D wants to study abroad: please tell me of your family's experience!

<p>Thanks again, all, for the information. I really appreciate it. You are all great resources.</p>

<p>Lots of great advice given already, but to add to experience, our D went to Greece for a summer class through Duke Univ. and had a blast (the last week is spent on a private yacht). They traveled all over the islands and major sites studying philosophy. Many universities have summer programs that students from any school can attend. Check out NYU, Boston U, Duke, UCLA.</p>

<p>"England, in particular is extremely expensive with a subway ride costing $8.00."</p>

<p>That's only true if you don't have get a magnetic payment card (which you pay a refundable deposit to obtain). If you do have one (and everybody who lives in London does), then journeys normally cost around $3-$5. Bus journeys are normally reliable and quick enough, and cost only $1.80. London is expensive, but it's not THAT expensive.</p>

<p>My daughter just got back from a semester in Zanzibar, Tanazania, Africa. It was out of the box amazing. She was looking for a program that not only had her academic focus but had a cultural component. Her program was accredited but not affiliated so her scholarship did not transfer but overall we were okay because her program was a little less and then she is living off campus which is a little less also. Shop for a program carefully and talk to people who have been on the trips she is interested in. Have her do the homework so you feel good about the $$$. My daudghter went through SIT..seem to have good programs.</p>

<p>My cousin (who attends the University of Texas) received a full scholarship for studying abroad for a year. He spent last semester in Spain and is currently in England for this semester. He is truly enjoying his experience. I highly recommend that you look for a scholarship (for tuition/room/board/stay/etc) to greatly reduce your costs, because it can get expensive very quickly.</p>

<p>Many, many years ago I went to University of Copenhagen with a program run by DIS. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it is still an organization that has programs in Copenhagen with classes in English. Here is a link:
DIS</a> - Danish Institute for Study Abroad
For me it was a life changing time - certainly opened my eyes.</p>

<p>Watch out - the more you look at all the study-abroad programs the more you, the parent, will want to go!</p>

<p>I checked out kittymom's Greece one and some others (including my own D's Scotland trip) - they sound like a blast.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
England, in particular is extremely expensive with a subway ride costing $8.00."</p>

<p>That's only true if you don't have get a magnetic payment card (which you pay a refundable deposit to obtain). If you do have one (and everybody who lives in London does), then journeys normally cost around $3-$5. Bus journeys are normally reliable and quick enough, and cost only $1.80. London is expensive, but it's not THAT expensive.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Yes, this is an oyster card, and having one halves your costs on all buses, tube and some overground trains. You know that you can walk round the centre easily and save on transport anyway. </p>

<p>If you want to go to England remember that it's small. London is very expensive, but everywhere else is much cheaper and really not very far away. Oxford and Cambridge are also expensive, and places close to London, such as Reading are the worst because you get London prices without the advantages of everything being on your doorstep. Try Leeds, Bath, York, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol. Even Edinburgh is only a 4 hour (expensive - flights are cheaper) train journey from London. some of these places are not so pretty but none are awful.</p>

<p>Someone mentioned Queen Mary College London. It IS in central London, just not a part you will ever see as a tourist. It's deep in the heart of the old East End, in Hackney by Mile End Tube station. Note this is adjacent to an area known as "murder mile" and make of it what you will. A friend of mine is doing a masters there. He has only been mugged twice... (though I've been to visit several times, in broad daylight, and never been mugged!). Basically this area is on the news all the time and considered to be the capital of crime in Britain.</p>

<p>$20,000 for one semester! Sounds insanely expensive to me!</p>

<p>The NY State Atty general is investigating study aborad programs for the same reason it investigated student loan programs.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/nationalworld/state/story/257560.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.buffalonews.com/nationalworld/state/story/257560.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I mention this because it might give you leverage. If the same program is cheaper run though the international school itself, vs through the US university -- or if the US university only gives credit for specific programs, but not essentially equivalent programs that are not sponsored by them (and are cheaper) --- There might be room for negotiation. Most schools are aware of the issues, and know that new guidelines are on the horizon.</p>