 pound meal deal, megabus, and student discounts were phenomenal.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $75 I think. Depending on how much traveling I did. I also had to buy at least one meal per week due to Regent's meal plan.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Always ask about student discounts. Always. Megabus and Ryanair are awesome. Hostels are good, but make sure to read the reviews. And although the tube is faster, the big red buses are cheaper and have a much much better view. (The buses cap their prices per day so it's often better if you are traveling a lot to use the buses).

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? Exchange

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

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Location in London
  • Lovely professors
* What could be improved?
  • Food
  • Housing
  • Connecting with locals
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Citymapper is a must-have app. And Waitrose is the British equivalent of Wholefoods. Find a different grocery store.

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!