Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Would Recommend Past Review

By (English Teaching, University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 09/14/2015 to 12/18/2015 with

University of Chichester: Chichester - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience abroad fostered a broader worldview for me, as well as helped me to become a more independent person. I became a lot more comfortable in new situations and meeting new people, and I learned a lot about different cultures. It was definitely worthwhile!

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.

Classes were fairly laid back, the content was interesting and the seminars were very engaging! Professors were very personable and small class sizes made it very easy to have a relationship with each professor. I took all literature classes, and the reading and lectures were extremely engaging. The reading load was fairly heavy, but nothing that prevented me from traveling every weekend still!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

On-site administration was somewhat disorganized, although it is a fairly new exchange program so it makes sense that they would still be figuring some things out. We didn't receive much help in figuring out our housing until about three weeks into our experience. Staff was incredibly friendly and kind, just somewhat disorganized.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Stockbridge student housing, which is about a thirty minute walk away from campus. The walk to campus was through the downtown area of the city, which was very pretty. The rooms were nice and clean, and having my own bathroom was super nice. They provide laundry (not free and not cheap) and a common kitchen area. The price of the housing was somewhat high, but overall it was very nice.

* Food:

No meal plan was provided with the housing that I had, so I had to buy and cook my own groceries. The grocery store was on my way home from class so it wasn't bad!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Chichester is an incredibly safe city. I never felt endangered, even on the nights that we were out until very late.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

The University of Chichester was the perfect program for me. It incorporated classes that I was interested in, a great local English city that made me feel immersed in the culture, and ample opportunity to visit many other European cities.

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)

The exchange rate from USD to GBP is not great, so it ended up being somewhat expensive to live. However, I was still able to manage my money well enough to afford food and travel without going over my budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $50-$75
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Save as much money as you possibly can before you leave. Try to set yourself a weekly food budget. Most importantly, book trips in advance!!! You'll save sooo much money if you book travel and stay about three weeks at least in advance.

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

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Classes
  • Immersion in English culture
  • Opportunity to travel to other countries/cities
* What could be improved?
  • Better preparation for first day/week
  • Better host country administration
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I now know how important it is to book trips in advance! I wish I would have scheduled more trips and gone to more places, and I could have seen more if I had planned a little better. Still, I saw a lot of cities and countries and this is something that I will keep in mind for the future.

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!