<p>I am currently considering Oxford or LSE for study abroad. I would appreciate information on studying in UK: cost, culture, tutorial system, etc etc., Thanks</p>
<p>For the full three to four years --or for one year? </p>
<p>Check out the new Study Abroad forum</p>
<p>Well, LSE doesn't have the tutorial system, first of all. </p>
<p>Essentially, you get given a reading list of about 15 to 20 books and articles, you go away and write an essay on a given question, you come back and the tutor rips your essay to pieces, and you die a little inside when you realise just how much more you have to read before you even begin to understand what your tutor's talking about. You then rinse and repeat until your tutor finds a new victim and/or you reach the end of term. It's fun! :)</p>
<p>The tutor is required to give you at least 3 days to research and write an essay. Quite often they don't, especially towards the end of term when they've got to finish all their marking and give everyone final tutorials. </p>
<p>Lectures are optional. No one cares whether you go or not, although you should probably make at least a token effort. </p>
<p>As for culture - UK unis tend to have a big pub culture. In Oxford and Cambridge, every college has their own bar. Some of the Oxford pubs are actually run by the colleges. All UK unis also have a Student Union, which will also have its own bar or pub, shops and probably a club as well. </p>
<p>I think it's not so much that the UK has a drinking culture, it's that we have a 'going to the pub' culture. It's fine if you don't drink alcohol and just have a coke, but it's definitely regarded as strange if you don't want to go to the pub at all. </p>
<p>Costs - London is <em>expensive</em>, and Oxford is not far behind.</p>
<p>Goldie, any particular reason why you're not considering Cambridge?</p>
<p>Studying at Cambridge was the best experience of my life! </p>
<p>I went to a huge rave in stratford-upon-avon and the whole train was loaded with kids who were going too, and all of them were openly doing coke/drinking on the train on the way there, fantastic LOL.</p>
<p>I heard financial aid in UK schools for int'l students is difficult to get.</p>
<p>SteveUK, I heard that Cambridge is even harder to get in than Oxford.</p>