England: London - Undergraduate and Graduate Courses

In fall 2022, I studied abroad in London with USAC. It was a life-changing experience. I explored iconic landmarks, made lasting friendships, and traveled to exciting places in Europe. The academic opportunities were rewarding, and the program's field trips added depth to my journey. Most importantly, the people I met enriched my experience. I'm grateful for this opportunity and highly recommend the USAC program in London. It was a window into a different way of life, and I'll cherish it forever.

This is a really fun and unique experience. I studied at London Metropolitan University and I would not recommend it for study abroad students. The structure of classes was confusing and so was the physical building. Teachers were striking and class wasn’t held often. Turning work in was confusing and class was not profitable. USAC support was okay. However there were times when we really needed them and they fell short. The accommodation was pretty bad. Mold on the walls and it was not cleaned before we moved in. We found used undergarments behind out toilet when we moved it. However, London was a really fun place to study. It’s very expensive but worth it for just a few months. There’s so much to do here.

I loved pretty much everything about this course! It was my first time leaving the country, let alone studying abroad, and the folks at USAC were incredibly helpful with making everything go smoothly the entire time, both before arrival and during the semester. There were a lot of fun activities that took me to a lot of places in London, and with them happening about once every couple weekends, there was plenty of time to focus on studies while having fun and exploring. London Met is a great university as well, confusing campus layout aside. The only thing I have as a "negative" is that The Arcade (student dorms available through USAC, where the majority of students will stay at) is located in a very, very loud part of town, and it was common for the fire alarm to go off at least once a week (outside of tests, which they inform you about beforehand). With its location on Holloway Road, though, there's easy access to a pharmacy, multiple grocery stores, fast food and sit-down restaurants, and bus stops and tube stations. Wi-Fi is also stable, fast, and very reliable if you need to have online calls. If you're someone who might struggle with the constant city noise though, it may be beneficial to find lodgings elsewhere. Nothing against USAC for this, of course, but something I thought I'd mention regardless!

In Fall 2019, I was able to study abroad through USAC's London program at London Metropolitan University. London Met was a great place to meet diverse and interesting people, in terms of age, national origin, and identities. However the university itself did not provide a lot of support for international students, especially when it came to providing opportunities for international students to come in contact with local students. That's why going through USAC was really helpful, because my program director was really helpful. He organized really interesting field trips to locations that might have been more difficult to reach on your own, like Stonehenge. He also made sure to have activities that would help us to get to know London when we first arrived, but also throughout our semester.

Studying abroad through the USAC program was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Getting to explore London and the surrounding areas on my own, with new friends, and with the program was an incredible experience. I loved the Art in London course I took because it was very immersive. The tours we took during each class allowed me to see more of the city than I would have if I was in a traditional lecture class. USAC provided me with plenty of resources to help me feel prepared and less nervous for my arrival in London. And the staff that was in the program city made me feel at home. If there was ever any issues or concerns, the staff in London immediately helped find a solution. If given the opportunity, I would study abroad with USAC again.

Everything about this program was wonderful. There was some disorganization at times, but nothing disruptive, and as we quickly realized that was due to our enthusistic program director’s quirks rather than any sort of unpreparedness, it became a part of the experience. We all became quite close to the program director, who really mothered is throughout the trip. I felt completely secure in talking to her about any problems I might have had. The living situation was actually surprisingly nice, we all had private rooms that were larger than any dorm room I’d had in the states, with a cleaning crew that came through daily, like a hotel. The campus was in one of the nicest parts of the city, and I felt completely safe there, even walking to the store in the middle of the night. The trip also featured a number of fun and fascinating day trips. I took Theater in London and British Literature, and both classes were fascinating. Not only did I learn a lot, but the Literature class often took place outside, at the locations the novels we were reading featured. Definitely the coolest classes of my entire college career. I would recommend this program to anyone and everyone.

Finally I had a chance to go to the UK and as a bonus I could pay for it with student loans. I spent 6 weeks in the UK. We landed in Edinburgh and stayed for about 5 days. Then we took the train to London where we attended Imperial College for 5 weeks. Imperial College was amazing. The ladies who coordinated our plans in the UK were wonderful and planned so many activities that were already on my wish list, saving me time and effort. Even with everything they had planned and the classes I attended, I still had plenty of time to see and learn all I wanted in this wonderful country. USAC runs an amazing program and I hope to use them again next summer to see Italy. Take the time and study abroad!

I loved my time in London and am so thankful for the opportunity. I loved walking around the city. Going on walks made me really get to know the city and by the end of my time there I felt as if I was completely immersed.

It seriously felt as if life in London never stopped moving. There were concerts every night, pubs on every corner, free museums, fashion shows, markets, award shows and so many historical buildings. There were so many things to do that I couldn't accomplish them all in the four months I was there.

It was truly a life changing experience. The only problem I ever had was coming up with enough money to do all of the things I wanted to do. It's a very expensive city but in my opinion, well worth it.