UK – Ethan
Student: Ethan
Course: Bachelor of Education (Primary)
Program: Trimester Exchange T1 2024
Completing a study exchange at Roehampton was such a great way to immerse myself into the London city life while also experiencing the English style of university. Despite being located somewhat near Central London, the local area has many green spaces and parks to catch your breath in. Roehampton has a wide selection of units and their study abroad team were very flexible in making any changes. They held many events over the duration of the semester that provided the fully immersive university experience, while also being a great way to meet other students. The social aspect of Roehampton was great with everyone being very welcoming and always having someone nearby who’s willing to explore and have new experiences. Roehampton’s location in London is also great for travel to other places around Europe as I was able to cheaply explore a lot of international places both during term time and in the holidays.
Making friends is a lot easier than it seems. Everyone is obviously in the same boat as you, so most of my friends were made on the very first day during orientation. You’ll naturally gravitate to certain people immediately, however, don’t shut yourself off from others just because you’ve already made connections. Some of my greatest friends that I made were found a little later into the exchange and they were domestic students. I loved to do some things alone, like going on walks, but I always had people around me ready to hang out! In the days, we’d explore the city and at night we’d have family dinners, movie nights and of course, many nights of partying!
Speaking to a student adviser about your own individual circumstances is a great way to ensure a study exchange is right for you. There were some issues I faced (given the logistics of my degree) that made an exchange difficult, but together, we were able to find a way to make it work. Though it was such a personal gain in experience, the program also added credit to my degree in a fun and immersive way, while also boosting resume strength, given the independence and other life skills required for a program like this.
Saving up enough money was key to being able to finance the exchange. I also created a weekly budget that I stuck to in order to keep myself from overspending. There are many ways to save here and there, such as getting a Youth Rail card to get discounted public transport, and also joining reward systems for grocery stores. At my pre-departure session, a previous exchange student who went to the UK said they spent $17,000 (including accommodation) and I would say that’s a great pinpoint, but you could definitely make it cheaper if your budget requires!