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Im 22 years old and studying communications at the University of Missouri and am looking into spending the fall semester of my senior year (2010) studying abroad in London. I'd be going through the Missouri London Program which is located on the campus of Imperial College of the University of London in the South Kensington neighborhood of Central London. This will be my first time out of the country, Im not much of a traveler, but Ive always wanted to study abroad.
I was looking for any advice anyone could give.
Whats London like, how much money will i need for food, traveling etc...things like this.
Mainly the money situation. If I will just need money for eating out, going out, and traveling...how much will I need if ill be there for about 5-6 months.
south ken is gorgeous, my family lives there across the road from imperial and it is a great area...hope to move there myself in the not too distant future.
london is great and you will find that the stereotypes about england just are not true. the supermarkets and food here are far (and i mean FAR) superior in the UK than they are in the states. i am an american who goes to university here and will probs set up here upon graduation.
only negatives are that it is soooo damn expensive and that the youth here get away with murder (literally). watch out for the yobs and chavs (though to be fair there won't be too many in south ken haha).
You could try this London student website. There are several forums and you may get the answers you want.London University Student Forums
London is a great city. I live very near London and it still makes me excited every time I visit. It can be expensive so you will have to plan carefully. If you have accommodation provided and can cook for yourself then you won't have so much of a problem. There is a lot to do that is free. You must be excited. Good Luck
South Ken is expensive to live - what is your budget. You might want to look further west for cheaper rentals unless your uni provides accommodation this will be your largest money pit. Food wise, if on a tight budget and you shop wisely you can get away with 50 pounds a week. Public transport is great in London - bus, train or tube depending on the route you have to take, budget and time. Not sure of prices these days but I know you can get an oyster card. (google it)
Good luck
I went to school at the University of London. I lived in Kensington Square, basically right down the road from Imperial College. Bring as much money as you can! London is so expensive, but as a college student, most of my meals were included with my accommodations. I already knew London pretty well before I went, and there is cheaper stuff if you know where to look. Also I walked a lot and took public transportation, but London is extremely walkable and that is free! Depends on how much traveling you want to do as to how much it will cost--do you mean out of the country? Day trips can be done to some places. But no joke, whatever money you bring, you will wish it was more. That is the major downside to London.
as far as eating out goes allow double the cost in the US. For instance a fillet in the Outback is I believe around $16-18 , here its £18. A Big Mac meal would set you back around £3.50-£4 (7-8 dollars). A beer in a bar approx £3 . it aint cheap thats for sure and with gas at $10+ a gallon forget a car.
I'm also an American student here in London. I don't think you'll regret coming over. Sure, London is quite expensive but if you're living on campus that will help out alot; if you have a meal plan especially. Either way, make sure you overbudget your first month here because you will hemorrhage money but after you get settled in you'll learn where the good deals are (yes they do exist).
London is definately a happening city, but be warned most of it shuts down before midnight-only clubs stay open to the wee hours.
I will have been here about 5 months in May and not counting trips to mainland Europe and traveling around I've spent about $1,700. Of course I only eat out twice a week or so but I make up for it at the pubs! I will definately miss the real Ale when I'm back home.
One last thing: the tube, although a great system, is expensive even with an Oyster Card (1 pound 50 pence each way for non-rush hour) so make sure to factor that in as well. I didn't tell you this but it's very easy to ride the "bendy" busses for free as long as you dont enter in the door next to the driver.
Overall I'd say go for it. Besides being a great city, London is a great launching point for seeing Europe. Train to Paris or Brussels and back (Eurostar) if you get it early enough is about 70 pounds. Make sure to go on day trips to elsewhere in England also: cliffs of Dover are a must, as is Canterbury. Check out the "fun fares" for cheap coach travel
P.S. you will perfect the art of "pregaming" in London. You can get a cheap bottle of wine or a 4-pack of tall boys for 3 or 4 pounds at Tesco
I'd just like to point out that getting caught without a ticket on public transport in the UK is an offence. You can recieve a heavy fine and can be arrested and taken to the local police station if you don;t have the means to pay for any fine on the spot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by decafdave
I'm also an American student here in London. I don't think you'll regret coming over. Sure, London is quite expensive but if you're living on campus that will help out alot; if you have a meal plan especially. Either way, make sure you overbudget your first month here because you will hemorrhage money but after you get settled in you'll learn where the good deals are (yes they do exist).
London is definately a happening city, but be warned most of it shuts down before midnight-only clubs stay open to the wee hours.
I will have been here about 5 months in May and not counting trips to mainland Europe and traveling around I've spent about $1,700. Of course I only eat out twice a week or so but I make up for it at the pubs! I will definately miss the real Ale when I'm back home.
One last thing: the tube, although a great system, is expensive even with an Oyster Card (1 pound 50 pence each way for non-rush hour) so make sure to factor that in as well. I didn't tell you this but it's very easy to ride the "bendy" busses for free as long as you dont enter in the door next to the driver.
Overall I'd say go for it. Besides being a great city, London is a great launching point for seeing Europe. Train to Paris or Brussels and back (Eurostar) if you get it early enough is about 70 pounds. Make sure to go on day trips to elsewhere in England also: cliffs of Dover are a must, as is Canterbury. Check out the "fun fares" for cheap coach travel
P.S. you will perfect the art of "pregaming" in London. You can get a cheap bottle of wine or a 4-pack of tall boys for 3 or 4 pounds at Tesco
I'd just like to point out that getting caught without a ticket on public transport in the UK is an offence. You can recieve a heavy fine and can be arrested and taken to the local police station if you don;t have the means to pay for any fine on the spot.
Of course, and they try to scare people by putting up posters of people behind bars. I would never suggest trying it on the tube, only the bendy busses. Who actually pays for those after midnight rides on the bus? Definately not the Londoners I see.
Obviously there's some amount of risk involved and I was only throwing it out there. I wanted to give him some real advice, something he would find out when over here.
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I lived in Kensington Square, basically right down the road from Imperial College. Bring as much money as you can! 
London is so expensive, but as a college student, most of my meals were included with my accommodations. I already knew London pretty well before I went, and there is cheaper stuff if you know where to look. Also I walked a lot and took public transportation, but London is extremely walkable and that is free! Depends on how much traveling you want to do as to how much it will cost--do you mean out of the country? Day trips can be done to some places. But no joke, whatever money you bring, you will wish it was more. That is the major downside to London.
