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England Study Abroad Program in London

About Royal Holloway University in London, England

Required GPA: 3.0 (4.0 scale)
3.3 (4.0 scale) for drama and history
Application deadlines: October 15 for spring semester (Jan-June)
April 15 for fall semester (Sept-Dec)
April 15 for full year (Sept-June)
Program advisor: Chris Haynes

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Program Snapshot

We're so excited that you're considering IFSA-Butler's program at Royal Holloway, University of London for your semester or year abroad. Although Royal Holloway is a University of London, it is actually located in Egham, near Windsor, about 40 minutes by train from downtown London. You will be studying on a self-contained campus rather than living in the big city, so be aware of the difference between Royal Holloway and other London universities when applying for this program. We're sure you're going to love studying there!

There are a few specific forms for this program that you will need to complete along with your IFSA-Butler application. You can find the forms under the Forms tab.

What Royal Holloway has to offer

Outstanding academics on a beautiful, self-contained campus
Excellent teaching in the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences
A friendly and supportive environment
Easy access to central London without its high cost of living
On-campus restaurants, shop, bank, bookstore, chapel, health center and two libraries
The University of London's best sporting college with superb new sports complex and playing fields
An active students' union that sponsors more than 100 clubs and societies as well as entertainment, bars, a newspaper and a radio station
Part of the University of London, so students can use the University of London Union's excellent facilities

Housing

Housing is in Royal Holloway's new apartment-style residences on campus
Housing includes single bedrooms and private bathrooms
Students purchase meals in the college refectories or prepare their own meals in shared kitchen facilities
Students may stay in their housing over academic breaks

Academics

Students may study in up to three departments
Students take four courses per semester

We look forward to working with you!

Academics

Courses

Where can I find a list of courses that the university offers?
Open the Royal Holloway, University of London online course catalog.

What courses am I eligible to take?
As an IFSA-Butler student, you are entitled to enroll in undergraduate courses for which you are qualified and in which space is available. Course descriptions in the online course catalog (see above) include prerequisites you must fulfill in order to enroll in each course.

You are limited to three departments at Royal Holloway, University of London. You are not permitted to take classes in more than three departments during your semester or year abroad. Once a decision is made by the department(s) at Royal Holloway, a formal offer of admission will be sent to you, detailing the study option for which you are provisionally enrolled and the course units for which you will be provisionally registered. This will be your study plan, which will be finalized upon your arrival at Royal Holloway. Please be aware that courses can be cancelled at the last minute, so your study plan could change. If this happens, your advisor at Royal Holloway will work with you to come up with alternative courses.

When determining which courses to take, please bear in mind that the English academic system is an intensive, three-year program.

First-year (Level One) courses are appropriate for departments in which you have little or no prior experience.
Second-year (Level Two) courses will be equivalent to advanced sophomore or junior-level U.S. courses.
Third-year (Level Three) courses will be equivalent to senior-level U.S. courses.
Fourth-year courses and higher are part of a postgraduate degree (Masters or Ph.D.). You are not eligible to take these courses as an undergraduate study abroad student.

What if I need to take a required course?
Please be aware that IFSA-Butler cannot guarantee that your host university will offer a particular course, or that you will be allowed to take that particular course. However, if you need to take a required course, you may indicate that it is required on your course preference form. Your IFSA-Butler program advisor will communicate your needs to your host university.

Course Restrictions

Are there any course or departmental restrictions?
You are limited to three departments at Royal Holloway, University of London. You are not permitted to take classes in more than three departments during your semester or year abroad.

Fourth-year courses and higher are part of a postgraduate degree (Masters or Ph.D.). You are not eligible to take these courses as an undergraduate study abroad student.

Credits

How many courses am I able to take, and how do I determine U.S. semester credit hours?
IFSA-Butler requires students to enroll in a full course load at the host institution. The number of courses you take depends on the credit value of the courses you select. A full course load at Royal Holloway is two course units for the semester (equivalent to 16 U.S. semester credit hours) and four course units for the year (equivalent to 32 U.S. semester credit hours).

