Summer Science Study Abroad Programs in London

I had such a great time at Lite Regal Education Summer School 2025 The Intensive English course really helped my English improve a lot in such a short time. I also met so many new friends from different countries everyone was super kind and friendly.

I chose AIFS Abroad because I wanted a program that combined strong academic support with cultural experiences. I joined the London program, and it exceeded my expectations in every way. The pre-departure team guided me through each step, answering questions quickly and making me feel prepared before leaving. In London, the staff were welcoming and approachable, always checking in to make sure we were doing well. The housing was safe and well-located, which made daily life so much easier. I especially loved the excursions and cultural activities—they helped me explore London and other parts of the UK in ways I wouldn’t have managed on my own. What stood out most was the community I built. I met people who became close friends, and the experience gave me more independence and confidence. Professionally, I gained skills in adaptability and communication that I know will help me in the future. I’d recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone looking for a program that balances academics, culture, and support in a truly meaningful way.

My daughter, Calista (16) from Cyprus, attended Lite Regal’s 3-week Medical School Preparation program in Cambridge, and it was an unforgettable experience! The 2-week Medical Taster Course covered anatomy, clinical skills, and medical ethics, with expert tutors who made learning engaging. The highlight was the 1-week hospital shadowing in a London hospital, where she observed real doctors and gained hands-on insight into the medical field. She stayed in Hughes Hall College, Cambridge, in a comfortable en-suite room, which made her experience even more enjoyable. Outside of lessons, she loved exploring Cambridge, punting on the River Cam, attending social events, and going on weekend trips. The program was well-organized, inspiring, and gave her a real taste of medical school life. Highly recommended for any aspiring doctor! Thank you, Lite Regal, for this life-changing opportunity. :))) Would recommend this school !! Good Vibes all around from staff and mentors who where friendly.

If I had to describe my study abroad experience in one word, it would be extraordinary. It was no question that I wanted to study abroad. Ever since my mom told me endless stories about her experience in college, I knew I needed to follow in her footsteps and become worldly. When it came to making a decision on where I wanted to go, London was my top choice. I had been to Europe before but never England. London always fascinated me with its dynamic cultural backgrounds and its plethora of entertainment. Once the location was settled, I then chose to go with API. During my application process, API was extremely helpful in assisting me with any questions or concerns I had. They helped make the application process easier and less stressful. API made my arrival to London very easy as they gave me clear instructions prior to my flight over. My Resident Director was also extremely approachable which made my adjustment to London seamless. I made amazing friends from API who I was fortunate enough to travel with during the semester. I also made great friends in my classes and am so glad they got to expose me to their ways of life in London. I went to London with an open mind and am extremely fortunate that I was able to expand my horizons. Going abroad taught me that it is so much more than attending classes and doing school work. I learned self reliance and gained so much confidence within myself. I cannot wait to bring back the knowledge I have obtained and share it with other students who want to go abroad and have the experience of a lifetime.

I did my study abroad with API in 2021 as regular covid was dying down and before omicron kicked in. There were some things changed because of the pandemic but they took a lot of precautions and I felt very safe doing my study abroad with them. I loved every second of it. They have a good amount of group activities where you can get to know other people but a great balance of free time outside of your courses to explore. I was able to do so much in the few months I was there and as soon as I left decided I needed to move back. I was accepted into grad school in London this year. This program gave me the opportunity to feel out a new place and learn to love it while having a support system of people familiar with the area. It absolutely changed my life for the better.

I did the London College of Fashion study abroad experience and it was the best summer of my life!!! API was extremely helpful in everything from getting off the plane at Heathrow to my last week in London, API made England feel like my home away from home!!!! I loved every second of it and was able to fully immerse myself into the new culture in England. API was there every step of the way planning fun events and making sure I was taken care of the whole time! They showed us the ropes of the tube and took us on tours all over London and even cities and towns outside of London! I seriously could not have asked for a better summer!

