Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Completely New Experience Past Review

By (Bentley University) - abroad from 01/03/2013 to 06/01/2013 with

Royal Holloway, University of London: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I definitely learned how to be more independent. The school doesn't help you along the way they do at Bentley which could be seen as a bad or good thing. During the beginning I definitely hated it but I think I was thankful for it by the end. I also learned so much about other places that I never knew before and didn't even realize I knew until I came home. The actual classes weren't very revolutionary or learning intensive but I learned a lot from just day to day life.

Review Photos

Direct Enrollment: Royal Holloway, University of London Photo Direct Enrollment: Royal Holloway, University of London Photo Direct Enrollment: Royal Holloway, University of London Photo Direct Enrollment: Royal Holloway, University of London Photo Direct Enrollment: Royal Holloway, University of London Photo

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The host country advisers were very helpful but I found that there was a lack of communication between the host and home university since they weren't always on the same page and we often got differing information.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was very nice and I was very happy with it. If you lived in the apartments (Wedderburn and Gowar) each person had a single bedroom with a bathroom and shared a kitchen with 7 other people. The only thing I was not satisfied with was how expensive the housing was in comparison to the other housing. However, we were allowed to stay on campus during their spring break (which lasts a full month) so it made it convenient.

* Food:

I only went to the dining hall on campus twice but it wasn't very good but it was similar to most college food. In England in general, the food was only so-so unless you eat pub food every night but if you love pub food then you'll love England.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We often went into town so we got to interact with the local culture a lot but the school itself didn't have a ton of locals represented in the student population.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Royal Holloway is in a very small town so I felt very safe walking around.

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)

Being in England is very expensive because of the pound to dollar ratio and also everything costs more than it does in the US. Just be prepared for the cost before you go.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make sure to get the discount rail pass and look for student discounts everywhere. You'll have to spend a lot of money when you first get there but it will save you money in the long run.

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

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • 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?
  • Lots of free time
  • Experience both the city of London and countryside of Egham
  • Beautiful campus
* What could be improved?
  • More assistance when arriving at the school
  • More class options
  • More communication between the home and abroad university advisers
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known how expensive England would be. First you have the dollar to pound conversion and then stuff is pretty expensive overall. I definitely had to learn how to be frugal, especially with meals.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.