UW-Platteville Education Abroad has been helping students from across the United States study at St Mary's University since 1998. Since then, students from more than 130 universities nationwide have chosen to study abroad in London, England through UW-Platteville Education Abroad.

Founded in 1850, St Mary’s University is the only Catholic university in London and the largest in the UK. The Catholic ethos of St Mary's University provides students with a values-based education that is open to all, and where all students and staff are respected and valued.With a total enrollment of about 4,000 students, international students from around the world account for nearly 10 percent of the student population, bringing a unique international perspective to St Mary’s University.

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"Oh to, Oh to be, Oh to be a Simmie!" rings out as the giant, red, double-decker bus pulls out of the university parking lot and onto the narrow London streets. The students on the bus chant and sing over and over as I try to decipher their mash of accents to determine what in the world a 'Simmie' could be. After my first night out as a student at St. Mary's Univeristy in Twickenham, I realized that it was me. A simmie, or student at St. Mary's, does not just mean a person who attends lectures and seminars on campus. When you enroll at St. Mary's, you join a warm, welcoming family of 'simmies,' making university a place to call home for the semester, year, or your lifetime.

From the moment you wake up in your hall, your classmates are just a mere (paperthin) wall away. Breakfast at the refectory becomes a game and competition to see who can get the most out of their 3 breakfast points, and lecturers interact with you on a first name basis. Campus life thrives with events all week long including the ever popular quiz night at the on campus pub and bus to club every Wednesday. The purchase of a five pound wristband gets you a round trip bustrip and entrance into a nearby club. The weekly event has become somewhat of a school tradition, and the camaraderie that grows from these chant-filled bus rides builds connections and friendships that last a lifetime.

Weekends can be filled with lounging at the campus pub or coffee shop or spent exploring central London which is a mere 30 minute train ride from the Strawberry Hill station. With never-ending excitement on and off campus, it's no wonder students are so proud to call St. Mary's their home. Although I only spent a brief semester in Twickenham, the students at this university were so welcoming and inclusive, I grew fully immersed and accepted into their culture and day to day life. I know I always will have a place at St. Mary's; for once a Simmie, one's always a Simmie. Now go ahead, become one too.

What would you improve about this program?

More student-lecturer engagement. The lack of assignments made it hard to grow as a student because most assessments were not until the end of the term.

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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

What is one piece of advice you'd give future students traveling with your program?

Embrace the experience. That sounds like it would be a given, but there are so many instances where I saw fellow travelers complaining about cultural differences or absorbed up in life back home when they could have been truly jumping into the challenge.

Don't get me wrong - I missed my family and friends, but now that I'm home I see that importance of appreciating every single moment that you’re away.

Everyone back home will still be there to welcome you with open arms when you return, but never again will you have this experience with the same people, in the same place, and with the same opportunities.

Some days may be hard, but take it by the reigns and dive in head first. When all is said and done, you will want to be able to say without hesitation that you lived your experience to the fullest extent.

What was the best place you visited outside of your home-base city?

Over spring break, my friends and I traveled to Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. I was hesitant to travel to countries where I was so unfamiliar with the language and customs and equipped with only a loose set of plans.

However, my stay in Munich, Germany ended up being an unexpected favorite travel spot. We took opportunities for cheap travel options such as getting there from Switzerland by bus, staying in a hostel, and going on free walking tours.

This allowed us to budget money to travel outside of the city and visit the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles and war memorials such as Dachau Concentration Camp. By spending five days really becoming familiar with the city, it easily became our favorite destination.

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Describe your program socially and academically.

Whenever I talk to someone about St. Mary's they are amazed by the sort of experiences I had because of the school itself. The university and students take pride in their events and constantly encourage others to get involved and join in on the fun.

Every Tuesday night the school has Pub Quiz night at their campus pub, every Wednesday features the popular Bus 2 Club where a wristband gets you transportation and admittance into a nearby club, and Fridays have campus parties in the union.The school also has a Summer Ball, Varsity Day, and many other school-wide activities.

With this many events, it almost takes effort to avoid getting involved socially. Academics are much more independently motivated. Going to class and completing work is left to the student's will because attendance grades and weekly assignments are rare. Students who find success at St. Mary's know how to healthily balance the partying and the studying.

Do you feel you got a chance to see the city from a local's perspective?

In my opinion, one of the greatest aspects of the St. Mary's program is the immersion you receive into local life. While students who opt for the on-campus housing versus home stay experience this a bit more, all study abroad students have the chance to jump right in with the locals.

Living side by side and attending class with English students plays a huge role in this, but it is really the enthusiasm of the local students to meet new international visitors that makes forming these connections so seamless. From my experience, local students are eager to take you under their wing and show you the town and central London in a way where you don't feel like a tourist but a resident yourself.

Do you think your program changed you as a person?

If you truly embrace the experience abroad and take the countless opportunities St. Mary's has to offer, I think it’s nearly impossible to return unchanged. I personally gained confidence and a deeper understanding of myself and what I want for myself in the future. I have undoubtedly caught the "travel bug" and can't imagine my life without many more adventures around the globe.

Yet, no matter where I end up in the world, I know that this program has allowed me to become more accepting and open to different cultures and experiences. Before making the trip, I only knew the cookie-cutter lifestyle of my small suburban town in Wisconsin. Now, I have lived and studied with people from all walks of life and am better equipped to appreciate the differences I will encounter in my personal and professional life.

Location

Location:

London

Currency:

English Pound

Weather:

Jan-Mar

52 F / 36 F

Apr-Jun

70 F / 43 F

Jul-Sep

73 F / 52 F

Oct-Dec

61 F / 37 F

Airports:

London-Heathrow

( LHR )

Gatwick

( LGQ )

London Stansted

( STN )

London, although typically regarded for its architecture and city lifestyle, is made up of 40% public green space in the form of incredibly lush parks. London has created an environment where you can spend the day enjoying city life and then escape to Primrose hill, the Thames, or a walk by the canals.

About University of Wisconsin - Platteville

UW-Platteville Education Abroad has helped more than 10,000 students study abroad from more than 250 institutions nationwide since 1979. Our mission is to prepare global citizens by promoting global engagement, internationalize the university, and provide educational experiences that lead to learning and reflection in an international context to...

UW - Platteville at St. Mary's University

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