Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great program, great city, unforgettable Past Review

By (California State University - Long Beach) - abroad from 01/25/2016 to 05/13/2016 with

University of Leicester: Leicester - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I really learned to be independent and gained more confidence as a young adult. It was a good first step to living on my own for the first time (ever!) and also a good introduction to living abroad in general. I got the travel bug after doing this program and that paved my way into working and living as an English teacher abroad in Spain.

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.

Very different class structure for sure - for each "module" (aka each class), there is a lecture one day and tutorial/seminar on a different day. Attendance was not mandatory for me, but some people got emails from their tutors if they missed class. You very much set your own pace and doing the readings are optional, and are tested usually only twice during the whole term through essay exams. Good if you are good at self-managing your time.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very helpful International Exchange program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

To be fair, I chose to live in an old house converted into dorms, and so the showers, facilities, etc. weren't up to date. The charm made it worth it though

* Food:

I had the catering plan, which includes breakfast and dinner 7 days a week. Very limited options, cafeteria style, always one vegetarian option available.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

The city felt very safe at night, lots of students out at all hours, big city feel in a small city

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

I received a lot of support at both my home university and the international university. Lots of resources available.

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)

I had a catered dining plan, but prices were pretty high and also GBP was very strong at the time so the conversion rate was not in my favor

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't be fooled by how cheap the prices look at face value... GBP is nearly double USD!

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
  • 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?
  • resources
  • city
  • friends
* What could be improved?
  • dining food
  • kicked out of dorms
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that catered students would get kicked out of the dorms during spring break! We had to move all of our stuff into an abandoned hall for 5 weeks, only to unpack it all for the last 2 weeks of the program which resumed after spring break.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.