Story Location: England
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The Highs and Lows of Oxford University’s Tutorial System
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Let’s start with some background information about the Oxford academic system, which follows a trimester calendar with eight-week terms. Students attend tutorials, not classes. Instead of fixed syllabi and a professor and classmates for each class, Oxford students have weekly and biweekly individual sessions with one tutor. Tutors can hold tutorials with two or three…
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Exploring African-American Identity in London
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During spring semester of my junior year, I travelled beyond American borders for the first time in my life, to London. Living in London both challenged and deepened my understanding of my identity as a black American. In the classroom, black students were still very underrepresented at King’s College, but London itself is one of…
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Four Ways to Make Study Abroad Happen on a Budget
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As a low-income student, I didn’t think study abroad would be an option for me, but with encouragement from my study abroad advisor, I applied to a few programs. When I was accepted to the IFSA London program at King’s College, I was hesitant, knowing I couldn’t afford London prices for five months. Thankfully, with…
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Four Ways American and English University Systems Differ
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As an American at University College London in England, I am learning all over again what it means to be a college student as I adjust to life at uni. In a month, here are the different ways I’ve noticed that English students are taught, treated, and assessed in the UK higher education system. For starters,…
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New Points of View
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It wasn’t until I was sitting down in the row of a theater in London, right in between two friends I had made through IFSA, witnessing the one on my right, IK, shamelessly engage with and scream at the actors on stage that I thought to myself “I have never met someone quite like him.”…
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Where to Make Friends While Studying Abroad
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When I went to London in January, I had no one from my home school joining me in the same program. I was worried about how I would make new friends in such a short amount of time while also adjusting to a new environment. Luckily, I was able to step out of my comfort…
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British Work Culture vs. American Work Culture
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Interestingly, despite having the opportunity to travel to eight different countries in Europe, one of my largest culture shocks while abroad was the difference in European work culture, specifically in the UK, versus in the United States. During my time in London, I was a 20-minute walk away from London’s financial center, which is the…
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Rediscovering Myself Through Studying Abroad
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Studying abroad in London made me reflect on who I was, who I am, and who I want to be. The sound of “studying abroad” connotes a lot of “news” – at least for me. Exploring new cities and cultures, meeting new people, and discovering new passions. All of them were true, but in retrospect,…
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5 Ways to Get More From Study Abroad
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IFSA students share their game-changing advice for others heading off for new experiences. Start on the Right Foot “Don’t miss out on the orientation events that will be going on in the first days and weeks of the program,” says Shane C., who studied at London’s University of Westminster. “It’s a great way to learn some important information as…
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Keeping Connected Across the Pond
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Keeping Connected Across the Pond One of the most difficult aspects of studying abroad is the distance between you and your loved ones. On a typical semester at my home university I was usually able to visit home at least once every month or so. My family is a very important part of my life,…
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