Study in London but Outside of London Past Review
By Tara M (Elementary/Special Education, Providence College) for
Royal Holloway, University of London: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I gained a stronger sense of independence. I also gained the confidence to know that I can meet new people and just join a new culture. I loved the English style of "reading around the subject" because it allowed me to pick which areas of the course I was most interested in and it held me accountable for my own work.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload is different because they have all their exams in a Summer Term and sometimes the exam is worth 100% of your grade. There are no small assignments here. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I thought the size of the school was perfect and the campus made it feel more like a home. I think that the host university program advisors were willing to help, but they did have a lot of people to work with. They tried to check back in with us which was helpful. The IFSA advisors were wonderful! They were cheerful and really wanted to help us when we first arrived. They also send out emails to us with new information and provide day trips as well. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was here for the Royal Wedding, so that was exciting to see London come alive with British pride. I really enjoyed exploring the city and I became friends with many British students who were able to show me a side of the city I would never have seen if I was simply walking around with American study aborad students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe while I was abroad. I was in university housing in a close campus, so I never felt that my saftey was an issue in my room. They gave us training on how to be safe while walking around the city and other countries as well. It was useful because it kept me aware while I was traveling. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would make sure that you are aware that studying abroad in the UK is expensive, especially in the London area. Make sure you plan ahead and save up money for traveling as well. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would make sure that the student knows the program is just outside of London, so he or she does not think that he or she will be living in the city. I enjoyed this becuase I got to be in the city and also got to experience a true English town. I think that someone who is ready to experience many cultures at once would benefit from my program because Royal Holloway is a large international school, so there are students from the entire globe that study here. It was great because I got to know the English culture, and I learned about other cultures as well. Some of my best friends here are from England, Japan, Brazil and many other nations. |
