<p>The University of California system has an eight week summer study abroad program at Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge, where students can enroll in three courses(4 American units each) from a modified list specifically for UC students. These courses were designed specifically to cater for UC students, although they are taught by Cambridge faculty. </p>
<p>I really, really, want to study abroad in a UK institution, especially Cambridge. But I doubt whether or not 12,000 dollars is worth for only 8 weeks of instruction. In addition to academics, students get several perks, such as taking cultural excursions, visiting various historical sites, extravagant dining, ect. </p>
<p>The 12,000 $ covers:
Predeparture expenses (health clearance, student visa, etc.)
Round-trip airfare
UC fees
Cost of attending the host university
Accident and medical insurance
On-site orientation including program excursions
Room and board (apparently actual Cambridge dorms)
Optional excursions
Books and other incidental expenses
Local transportation
Automatic transfer of credits and grades to your UC transcript</p>
<p>So yes, I am enrolled in three extensive courses, in addition to excursions, so there is no question that this would be a legitimate program where for 8 weeks, I would actually feel like a Cambridge student (despite the modified course list for UC students). Do you guys think this program is worth it though?</p>
<p>Can you afford it? Would you have financial aid or scholarships available to help cover the costs? $12,000 is a lot of money, so it would be a shame to end up regretting it, no matter how much you enjoy it at the time. On the other hand, if it’s affordable for you, it sounds like you’re really interested in it. If I understand, it would be $1,000/credit (not really, since that $12k is total expenses, which is good that they include everything like airfare).</p>
<p>Normal tuition for an incoming American student is about $36,000 for 24 weeks of instruction.</p>
<p>So it seems like $12,000 is standard for an 8 week summer course.</p>
<p>Curious as to what classes you would take if you went.</p>
<p>If i were you i wouldn’t go. It’s not much more than a glorified holiday, just a way of Cambridge making money. No students and hardly any staff will be there. Apart from living there you won’t experience anything like a real Cambridge education.</p>
<p>Would also not do it, that’s huge amount of money you could spend in far better ways. Many people here go on summer programs in Cambridge or Oxford and mostly the names are more of an advertisment and help the U and private companies to make some money. You probably won’t really experience a real Cambridge education. </p>
<p>I’m not saying it’s not going to be fun or somewhat educational or anything. But for 12000$ you could travel half the world and 8 weeks of education-holidays doesnt seem like a worthwhile investment. Better make it a whole exchange term.</p>
<p>Although $12,000 sounds like a lot of money to the casual observer, it does include airfare and some excursions, and you will get 12 credits. The summer program my daughter will complete this summer would have cost about $8000 to $9000, in-state, full-pay, and it was a 10-credit program. No excursions, no airfare, no leaving the country.</p>
<p>The only question is if you can afford it. If you have to borrow money to go, it is not worth it. You can take a trip for much less than $12K.</p>
<p>ITA with Dionysus58 and tobiz.int.</p>
<p>If this is over the summer, this is simply a money making exercise for the university. They rent out their rooms when they’re empty (so DON’T be conned into sharing rooms either! They are normally all singles, but they put in extra beds and charge Americans the full price, because you think sharing is normal. It’s so NOT normal in the UK).</p>
<p>I highly suspect most of your tutors will be PhD students (I know, people always tried to recruit me to do this kind of thing at Oxford) or retired lecturers since pretty much no-one else is around during the summer, other than foreign students on courses such as this. You are also not even experiencing a UK course of study since it is a special one for UC (in other words, you could do this at UC).</p>
<p>For that length of time you don’t need a student visa if you’re American!</p>
<p>I suspect you will not be allowed to use any of the libraries, given that you have to pay for your own books. Most of the social institutions of Cambruidge uni will be closed up for the summer (not the town of coruse. The pubs will still be open!).</p>
<p>This is simply a glorified holiday. It may be fun, but if it would be financial struggle for you, it’s so not worth it (see also post by MD Mom). You could have a weeks holiday in Cambridge for $1000 maybe if you stayed somewhere cheap like a hostel.</p>
<p>It’s cheaper than top private colleges (Dartmouth, Stanford, etc.) in the US that are on the quarter system. A term (quarter, 10 weeks) costs $18000 in the US. Go for it if you can afford it.</p>
<p>Just to chime in that this is not worth the money. Oxford and Cambridge colleges fill up with Americans over the summer, as the real students all go elsewhere. In central O or C, you are as likely to hear an American accent as an English one in some parts of town.</p>
<p>It is not an exaggeration to say that many real Oxbridge students regard these courses with something like contempt: they have spoken to Americans who are there over the summer, and know how badly they get shafted (bad tutoring, easy courses, shared rooms, ‘cultural’ excursions at enormous cost).</p>
<p>And don’t kid yourself that you will be experiencing a Cambridge education. American undergraduate courses are way, way easier than a Cambridge course: if you are not (in the humanities) writing 1.5-2 8-10 page papers every week and discussing them for an hour either alone with a tutor, or with 1 or (rarely) 2 other undergrads, then you are getting screwed.</p>
<p>Cambridge faces strict government limits on how much it can charge EU undergrads. It subsidises them by taking money off foreigners for things likes this. Think how long it would take to repay $12,000 in loans.</p>
<p>Don’t be a chump.</p>
<p>keepittoyourself</p>