By Saad Mobarak: Saad is a 4th-year mechanical engineering student at Northeastern University, passionate about education and aspires to reform educational systems in less fortunate communities.
Find him on LinkedIn here.

As a study abroad student from Boston, Massachusetts, I embarked on a remarkable journey to study in London for a semester. While there are so many things to write about and a gazillion avenues to explore, in this piece I decided to focus specifically on the academic aspect.

Little did I know that my experience within the UK educational system, especially as an engineering student, would be somewhat different from what I expected. In this blog post, I will share my insights on some unique aspects of the UK educational system, shedding light on the challenges and features I encountered along the way.

Rigid Structure and Focused Approach
One aspect that caught me off guard was the ultra-rigid structure of majors, which lacked multidisciplinary opportunities. Unlike the US system, there is little room for electives in any student’s academic plan of study, limiting the opportunity to explore other disciplines. It is not as easy to hop around different disciplines over in the UK. I remember when I would tell local students the classes I’m taking, they would be super confused as to how someone can study business, history, engineering, and environmental science all at once. In the US, higher education tends to be more flexible and customizable, offering exposure to other disciplines, especially with the freedom to minor in many fields ranging from robotics to sociology to Arabic.

Fast-Paced Nature
Not only is it relatively more difficult to tailor your journey and classes, but generally you also have less time to complete your degree in the UK. This is related to both the lack of elective courses and the accelerated nature of teaching. Most students finish their undergraduate degrees in just 3 years, compared to the typical 4 or 5 years in the US. Typically, in British universities, you jump into your major-specific classes right from the start. For example, at QMUL one mechanical engineering class (‘Control Systems’) is taught to 2nd year students, whereas back in my home university, it’s taught to 4th year students. For better or for worse, the undergraduate course load is more condensed in the UK.

Lecture Culture
Lectures in the UK often involve large class sizes and can feel like an “info dump” session. In England it is quite different to what some students may be used to, especially those coming from smaller liberal arts schools where lectures are more intimate. From my experience in London, it is not uncommon for instructors to explain concepts in lectures without pausing to check for questions. However, the thing is, there are separate lecture and seminar sessions. In lectures, you sit alongside many other students and try to keep up with the lecturer. To seek clarification, you rely on seminars conducted by teaching assistants or use online student forums. Some students may prefer this separate lecture vs seminar system, as it currently is in most British universities.

Self-Study and Lack of Assessments
One of the biggest adjustments for me was getting used to the lack of ongoing assessments like homework and quizzes. Instead, the focus is on one or two high-stakes assessments at the end of the semester. For example, instead of having multiple quizzes throughout the term, you might have just two exams, each worth 50% of your final grade. This puts a lot of pressure on you as a student, as one slip-up can greatly impact your grade. This system requires a lot of self-studies and staying on top of the material even before attending lectures. Expect to do a lot of studying on your own; make sure to set checkpoints throughout the semester to make sure you’re on top of your studies.

Reading Off the Script
One last interesting thing I noticed was that during class presentations students would read word for word off a pre-written script. I remember once during a business class we were assigned to analyze a specific company as a group and present our findings (with the aid of a slideshow). I was very surprised to see how every person in the room, without fail, read directly off a script during their presentations. No eye contact, no hand movement, no nothing. The only exception was a group of 3 other study abroad students who presented their content without reading from a sheet of paper. What was even more surprising was the high praise from the instructor for the groups’ presentations! In the US, starting all the way down from middle school, teachers would not typically allow students to present by reading verbatim. Instead, we have to present the content and maintain eye contact with the audience.

Studying abroad provided me with valuable insights into the unique features and challenges of the British educational system. From the system to the culture, each aspect brought its own set of lessons. As a study abroad student, experiencing these differences broadened my understanding of diverse educational systems and provided me with an eye-opening journey. I made loads of friends along the way and met lots of amazing people, I definitely recommend studying abroad if you get the chance!