My Exchange at Queen Mary University of London
Studying abroad in London through the 360 International Exchange programme was an incredibly rewarding experience, both academically and personally.
I found out about the 360 International exchange programme from a friend who had recently returned from a semester abroad in the US. The positive feedback and comprehensive support from 360 convinced me that London would be a great fit for my semester abroad.
Arriving in London was so exciting and so overwhelming at the same time. The bustling streets, historical landmarks, and diverse culture immediately caught my attention, and it took a while to sink in that this was actually going to be my home for the next 6 months. I stayed in a campus flat with a mixture of domestic students and other study abroad students, which provided a great base for settling in. I would definitely recommend uni accommodation as it made it a lot easier to get to know people and become immersed in the campus culture immediately after arriving. It made the adjustment so much easier because we were so busy with orientation activities, campus activities and meeting so many students in the first couple of weeks that we didn’t even have time to feel homesick. They also had linen packs, kitchen packs, adaptors etc available to purchase which were delivered to our rooms before we arrived, which meant we didn’t have to worry about those little things.
Orientation at my host university was practical and helpful. It gave me the essential information about academics, campus facilities, local customs, and sightseeing recommendations, as well as some some confronting yet essential tips on how to prevent phone snatching on the street & pick pocketing on the tube 🙂
Academically, the courses were challenging and thought-provoking. The teaching style encouraged a lot of independent thinking and the assignments were often entirely self guided (choose your own topic and own essay question etc), which was different from what I was used to at UoA. The opportunity to learn from professors who are experts in their fields was invaluable.
Living in London was so enjoyable, but super expensive compared to Auckland – especially in terms of dining out & going out! Managing the higher cost of living required budgeting and careful planning – I would definitely recommend saving about double what you think you need before you go to ensure you get to fully make the most of the opportunities the new city provides you, without stressing about finances. Despite the expenses, exploring the city’s cultural attractions, museums, and diverse food scene was one of the most memorable parts of my stay.
Outside of classes, I loved exploring different neighbourhoods, markets, attending cultural events and concerts, and traveling across Europe during breaks. This was one thing that was especially novel as a student coming from New Zealand – how easy and accessible European travel was from London! For really affordable prices (shoutout RyanAir) I was able to travel to see all different parts of France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Ireland etc in the uni breaks, or even just for weekends! I definitely recommend making the most of this while you’re over that side of the world.
Life on campus was vibrant and extremely diverse, as my host uni hosted a significant number of exchange students. I made friends with both local and study abroad students, all from different backgrounds, which broadened my global perspective hugely, and also made me realise just how little the rest of the world knows about New Zealand! I was really pleasantly surprised with how welcoming the local students were to us all too. The QM campus facilities were modern and conducive to both studying and socialising. There was a great student culture on campus with loads of different events, some just for study abroad students during the first couple of weeks, and lots more to integrate us with the rest of the students throughout the semester.
Looking back, the highlights of my exchange included traveling, experiencing the local culture, and forming lasting friendships with people from around the world. Of course, there were challenges, such as adjusting to a new academic environment and managing living expenses, but these experiences helped me grow personally and academically.
For future exchange students, I recommend embracing every opportunity to explore and learn, being prepared for academic challenges, and planning finances wisely. Overall, studying abroad in London was an incredibly valuable and memorable experience that I would highly encourage others to pursue.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Queen Mary offered really unique classes that I would never have had the opportunity to take at UoA – such as Law & Religion, Comparative Law, and Law & Globalisation. The teaching was much closer to tutorial style rather than lecture style – the lecturers really encouraged student discussion and often this actually formed the basis of the class, which definitely provoked more independent and critical thinking. Another highlight was that for 3/4 of the classes I took, the exchange students weren’t required to sit the exam and were assessed based on the coursework essay alone!
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Outside of the obvious landmarks & tourist attractions, local markets were something I really loved to explore in London! Almost every weekend that we spent there my friends and I would try to explore a different suburb of London or a different town nearby, and almost all of them had their own markets with food, jewellery, art, clothing etc that is all super unique. Park culture is also huge in England as soon as the weather starts to warm up which was something I hadn’t really seen before!
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Save a LOT before you go to be able to experience all that your host country has to offer (if you think Auckland is expensive, think again)
- Try to secure campus accommodation if possible! It makes you instantly feel part of the campus community and makes it so much easier to meet people.
- Adjust your expectations & go in with an open mind – not every day will look like a study abroad promo piece & that’s ok!
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
I saved about $10k before going, and then also received $300 a week in student loan while in London. I would definitely recommend saving more than this, if I could do it again I’d probably aim to go over with $15-20k saved + student loan. People joke that in London it costs you £20 just to step out the door every day and honestly thats not far off, and I guess a lot of big cities would be similarly expensive! While I definitely got to do and see a lot, a lot of study abroad students had a lot more financial freedom so there was also a lot I had to say no to while I was there. There are so many things to do and see while abroad, and you want to be able to have your pick of activities and travel as much as possible (+ plus the NZD conversion is always rough), so I would definitely recommend saving a lot to be able to make the most of your experience.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
A really surprising (but welcomed) takeaway is how much I actually learnt about New Zealand from living somewhere else! I have lived in NZ my whole life and I never really got it when people would refer to our great quality of life, our super friendly / laidback culture, our lovely scenery etc but I definitely understood that after a while in London. I feel like I’m coming back with a whole new perspective on and appreciation for my home country, in the best way.
On a personal level, another takeaway is how much this exchange has grown my confidence and independence. Moving so far from home by yourself really throws you into the deep end in terms of character building challenges. Socially, it kind of feels like moving to uni for the first time again, except with the additional challenges of navigating a whole new country & culture ( potentially even a new language) at the same time, and with your usual support people asleep on the other side of the world most of the time that you might need them! In this way you really have no option but to get yourself through the challenging or scary moments, and in my experience you will often surprise yourself with how much you actually can do alone, which is a pretty cool feeling.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
London was amazing for cheap & accessible travel around Europe! In between classes or in the uni breaks we were able to pop to Paris or Milan or Barcelona for the weekend, we flew to Ireland for St Patrick’s day, and then were able to enjoy Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, the south of France and the Italian coast once our exams were done and before we had to be back in New Zealand! I don’t think I paid more than $100 and return for flights for a single one of those trips (as long as you’re prepared to travel light!!). I would highly recommend making the most of these travel opportunities since its not something you get at home!