Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

What a pity Past Review

By (Economics., Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/20/2012 to 06/20/2012 with

University of Oxford - Visiting Students

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how differently my programs could be taught. UK programs encourage students to read a sea of documents. They give a very good survey of the current literature. But the paper or project topics are not as flexible as in the US.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The experience is very different from what we have in the US. The courses are very personalized. I would like it much better if there can be more opportunities to have classes together with Oxford students though.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everything goes on quite smoothly, and there is somebody to take care of everything,

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The facilities are good, but again, visiting students are not housed at the college main site together with most of the other students,

* Food:

Good food, by British standard. And it's cheaper to eat at the college dining hall than outside.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I have quite some Difficulty understanding British English.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I caught a major disease during the program. Since my course is half a year, my health bills are not covered by the UK national health service. This is really problematic.

* Safety:

The place is generally very safe. No gun shots, no robbery, etc, but watch out for cyclists.

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)

The bulk of the cost lies in food. Fruits and vegetables are very expensive here.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 + would be a rough estimate
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Have meals at the dining hall. Do not bring bedding stuff. The college offers very good ones.

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

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
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?
  • Flexible time management
  • Academic rigor and depth
  • Freedom in the choice of courses
* What could be improved?
  • Health insurance coverage
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I was trying to find out how it is to study european history In Europe, and now I see it's a good idea. I might stay at Oxford for grad school.