AIFS Abroad: Study, Intern, or Study & Intern in England

I am so grateful to GE for helping me take part in this incredible internship experience. It was the perfect segue from collegiate life to the professional world and I feel incredibly prepared for the future now. London specifically was a great place to work in and was just enough culture shock without being overwhelming. There is more to do than you could possibly imagine. With the tube running through every part of the city, it is incredibly easy to get around and see everything. There is so much history to take in and truly shows you just how young the United States is. Not to mention there is incredible food every step of the way. The cheap chicken shops are perfect for a quick snack, but should never be the goal. Highly recommend this amazing experience for anyone thinking about going abroad!

I am so glad I chose GE to do this experience with. I wouldn’t have been able to work abroad without their help! Carmen, our on site counselor, came up with such fun events and it was a pleasure meeting the entire group of GE students. As with most large cities, housing isn’t always great. But GE found a great student accommodation for us that was private, clean, and safe. GE matched me with the perfect internship for my career goals and I am so thankful for the experience to work in finance in London. St. Paul’s was definitely a fantastic area to work in with many restaurants and pubs around. If you are considering London with GE - it will definitely be worth it. Be sure to ask any questions you may have to your GE advisor as they are always willing to help.

As a rising senior in college, I am extremely grateful to have gained this worldly opportunity through Global Experiences. Throughout my time in London living and interning, I always felt supported by my professionally-motivated peers/new friends as well as my AMAZING and KIND on-site GE coordinator Carmen. There were times where I definitely missed my family back home while I was abroad, and Carmen was always there to make me feel better and offer a needed support system for the 12 weeks in London. She set up such fun activities and trips, such as those to Cambridge, Brighton, and around London itself. My personal favorite was Cambridge and going on the traditional punting tour around the beautiful and historical grounds. I am so happy with the outcome of my internship experience in London because of the amazing GE intern friends I made, the cultural experience I lived, and of course the mentor I know have - Carmen! Thank you so much Global Experiences!

I loved every moment of my placement organized by Global Expirences. I felt supported from the first day I made contact with them about the possibility of taking an internship in London and I never looked back. The on-site staff was amazing and always made me feel safe. On one occasion where I found myself needing support, my on-site advisor in London, Carmen, was there as fast as she could be and held my hand every step of the way. You will never feel alone or lost if you decide to partake in a GE program. The staff that is a part of GE takes you in as their own and makes sure that you have a 10/10 experience throughout the entirety of the program. They organize social events so that you can get to know the other interns in the program, and I know this played a large role in providing professional relationships as well as friendships that will last a lifetime. From traveling together on weekends to just having someone to eat dinner with after work, I always felt like I had someone nearby. I will always remember this experience as one of the best times in my life filled with growth, learning and adventure.

This internship abroad was one of the best experiences I've had. GE made the process simple and all the staff members that helped throughout the process were really supportive. Our location coordinator (Carmen) made our time in London worthwhile. Not only was she helpful and gave great advice on the internship but she made sure we were enjoying the trip and consistently checked in on us. She would also send us lists of things to do while we were in London. We were able to visit places like Cambridge and Brighton. The events that they had for us was a great way for us to spend time with the other interns and talk about our placements. We were only here for about 4 months but the memories we have and the experience we've gained will stay with us for our future endeavors. Not only did I appreciate the internship but the people I've met and all the things I've got to do along the way!

I really enjoyed my time in London over the summer. The internship I had was almost exactly what I imagined it would be, and I improved a lot of my technical skills because of it. I made great friends while over there and would do it all over again. The only problem that I had was the housing. Though the location was great, being right next to a tube station, the building itself had some problems that seemed to not be fixed in the two months that we were there. Other than that, this was definitely a summer that I will remember.

When I was choosing a study abroad program, I wanted to make sure that I felt like I had a support system while I was abroad. Since it was my first time leaving the country and I was doing it alone, I knew that I wasn't going to be as sure of myself as I usually am. The on sight support through AIFS is unimaginable and from the beginning until the end, I felt like I always had someone on my side. I felt safe to really explore and have the time of my life while also feeling like I was getting a school experience. It was an amazing experience. The faculty is well educated and also well versed in all of their perspective areas of study. Housing was very near central London, so you truly got the city experience. Traveling was easy and mostly inexpensive. Since everything with AIFS is all inclusive, you truly had the chance to use extra funds for school and things you wanted to do. I would recommend this program over and over again! Even after being home for a few months, I still feel so connected to AIFS and professionally prepared to graduate and talk about my study abroad experience to potential jobs.

My experience with Global Experiences was amazing! The program spends a lot of time getting to know you by identifying your strengths and preparing you for a desired internship in your field. The relationships they build with companies is key to your success. Global Experiences is like having a friend who knows there's a position open (that you want!) and they're friends with the hiring manager. Their relationship with credible employers that provide quality internship experiences is what you're investing in.
My internship placement was spot on! I spent the summer as a PR intern at the largest integrated communications agency in the UK. I learned everything I wanted to know about working in a press office plus so much more! By the end of it I was not ready to leave as my colleagues were incredible and I felt like an essential part of the team.
London is an incredible global city with so much history, art and culture. There's tons to explore. That was my favorite part about London, exploring, you will stumble upon treasures everywhere you go from art exhibitions in the tube station, getting lost and having to find your way back but seeing things you normally wouldn't, vibing with the city and immersing yourself into their culture. You will learn so much about yourself.

My advice- You are going to the largest most expensive city in the world, it will challenge you! Embrace those challenges that is how you grow.
For your internship- research the company on every level; web, social and LinkedIn. Are you a good fit? Do you like the companies mission? What is the news saying about them? What does their social say to you? Make sure you know who you're working for, it will make a world of difference on how you spend your time abroad.
Make friends! GE does a fab job in pairing you with your flat mates so take the room mate questionnaire considerably and introduce yourself before arriving to share what you are interested in doing with your time abroad.
People in Britain tend to be more stand offish but embrace them be polite and ask questions/recommendations it will open conversations.

The housing is in a prime location next to the train station and it's in a safe/secure building.

Tips:
-For packing bring toilette paper and a towel with you so you have something when you first arrive.
-Don't overpack. London is the best city for shopping either on High Street or Markets
- Factor in your cost of transportation, once you know where you'll be working figure out what it's going to take to get there.
- I set up the free month of Amazon Prime UK it came in handy for room essentials like a fan (OMG 2018 was the hottest summer in the UK a place where AC is like finding a unicorn make sure to get a fan asap if you're there during summer)
- Food is affordable. I did not cook one meal. I did buy a case of protein shakes that were equivalent to a full meal to supplement during the day if needed.
- Health. Keep your immune system up, you're being exposed to new germs and office cooties.