Study Abroad | London

Housing

STUDENT RESIDENCE

During your time abroad you will live in London, within easy travel of the AIFS Global Education Centre and Shakespeare’s Globe, the many museums, galleries, theaters and green open spaces of central London. Housing will be in shared rooms in a student residence.

Internet access is included in all AIFS housing in London.

City Facts

Population

London has a diverse range of peoples and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken within its boundaries. London had topped 9 million people in 2020.  

Culture

London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural institutions, including the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, British Library and 40 West End theaters.

Transportation

London’s transportation system is also renowned, and the London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world.

Site Staff

AIFS in London Resident Director, Summer Program

Dr Elizabeth Wesner

For over ten years I have been working in international education, across the US, UK and Asia. I have been lucky enough to live in Tianjin, Hong Kong and Liverpool but I look forward to welcoming you to my capital city, London. I was brought up in a small rural town in Central Virginia before leaving to study Education at the University of Virginia. During my college years, I spent the summer months working and studying with foreign students in China and South Korea. These experiences were life-changing, leading to my career in international education. Only one out of every ten American students studies abroad, so simply being on this program makes you stand out from the crowd. My team and I will make sure you make the most of your study abroad opportunity and look forward to welcoming you to London.

The Resident Director provides academic advice, introduces you to the community and handles communication with the University.

Cultural Activities

Learning does not begin or end in the classroom. To help you get a true taste of British life and culture, the AIFS staff organize an active social and cultural program.

A guided city tour is included in the program fee – see Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.

Shakespeare’s Globe program

To help you get a true taste of theater life, extracurricular activities have been arranged specifically for students on this program to enable you to become fully immersed in the life and work of the Globe. Activities include:

Theater performances: Attend 3 performances at the Globe and experience Shakespeare’s work just as theater-goers did in the 1600s.
All programs:

Other events are offered which are subsidized from student fees so students pay a much lower rate than they would if they bought tickets directly from local theaters and tour agencies. Last year’s activities included:

• Walking tours including Black London, Street Art and Harry Potter
• A sports event
• Day trips to Stonehenge and Salisbury, Oxford, Bath, Stratford Upon Avon and Brighton
• River boat cruise along the Thames
• Theater performances such as Wicked, Matilda, Les Misérables, and The Woman in Black
• Traditional afternoon tea