Going to London for study abroad was exactly what I needed in my life. It gave the independence and the friendship I craved, but it also made me learn about different cultures and ways of life different from my own. I was able to go to so many tourist destinations in the city very easily using public transit. London's public transportation--although can get pricey--is one of the best on the planet and it was one of my favorite parts about studying aboard in London. My favorite places include Kew Gardens, the West End theater scene, The Tower of London, Camden Markets, The National Gallery, The Victoria and Albert Museum, etc. and that's not including all the things in did in England overall. And a decent amount of museums are free which helps with budget planning for tourist things. However, if you are not into culture or learning about culture, this city isn't for you. Music, art, religion, and history spill into every direction in London and you have to be prepared to soak it all in. There were a few criticisms and warnings about this program that I will advise; however, despite all of this, this program was well worth the cost. The living situation had it's ups and downs. If you are used to living in a crowded dorm or house, and need privacy and space, the living situation is great! The only things you will have to share are the kitchen, common room, and laundry machines for the most part. The bathrooms in each room are incredibly tiny though, so I wouldn't buy like a rolling shower caddy because it won't fit. A lot of people I knew put the shower curtain over the toilet to give themselves extra room. A constant problem I had was that the bathroom would flood as the rain would clog every two or three showers, so cleaning the bathroom constantly was a must. Also, the place I lived didn't provide almost any cleaning supplies which for a four month stay with only two suitcases worth of stuff is quite inconvenient. So, If I were to repack for this trip, I would forgo majority of clothes I brought and bring cleaning supplies instead particularly a travel Swiffer, a duster, Clorox wipes, mini trash bags, and felt foldable bins for multi purpose storage. I luckily brought 3 felt foldable storage bins which I used to store clothes in the closet and as a trash can. Because yah you can buy that stuff there, and I did, but the place I lived didn't have a good vacuum or mop and the floors got so gross. Plus, Primark clothes are so good and cheap. Also, if you are trying to budget for stuff prior to your trip, save at least 10-20 pounds each week for laundry. Laundry was one of the more expensive and inconvenient things in London. I would not save all your laundry for when you have time, but do one small load a week. But actually considering all that, food in the grocery store was not that expensive compared to American prices. The grocery stores are smaller and don't have as much of a selection, but if you actually do the conversions you will save so much on groceries. I normally spent about 10-20 pounds on groceries a week on about 5-10 items whereas in the United States on the same amount of items, I spent 70 dollars. Trust me, I cry every time I enter an American grocery store now. Overall, this program was absolutely amazing. The pros outweighed the cons by a significant amount. I got to meet so many people, and have so many adventures. Before my trip, I had a lot more regret because of my choices. I constantly wished for a time machine. But if I went on a different path academically or socially, I wouldn't have had this experience and it really made up for hardship I went with before. So if you are considering going but are thinking about all the things you will miss on campus or missing your friends, I would still go because think about the new friends and adventures you are missing by not going. Trust me, your friends will be waiting for you once you get back. I wouldn't have trade this experience for anything as the impact it had on my mental health and self esteem was priceless.

The past me would never have agreed to study abroad. I was afraid and scared, as I was never the person who took on challenges. I was always the person who played it safe. However, studying abroad in London taught me that it is okay to take risks without knowing the challenges ahead. I want to thank my good friend Emily, who persuaded me to study abroad. I gave her the story of how I could not study abroad this year because it did not align with my schedule, and she said, "Just do it anyway, this is the perfect year to do it." (Context: I was set to graduate one year early." She was studying abroad at her university in London around the same time as me, but she is the type of person who helps me break out of my shell and lets me be the best version of myself. Also, thank you to the API Abroad team for being so patient, they are seriously the sweetest team of people ever. The three weeks that I have been in London have felt like I was there for one week. The first day was very scary and I was thinking, "Will I like London?" It is obviously a challenge to be by yourself in a country for the first time. I felt like an American tourist due to how I was asking literally every British local on how to navigate the tube. It felt scary because I am the type of person to easily get lost and using my iPhone for Maps caused my battery to decrease faster than usual. But then, the fear of annoying every British local turned to me feeling like a British local. Comfortably, I was able to go solo to the tube by myself and go to places where I never would have imagined going by myself. I found out that I love musical theatre. I was in London and musicals are what they do best (besides New York, and I have never been there sadly). I went to Crazy For You (with a friend), Wizard Of Oz, Moulin Rouge, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet dance production. Going to these fun events by myself helped my confidence grow day by day and me having not have to worry about social pressure. I did what I wanted to do in London and that is the beauty of doing things solo. It made me stronger as a person and helped my fears of doing things by myself in a big, diverse city. The education between the U.S. and the U.K. is very different. I was afraid I might have not set my priorities straight since I am here to learn (of course!) and not on vacation. I loved the hands-on experience because my professor planned the field trips 7 months in advance. What an honor as we went to The CommonWealth and the IMO (stands for International Maritime Organization). We also had guest speakers who worked in very prestigious companies and shared their expertise with a group of future business leaders (us!). It was such an amazing experience and I am so grateful to have a professor like Dr. Evangelos Markopoulos and UCL for giving me the opportunity to go to their summer school. API Abroad did such an amazing job of providing fun and unique excursions to us! I only went to a few which is Jack The Ripper Tour (was so afraid, but so interesting since I love true crime). Additionally, I went to the production of The Tempest. I find that maybe Shakespeare is not my cup of tea and that is alright. Another excursion I went to was the StoryBook dinner which I tried British food (steak and ale pie with sticky toffee pudding). The storyteller did such an amazing job telling us the story of London and his thoughts on Prince Harry. Overall, I can not complain about how API Abroad is so, so nice. We don't talk about the housing. The showers were so small, but the employees at our accommodation were so helpful and sweet. Let's just say I do not miss the showers but I am so grateful to live in a place that felt safe for me as a woman. Now, all I can think about my study abroad trip is to go back to London immediately (during Christmas of course!). To talk about my experience in a Taylor Swift song...all I can think of is the song "All You Had To Do Was Stay" (Taylor's Version)! I wish I did stay but thank you to API Abroad and UCL!

