FSU’s International Programs (IP) show face at almost every event on campus. There’s a first-year abroad opportunity for freshmen, dance-based programs in France, and programs available to all undergraduates; they have study centers in London, Florence, Valencia, and Panama City. In Summer 2025, I attended one of the four-week programs in London, England, and it was the best experience of my FSU career.
While in London, I saw a handful of shows, ate at various restaurants, and travelled to different cities. I went to class, obviously, but also explored the parks and stores that scatter the city. FSU London gives you a ton of information before heading abroad, making sure every student is prepared for the time away.
However, there were a few things I wished I’d known before going. They wouldn’t have changed my decision, but I would’ve had fewer complaints listed on the end-of-term survey.
Housing
The FSU London Study Center is infamous for squeezing as many students into a room as possible. I went in expecting this, and instead, my program was housed in apartments 10 minutes away.
There was no indication that we wouldn’t be in the FSU building, so imagine my shock when the program assistant led us out to the streets of London to find our apartments. To make matters worse, they didn’t even place the whole program in the same off-campus building, sticking three of us in one and the other seven in another.
Where we stayed was called Bedford Place, on the other side of the British Museum. It was closer to King’s Cross, but farther from the meal voucher restaurants. It was incredibly difficult to navigate the crowds outside the British Museum daily, making sure not to be pick-pocketed alongside tourists.
Living outside of the study center also left us without resources, since many things were different from the study center. Maintenance issues required us to go to the Bedford front desk, trash took a week or two to figure out, and the cleaning schedule was far different from the study center. None of this was talked about at orientation; we were just given a simple sheet of paper and our key.
The place wasn’t terrible; there were only three of us in the apartment, and that was a benefit to living away from the study center. We did face a few issues that were up to us to handle without any program assistants or security: a rat in the kitchen, someone entering our room unannounced, and construction starting at the crack of dawn. A fox did live on our street, though, so that was definitely a plus!
Meal Vouchers
FSU London grants each student £70 of meal vouchers for the four-week summer session. They don’t say what your vouchers will get you until you’re handed the papers, but it’s nice to know what restaurant options are available when budgeting your grocery money abroad.
When I was there, our vouchers were split between three restaurants: Salt & Pepper, ELWIN, and Eatopia. Salt & Pepper is your basic coffeehouse and restaurant, specializing in coffees and pastries but also offering sandwiches and pastas. ELWIN is also a coffeehouse, but the only food they sell is classic bakery items, like muffins and croissants.
Eatopia is a Korean take-out restaurant and, to be honest, it was my favorite of all the options. They had sweet and sour chicken, various types of rolls, and buildable bowls. None of the restaurants were particularly bad, but it was a little shocking to learn that two out of the three restaurants closed at 5 p.m., leaving only one meal voucher valid for dinners.
Public Transportation
London’s public transportation is so easy to use as a visitor. Included in your study abroad tuition, you receive a transportation card that covers a decent number of Tube tickets. Figuring out the system of buses and the “Tube” that runs the city is very simple, especially in the technological age we live in now.
At our orientation, we were told to download an app called Citymapper, and it was one hundred percent worth it. Anytime I wanted to go anywhere, especially by myself, I’d use this app to find which Tube station to go to and how long the ride would be.
It has setting options for bus stops or Tube stations, and I’m pretty sure you can even use it to call a cab. Leaving Tallahassee and going to a big city where many people use public transportation daily may feel intimidating. In all honesty, though, the transportation vouchers FSU London gives you are incredibly useful, especially when working hand in hand with Citymapper.
Free time
There’s so much to do in London, so many sites to see and museums to visit, and the quick weeks may feel like they don’t provide enough time. When I was there, I managed to do almost everything I wanted to before my four weeks were up. I only had one class, three days a week, averaging around three hours.
On Wednesdays, we had FSU London-wide trips to places like Cambridge and the Tower of London, but still, with only three days free, there was still so much time on my hands.
While abroad, I saw eight shows on the West End, visited every big museum, and even spent a few days with my friends who flew over to see the city. I was worried at first that I wouldn’t be able to go to Hyde Park or see a Cabaret show, but between all the group excursions and class lectures, I was out and about as often as I could be.
I found free time after class or before, the nights following excursions, and even the last few days in the city. No matter how worried you are, you’ll have a plethora of free time to see and do everything you’ve dreamed of while abroad.
Despite my grievances, I wouldn’t trade FSU London for anything. I wish my program had been longer, or I had done more on my ‘must do before leaving!’ list. The group excursions were incredible, and although the price was shocking, I definitely made every penny worth it.
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