1. Why did you chose to study abroad at QMUL?

I Chose to study at Queen Mary largely due to its location in London as well as the fact that it has on campus living, this was a huge factor in my decision. Having accommodation on campus allowed for me to be able to travel within London whilst also being able to conveniently attend my classes.

2. Why did you decide to study abroad as part of your degree?

I wanted to study abroad as part of my degree in order to gain a unique perspective of my chosen area of study, doing a ‘politics and international studies’ major back home, I thought that study abroad was a chance for me to gain a unique perspective. Furthermore I wanted to challenge myself in a new environment and experience something new and exciting.

3. What was the main difference between studying at QMUL and at your home institution?

The main difference between QMUL and my home institutions was the smaller amount of contact hours, for instance I had 8 hours of contact in my semester at Queen Mary, as opposed to 12 hours back home. This meant that more work was required outside of the classroom. The smaller contact hours also allowed me to see much of the UK, as I could schedule my independent study around my travel plans.

4. What did you learn/gain from studying abroad?

I gained a great deal of independence at Queen Mary, furthermore living on campus with a close group of flatmates allowed my to gain greater self-confidence.

5. How did you feel when you first arrived in London?

When I first arrived in London, apart from feeling extremely tired from 23 hours of travel, I felt very nervous, being on my own in an unfamiliar city. I think these nerves were only normal for the time, given that I had yet to make friends or adapted to living in Britain.

6. How did you feel when you were leaving London?

When leaving London I felt two things. The first was that I was extremely happy to have been able to live in such an incredible city for a semester. The second was a sense of sadness, for I had to say goodbye to some remarkably good friends that I made whilst at QMUL.

7. What is your best memory of studying and living at QMUL?

The best memory I had of living at QMUL was when the flat I was living in organised a Christmas Dinner on the last week of semester. It was fun and relaxing way to end semester and was the perfect way to say goodbye. It really showed how close we had all become over the semester.

8. Where did you travel whilst studying?

During the semester at Queen Mary I traveled around the UK; I traveled to Bath, Stonehenge, Oxford, Cambridge, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Birmingham. During the Reading Week, midway through the semester, I went to Scotland for the week. After the conclusion of semester I took advantage of being in close proximity to Europe by going on a month long tour of Europe, travelling to France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Monaco, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands.

9. Favourite place in East London?

My favourite place in East London was Queen Elizabeth Park. The former Olympic Park is fantastic to walk around and during the Rugby World Cup had a festival atmosphere. Furthermore it is right next to Westfield Stratford, which has great restaurants that are definitely worth a visit.

10. Favourite thing about studying at QMUL?

My favourite thing about studying at QMUL was the amount of friends I was able to make through living on campus. My flatmates really did become like a second family to me for the duration of my trip.

11. What one piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about studying abroad at QMUL?

IF your are thinking about studying abroad at Queen Mary I would absolutely recommend it. Living on campus is a unique luxury for a London University and the campus is only 3 tube stops from Tower Hill (Tower of London) and is in close proximity by the Underground to so many of London’s best attractions. London is the perfect city to study abroad at, it is a city that offers everything and never runs out of things to do or places to see, and QMUL is the perfect campus to base yourself in to discover the best of London in a supportive and fun environment.

Adam studied at QMUL in 2015 and is from University of Melbourne. He is majoring in Politics.