Urban & Regional Planning Study Abroad Programs in England

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.

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!

The experience of living and learning in a different country can be very daunting, but by establishing a welcoming community and organizing group events for the incoming students there anxiety quickly dissipated. There was such a sense of group unity and comfort established that there was always someone to support your decisions and listen to any concerns.

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!

I studied in Leeds from 09/18/19 - 12/14/19 and it was an absolutely amazing experience. Studying in Leeds allows you to fully immerse and integrate yourself in the life of a UK University student. While in Leeds I took two sociology courses and one history course. I enjoyed the content of my lectures and found the professors to be very engaging. I had about 150-200 students in each of my lectures and about 10-15 students in my seminars for each of my classes. For a housing accommodation, API placed us in an off campus residence hall with four other flatmates. In our flat, there were five individual bedrooms, with a shared bathroom and kitchen. We frequently had flat dinners together, which was really nice and helped all of us bond. Three of my flatmates were from England and one was from France. I loved that I lived with English students because I was able to learn a lot about the English culture from them. I ended up becoming really close with one of my flatmates. I still FaceTime her regularly and she is planning on coming to the US to visit this summer. The residence hall is a beautiful and easy 30-40 minute walk to campus and about a 15 minute bus ride. The bus is very easy and convenient to use, especially when it is raining. The bus pass is pretty cheap to buy and is is easy to use from an app on your phone. The University of Leeds campus and the city center has so much to offer and is absolutely beautiful. I ended up exploring a different part of Leeds every day that I was there. Everyone in Yorkshire is incredibly friendly and I always felt welcomed no matter where I was. I think my favorite part of studying with API was all of the excursions we went on. If you are someone who wants to explore England but might not do so on your own, attending the excursions are a great way to see and learn more about the UK. Our program director gave us historical details about all of the places we traveled to, which made the excursions both fun and educational. I looked forward to each and every one of our excursions. Some of the places we went were Whitby, Lincoln, Hadrian's Wall, Durham, London, a trip to a theatre performance, and a local comedy show. My time abroad definitely impacted my life in a positive way. I made numerous friends that I am still in contact with, I gained a significant amount of independence and confidence from my experience in Leeds and I have also learned to be able to adapt to new situations. If I had had the opportunity, I would have studied there for an entire academic year, or maybe even longer. I will definitely be returning to Leeds sometime in the near future.

The five months I spent in Leeds during the Spring 2019 semester were easily the best of my academic career, and probably my life. API considers every detail to make an experience perfect: integrating you with British students in your protected housing; offering excursions within Leeds (a show at the Leeds Playhouse, an afternoon tea in the Grand Arcade) and around Great Britain (a weekend in Edinburgh, a trip to plague village Eyam) to give you a real feel of the United Kingdom. Having academics at the University of Leeds is a brilliant endeavor, as I was never the only International student, but still learning beside English scholars in my lectures and seminars. I was able to take more challenging courses that easily transferred onto my home university transcript, proving I learned between nights out in City Centre and cheeky trips to London and Paris. Headingley is far enough from the hustling city that you feel safe when you fall asleep at night but aren't isolated from pubs, charity shops, and sporting events. Everything is within walking distance, but the public transportation is reliable, with bus systems taking you from Headingley to the Docks and everywhere in between, as well as a renovated train station sending you to the coast or Cambridge, and a coach station carrying you to Liverpool. Leeds is everything you would love about London but more intimate with English arts and culture.

I cannot say enough good things about this experience and this program! CIS Abroad was the perfect fit for me and what I wanted out of my study abroad experience. I made the decision to study abroad on a bit of a whim, and CIS Abroad was there every step of the way to help me along. First, the staff at CIS Abroad's home office in Northampton, MA is absolutely amazing. The people there who helped me were there for me for the entire thing - beginning the process of applying, getting accepted, and all the steps of preparation up until going to the airport and arriving in London! The on-site CIS Abroad staff were amazing, as well. Everyone at CIS Abroad was there to support me, and they all were so genuinely excited to help me on my journey! They even reached out to me multiple times during my program, and even after my program ended, just to chat and hear all about my experiences and see if I needed anything. The University of Westminster was also amazing. The opportunities I had in my classes there were unlike anything I have at my home university. I actually still keep in contact with some of the professors I had abroad (one is even writing a recommendation letter for me!). I stayed at the Marylebone residence hall, and it was amazing! It couldn't have been more perfect for what I wanted. It was right in the heart of London, within walking distance to all of my classes, and the nearest tube station was right across the street! Not only did I have a great experience due to the CIS Abroad staff and the University of Westminster, I also made amazing life-long friends and made irreplaceable memories - and you will too! I cannot express enough how thankful I am to this study abroad program for shaping me into the person I am today. I always thought I knew who I was as a person pretty well, but studying and living abroad taught me things about myself that I never would have discovered had I not gone abroad! So, get excited!!!! By picking this specific program, or another CIS Abroad program, I can guarantee you will have one of the best experiences of your life. :)

