Han Cui
Brown University
My semester at UCL was all and more of what I imagined my study abroad experience
would be like. I remember thinking to myself before leaving for London that an entire
semester is a long time to be abroad alone. As it turned out, I enjoyed my stay so much
that one semester was not long enough to satiate my love for the city.
My adoration for London was compounded by the fact that it was also my first time
going to London and Europe in general. I was curious about everything British and
European and eager to take in as much as possible. Most affiliate students arrange plans
to travel Europe while they are studying at UCL, but I would recommend exploring
London as much as possible too. Sometimes students get carried away with other exotic
places and forget to take advantage of the amenities in the city of London, which are
right at their doorsteps given the great central location of UCL. From museums to plays,
from royal history to rock concerts, London has it all. London is a very student-friendly
place, so students receive discounts in just about anything.
After finishing my study at the Economics Department at UCL, I figured out a few things
that I hope will help future Economics affiliate students. First, when choosing classes at
the beginning of the semester, I recommend taking two to three Economics courses and
one or two classes from other Departments. I personally took three Economics classes,
two third-year level and one second-year level, and one History of Art class. It was a
great schedule because I was focusing on my major and challenging myself academically
but not overextending. Especially by having a class from a different department mixed in
my schedule allows me to have a better rounded experience studying in the British
system. I recommend taking an Art History class to anyone who is interested in the
subject because, as the popularity of the course attests, it is a great way to get to know
the city as the class meets in different museums and galleries in London for lectures. As
for the Economics classes, if you are indecisive between a few choices, talk to the
affiliate tutor and he would be able to tell you more about them.
The most important aspect about studying Economics at UCL is to keep up with the pace
of the classes. Attendance at lectures and especially tutorials is crucial because the twohour long lectures are dense with material, and during the hour-long tutorials, the
tutors go over the problem sets, which will come back to you at finals. You should also
keep up with outside readings for the classes too. Even though you will have plenty of
time to review for your finals during April and May, it is much smarter to make sure you
understand the material during the semester than cramming at the very end.
One of the best things I took away from my study abroad experience is the friends I
made at UCL, including British, American and International students. While you have
ample opportunities to meet other affiliate students, I strongly recommend stepping out
of your comfort zone and reaching out to local students as well. I met all my British
friends in my Economics classes by just sitting next to them and starting up
conversations. They helped me with questions about school and life in London. Since
they were familiar with how the university system is like, they were extremely helpful
when the final exams rolled around as they shared their studying tips with me.
Finally, I wish everyone a wonderful time studying at UCL!
Spring/Summer 2008-09