Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A research university with an independent learning environment. Past Review

By (Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/12/2015 to 06/06/2015 with

University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I love living in a city. I also had an amazing volunteering experience working for a charity that visits homes for the elderly with dementia.

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.

The third year courses were very difficult because they required reading and practically memorizing lots of scientific papers. The first and second year courses did not require as much outside reading and so were easier.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Free healthcare! It was very easy to get access to healthcare; all you had to do was register with a general practitioner.

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $130
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? It is very hard to budget in London; everything is very expensive. I would recommend finding an accommodation with a kitchen if you really need to budget. Although living expenses were high, the tuition was much cheaper than Middlebury, so overall going abroad was cheaper than a semester at Middlebury.

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
  • Americans
  • 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?
  • I liked the independence that I was given in my classes (less class time and assignments, but still expected to learn a lot for the final exam). This fits my learning style because I like learning by reading.
* What could be improved?
  • Class registration was awful because we registered after everyone else so it was difficult to get into some classes. It would be more fair if we could pre-register ahead of time.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had learned more about the housing options. I had friends who lived in a house rather than a dorm. The environment of the house created much more community than found in a dorm.

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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to Microbiology
Course Department: Biochemistry
Instructor: Saul Purton
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was not too difficult. The teacher was very good. I participated less because it was a very large lecture class. There was also a lab. I was assessed by 2 lab write-ups, 1 paper, and a final exam (70%).
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A-Grades have not been released yet.
Course Name/Rating:

Immunology
Course Department: Infection and Immunity
Instructor: Peter Delves
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Immunology was challenging and very well taught. I participated less because it was a large lecture class. I was assessed by one paper (20%) and a final exam (80%).
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A-Grades have not yet been released.
Course Name/Rating:

Cellular & Molecular Aspects of Cardiovascular Disease
Course Department: Biochemistry
Instructor: Multiple Guest Lecturers
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was very challenging. It was a third year course, which means that it requires much more out of class studying than first and second year courses. I had to read a lot of scientific papers for the final exam. I participated less because it was a large lecture class. I was assessed by 1 in-class paper, 1 exam, and 1 final exam (70%).
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A-Grades have not yet been released.
Course Name/Rating:

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine
Course Department: Cell Biology
Instructor: Multiple Guest Lecturers
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was very challenging. It was a third year course, which means that it requires much more out of class studying than first and second year courses. The guest lecturers presented their research, which was very novel and fascinating. I participated less because this was a large lecture class. I was assessed by 1 paper (20%) and 1 final exam (80%). For the paper and the exam I had to read and practically memorize over 100 scientific papers.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A-Grades have not yet been released.