I studied abroad with API during the fall 2009 semester and my experience still positively impacts my life 10 years later! I loved all the things that were included in the program, such as the excursions and cultural events, and I felt truly supported by the API staff both in the US and abroad. While in London, API gave me the opportunity to grow more independent and confident and I developed a love of travel. I am still great friends with many people I met while abroad. I highly recommend every student study abroad!

The London summer program at the University of Westminster turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected. They designed an international summer school, so you can meet students from all over the world. One of the best parts was the arranged rips, which made it easy to see a ton of stuff without having to plan it myself. That said, there is still plenty of time after class to explore London. Class was a few hours in the morning and then you had the rest of the day. There was still some homework involved, but it was manageable. I feel like I still learned a lot in class, but the teachers and school understand why you’re there. Some of my favorite memories were my trip to Wimbledon, visiting abbey’s and castles, Tower of London, and the numerous museums you can visit. There is so much to do and see in London, you will never be bored! To be honest, I wouldn't trade my study abroad experience for anything. Not only was the summer program in London a great fit for me, but API was as well. It was my first time abroad and my mom appreciated the support API provided. I was able to be independent but know someone was still there in case I needed something. Not only do you get information before and after your trip, but there are people physically there with you. I also really enjoyed our API group. We had some arranged outings like the Tower of London, which gave us a chance to get to know each other so you never felt alone. 8 years later and I still talk to many of them. If you are even considering studying abroad in London, go for it! You won't regret it. And API helped provide an amazing experience and I would highly recommend them if you plan to study abroad in London or anywhere.

I am so thankful to have had a provider like API to walk me through every step of the process. Both the staff in the US and on the ground in London made the experience truly seamless – I can't say enough about the ease of applying, arriving, and traveling while there because of API. Several of my peers who have studied abroad and done direct enrollment had to find their own housing and arrange all of their own excursions, but having those built into the API program and getting to meet other students from around the US at those excursions was awesome. It is always great to have some "familiar" faces when you're in an entirely new culture. The only critique I have is that we didn't have much opportunity to interact with British students or feel truly immersed in the culture, granted we were only studying in London for 3 short weeks. I have been itching to get back ever since leaving, and I know that the experience was such a positive one in great part thanks to API's hard work.

Academic Programs International responded to this reviewDecember 14, 2015

Hi Caleb - thank you so much for your kind words - this is why we do what we do!

I returned to London with API in the fall of 2014 for a semester abroad. I had went to London with API earlier in the year for spring break, it was a class trip and I really fell in love with the city. The week trip was very fast paced, ideal for seeing as much as we possibly could. The on-site API guides were fantastic and had amazing attitudes, always able to speak to culture and community, I learned so much in just a week. When I returned for a semester, I was surprised in the ways it got even better. Without the pressure of heading to class-related activities, we visited places for the fun of it, from the Harry Potter studio experience to comedy shows, they prepared it all and included it in our program fee. We were centrally located in the heart of London, a short walk from Kings Cross, St. James Park, The National Portrait Gallery, Big Ben, The London Eye, and so much more. It has been the peak of my undergraduate career and given me a grand idea of what I want my career in the arts and design to be. The University of the Arts London offered an unbelievable amount of studies to me as a student, with 7 campuses all open to me, and a world renowned design school I was attending (Central Saint Martins) I could not replicate the knowledge I was able to work through. This program taught me so much with so much freedom and socialization; I highly recommend it and even became an ambassador for UAL coming back to the states, promoting it everywhere that I could.

I LOVED going abroad and API couldn't have been more helpful! I recommend this program to anyone. They will help you every step of the way and so much more while you're there. My flatmate got ill and need to go to the A&E (The ER) And API took her there and stayed with her the entire time. You cannot go wrong with this program. They are friendly, helpful, understanding, and very fun.

My semester abroad with API was phenomenal. API provided me with numerous sources before, during, and after my time abroad that made my transitions flawless. The staff at the Austin office was so kind, and made me feel like family as I called them with numerous questions throughout the process. Once abroad, the support that the staff in London gave me was great. They took care of every concern that I had, and always made me feel welcome to ask questions or pose concerns. The housing and location of the housing couldn't be any better. We were put into a 5 person co-ed flat that was fully furnished. It had two bathrooms, a central living area that had a kitchen and dining area, and felt like home right away. The location was in the heart of London about a 3 minutes walk from the Tottenham Court Road Tube station. The events that API sponsored allowed us to see all of the local historical attractions, as well as a few excursions that were further out (such as a visit to Stonehenge, as well as one to Warner Brother's Harry Potter Studio). We did some really cool events within the city that made me feel like I had truly become a citizen of London. Overall, I could not be more satisfied with my experience with API. The courses at UCL that I took were perfect, and the API staff is to thank; they helped me pick them all out. They made me feel like a member of their family, and that is something I will never forget!