CIS Abroad responded to this reviewOctober 25, 2019

Thanks for sharing your experience, Claire! We’re so glad that you had such an amazing experience with CIS Abroad staff, both here in the States and on-site in London! It’s wonderful hear that that you felt supported throughout your entire study abroad journey from start to finish. It's also so great that you've been able to keep in touch with faculty and friends you met abroad! We’re so happy that you found the perfect program for you. We appreciate your review and are so glad you enjoyed your time in London!

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.

Studying abroad at the University of Leeds was the best decision I made! The staff at API are very supportive, informative and enthusiastic about international education. What is unique about the program at Leeds is the fact that you are experiencing the English culture through the lens of an English university student. This program is one of the only programs in England where you have the opportunity to live in student halls with English students, attend lectures with local students, and fully immerse yourself within the student community. Leeds is also easily accessible, there is a bus system in the city, a train station downtown, and an airport outside the city. Leeds is located within the countryside, so there is easy access to hiking and exploring historic sites in England. API also includes cultural excursions into the program to further teach you about English culture, such as trips to London, Edinburgh, and historic sites in Yorkshire. Beyond the immersive aspects of the program, Leeds offers a wide range of courses to enroll in. By taking art history courses not offered at my home university, I enhanced my academic studies and strengthened my research skills within the field.

Spending a semester at the University of Westminster in London was easily one of my best decisions in college! I absolutely loved the city, London is a place that you could spend a lifetime in and never be bored. There are so many different cultures that all come together there, so there's a huge variety as far as food, activities, languages, and people! I made friends with people from all over the world, which was a huge bonus. As far as living situations go, you're right in the heart of the city which makes it convenient to get to touristy places, as well as being in a good location to get to transportation and smaller, out of the way places. CISAbroad is awesome because the program coordinators plan excursions and cultural activities, which takes the pressure off of you to try and do every single thing. Some things we did in my program were take a weekend trip to Scotland, go to afternoon tea, and see a West End show. CIS also takes care of paying rent and applying to the university for you, which is a huge burden off your shoulders. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better program with better people in a better city!

I thoroughly enjoyed this program. The Onsite Directors were resourceful, helpful, and super friendly. It was comforting to have them as I lived in this foreign city. The university has a great study abroad office as well, so they were available for any questions I had regarding academics. Speaking of, academically I remained on track. I even had thee chance to take a class geared towards study abroad students: Modern Art in London. 10/10 recommend. I also had the freedom to explore and make new friends. My flatmates were all international and remain some of my best friends today (a year later!) I honestly fell in love with London and I could speak on it forever. If you're considering this program, don't forget to mind the gap!

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.

Their staff is very friendly and are there to help you with anything along the way. I was abroad in London and they did weekend trips and dinners. They made sure I was safe and knew where I was traveling.

This program is an excellent way to ease into travelling abroad. There is no English language barrier to overcome, and many of the customs are similar to those in America. Also, London is such an international city with diverse multi-cultural opportunities within its borders. Also, the European transportation system allows for easy travel between London and all of Europe, so it is a perfect launchpad for more adventurous souls. Regardless of what you are hoping to gain through your study abroad experience, you will find it here and much, much more than you can imagine! The CISAbroad staff are always available to answer questions and provide advice, or just a friendly face with an American accent. They are very knowledgeable about the area, the program, and how it feels to be far from home and family.

I had a great semester studying abroad in London through CIS abroad. However, I felt the school, University of Westminster was very unhelpful when I had issues living on their campus. I was placed on a campus where I had to commute 30-40 minutes to class everyday. Also, the University itself was often very rude and would try to nickle and dime me for almost all of my actions. London is a great city, and I did enjoy my time there. CISabroad was a great program and was very helpful but unfortunately I cant say the same about my experience with Westminster.