Best summer of my life! Past Review

By (Neurobiology, Neurosciences, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 06/22/2015 to 08/14/2015 with

University of Sussex: Brighton - International Summer School

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live far away from home and became very comfortable with public transportation and the European culture. I feel much more independent and confident in general and have been inspired to want to travel more.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Very good balance of work to allow for exploration and travel.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Beautiful building and room, but the water went out for a couple of days and the wifi was out for almost a week.

* Food:

Delicious and healthy options!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Everyone in my classes were from America, but going into Brighton on the bus and spending days and nights in Brighton allowed me to feel the culture more.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* 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)

Ended up spending less than I had expected! I ate a lot of food on campus and used the grocery store for the rest of the meals.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $80
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Use AirBnB for travel and even when traveling consider using grocery store foods instead of eating at a restaurant for every meal.

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? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • English Breakfast
  • Traveling to other countries on weekends
  • Cultural experiences
* What could be improved?
  • Integration with English students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Discount flights are even cheaper if you book ahead of time and it's actually downright cold a lot of times! Being from Texas, I couldn't have ever imagined being cold during the summer... but it's a truth in England! I loved it.