My Semester at UCL February 09, 2026

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of my lectures and seminars, and I feel I've walked away with a deeper understanding of English literature and how to study it. I had meaningful meetings with my tutor, which I believe have helped me to become a better writer. Everyone I met at UCL was kind and welcoming, and all the English students seemed to have an inspiring passion for their studies.

On-site administration of your program

UCL made it very easy to step into their program. On the first day, they held an induction meeting with several English department faculty and all of the study abroad students studying English. This way, I met other American students who were going through the same experience as me, and we quickly became each others friends and collaborators.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My living arrangements were satisfactory. I had an en-suite bedroom, so it was easy to keep to myself and maintain a clean space. My dorm building was farther from the main campus than many other study abroad students I had encountered, but I began to enjoy the distance, as I was in a quieter neighborhood. I will say, I would have liked for there to be cleaners in the communal kitchen twice a week rather than once, since messes built up very quickly, although I tried to keep the general disorder at bay.

I was responsible for providing food for myself, but I had access to many restaurants nearby and on campus, as well as a multitude of near-by grocery stores to do my weekly shopping.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt fully immersed in London culture and felt like a normal university student.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues during the program, but we were given resources for finding a GP.

I felt very safe, even walking alone and taking public transportation. My building was guarded by several layers of locked gates and doors, so only people with building access could get in.

I enjoyed the classes, professor, and location. I felt like I was learning every day, not just in class. but in my environment altogether.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I was able to afford necessities such as groceries and laundry each week.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students

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• Local Students

• Selection of courses
• Professors and faculty
• Tutorial system

• It would have been nice if there were ways to engage more with students from my classes, as I didn't make many friends from the classes themselves. It didn't feel like there was much opportunity to engage in conversation with them about the course material.