Emily P Barton, Spring 2017 Participant
I loved being integrated with the full-time students studying at the University of Birmingham, but also having the opportunity to meet so many exchange students from around the world.
Victoria R Calderon, Spring 2016 Participant
The University of Birmingham is a large, academically renowned university; however, they have a lot of individual mentors and programs that are catered to fit the needs of every student. I was very involved with the Liberal Arts program, which provided mentors for the students and allowed us to connect with other students in the program. They also had funds to pay for students to attend cultural events in the city, from the ballet to the theatre to museum visits in London. I also attended to trips around the UK with UOB's International Student Association, where I met other international students and got to visit places such as Stratford-upon-Avon and Cardiff.
Victoria R Calderon, Spring 2016 Participant
I learned that I was able to adjust better by reaching out to the programs available to me - the International Student Association provided so many opportunities to meet other people and get assistance with adjusting to a very different classroom/university system. It was difficult for me to reach out due to my social anxiety, so I leaned on my flatmates to help me figure things out initially. However, once I got comfortable reaching out to others, I had a much better experience.