IES Abroad London

This program was fantastic but it really depends what you are looking for. The program is mostly with American students and you live together so it's hard meeting foreigners. However, the profs were amazing and really got to know their students. The British Youth Culture class is so interesting and you learn about things that you can relate too. The Jamaica part of the program was invaluable. It helped me figure out what I want to do with my future and what fields I enjoyed.

As an international student originally from Romania, studying abroad was a familiar experience since I was already abroad in the USA. However, the semester I spent in London at University College London was a unique experience I enjoyed very much. The first couple of weeks I was there, the most challenging part was to find my way around, remembering how to get from the building I was hosted at to school, to the groceries stores, or to restaurants; being used to a small university campus, I found it relatively hard to live in a very busy city. This experience however turned out to be a rather pleasurable and exciting one as I started to get used to the public transportation. London is an amazing city, having to offer incredibly many attractions and exciting places to visit and enjoy such as restaurants, museums, parks, etc. Not only did the city of London impress me, but also the classes I took at UCL were extremely interesting and stimulating. I was enrolled in the Psychology department, where I also had the privilege of working on a research project with amazing professors. This study abroad experience was definitely a very positive one, and I highly recommend all students to try at least one study abroad program.

My study abroad experience with IES Abroad was one of the best times of my life. Having never been abroad before, I was nervous about how I would handle being in a huge city thousands of miles from home. After a quick orientation into Life in London (and its public transportation) given by IES staff, my silly worries were quickly put to rest.

I learned so many life lessons through the UK Today program and have found a better sense of who I am as a person. Both of the classes I took met in specific locations in the city, such as the National Portrait Gallery or the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, and required lots of walking and picture taking (two things I throughly enjoy). My classes let me see London in its natural environment and gave me insight into its incredible history. In our spare time my friends and I would visit one of the many free museums, watch the FIFA World Cup at a local pub, or have some lunch in one of the many green spaces (Kensington Gardens was a favorite!), and we quickly found out own side of London.

The program also offered many opportunities to visit popular spot outside of London during the weekends, including Stonehenge and Bath, complete with tour guides and transportation (Brighton was a personal favorite). I met so many wonderful people abroad and I enjoyed getting to know the IES staff and world-renowned Professors. I am so grateful for the experiences IES abroad has given me and I will always see London as a second home.

The Health Practice & Policy program through IES Abroad in London was such an amazing opportunity. The courses that I took were relevant to my major, which is public health, and I gained some important skills while studying abroad. Not only did I learn from the academics during the semester, but I also learned so much from the culture in London.

The faculty and staff at IES Abroad London are extremely welcoming and helpful. Whether you have an issue with a course or a question about getting around the city, they are always happy to take the time to talk with you.

I was able to experience so many new things through this program including taking a course at Oxford University, doing a service learning placement at a homeless shelter in South London, and making friends from all over the world. I particularly liked the field trips and group outings that were offered to students. They were both engaging and fun and they helped give us students and understanding of the local culture.

I do not think it is an overstatement to say that studying in London changed my outlook on life, and I would definitely recommend this program to any health studies majors who are interested in learning about international health systems and policies.

If I could re-live my four months in London, I would do it again in a heartbeat! The IES Staff was fantastic, the food delicious, classes interesting, and plenty of fun field trips! Not to mention, I got to travel to several other countries being that there are no Friday classes. I was able to learn through a unique mixture of typical classroom learning and exploring throughout the city. I would definitely rate this program five stars.

I absolutely loved living in London. The administrators were very helpful and nice. IES organized a bunch of trips throughout the semester that were awesome. You also don't have classes on Fridays so you have plenty of time to travel as well. The program was small but this wasn't a problem for me. You end up knowing your teachers and classmates really well. Classes weren't that challenging, in my opinion, but they were really interesting and I learned a lot. As for housing, you are very centrally located, right near King's Cross Station. My most memorable experiences were the markets! Overall, I had a great experience, and I can't wait to go back.

I loved every single minute of being abroad, and I learned so many valuable life lessons. I became a more confident person, and I learned the importance of mastering public transportation. The people who work for IES Abroad are wonderful people who helped me when I did not know what to do. They also challenged me by not solving all of my problems. I quickly found my favorite London spots. The food in London was probably one of my favorite parts, because it was so diverse. I loved that there were a lot of free museums, and the parks were always enjoyable to walk around. It was also nice that there were so many places outside London that I could get to easily. I am so grateful for my study abroad experience, and it will forever have one of the biggest impacts on my life.

The program allows participants to be immersed in life in London, from both an academic and social perspective. Classes, covering a wide variety of topics from theatre to media and politics, are often conducted outside of the classroom and take advantage of resources such as the Museum of London, West End theatres, and more. Housing is conveniently located at about a 15 minute walk from the IES center, and is located near King's Cross station, making all of London extremely accessible. The coursework at IES is challenging, but still allows for travelling on the weekends and enjoying all the London has to offer at night.