Registration

What are the registration conditions?
You must take a full Royal Holloway, University of London course load as determined by IFSA-Butler. Credit will be awarded on a Butler University transcript based on a typical U.S. full course load. All courses are graded on an A-F scale, and there is no provision for pass/fail or auditing courses unless pass/fail is the only method of assessment for the course. You are not allowed to register for online, distance education or hybrid courses.

You should also be aware that you may be charged additional fees by your home institution or host university to take or process additional credits. Taking less than a full course load may jeopardize your student status and result in personal academic repercussions and/or loss of financial aid.

The course preference form is not a registration form; it is a guideline to let your host university know which courses you are interested in taking abroad. You should discuss your course selections with your academic advisor at your home institution and have several backup choices in mind. You will be officially registered for courses before you arrive on campus.

Exams

What do I need to know about exams?
Because of the differences in the academic systems, you will not know your exam schedule until after you arrive at your host university. Please refer to your program calendar to review the exam period for your host university. Your host university's policies do not permit you to reschedule any exams, request alternate assessments or arrange to have your exams proctored in the United States. If this occurs, IFSA-Butler cannot assist you in conducting an academic record query for the course in which you made this arrangement. You will need to complete and submit all academic work prior to departing the program.

Transcripts

How will my home university know what my classes were and what grades I received?
After you have returned to the U.S., your home university will receive a Butler University transcript with the credit you earned at Royal Holloway, University of London. The Butler University transcript will report the equivalent U.S. semester credit hours and letter grades. We also will send an official transcript to your permanent address.

Housing

Housing Options

What are my housing options?
Most students live in single en-suite bedrooms in self-catered halls of residence on Royal Holloway's self-contained campus. Students have private bathrooms and shared kitchens to prepare their own food.

You may request to live in a single room in Founders Hall. Students living in Founders Hall will share bathrooms and limited cooking facilities with other students. Founders Hall houses mostly postgraduate and non-traditional students, so there are very few social activities organized by the hall throughout the semester.

Meals

All accommodations at Royal Holloway are self-catering.

Housing FAQs

Is my housing included in the program fee?
Yes. Your program fee includes accommodation at the university while classes are in session. You will be responsible for the cost of your meals (whether a meal plan or self-catered) and any commuting costs you may incur. Some university housing requires students to move out during winter and spring breaks. If you wish to remain in residence during the vacation period(s), you must notify the university housing office upon arrival to make necessary arrangements. Staying in residence during university breaks may incur additional costs not covered by the IFSA-Butler program fee.

When will I receive my housing assignment?
You will most likely receive your housing assignment one to two weeks before your departure. However, in some cases you may not receive your housing assignment until you arrive in England for orientation. Your program advisor will notify you of your housing assignment via e-mail when it is released by the university.

Please keep in mind that while IFSA-Butler guarantees housing, we cannot guarantee your preferences.

Do I have to pay a housing deposit?
Yes. IFSA-Butler requires a refundable housing deposit of $300 before going abroad. We will return this deposit to you after March 1 for fall programs or September 1 for spring and year programs, less any fines, damages or outstanding debts in your name.

Can I arrange my own housing?
Yes. IFSA-Butler recognizes that some students require independent housing for their time abroad. If you choose not to take advantage of our guaranteed housing, you may sign up for independent housing on the housing preference form. Once you've made this choice, we will not provide housing for you or bill you for the accommodation fee.

Please be advised that housing costs can be high abroad, and many times students living independently end up spending more money than students living in IFSA-Butler arranged housing. If you are hoping to save money by arranging housing on your own, please research your options early so you can compare costs. You must notify us of your intention to live in independent housing by December 1 for spring and semester 1 programs or by May 1 for fall and semester 2 programs. We are not able to accommodate independent housing requests after these date

Location Info

Living and Studying Abroad in London, England

About London
Population: 9 million
Location: Southeast England

City features

One of the most cosmopolitan, hip cities in the world, with an atmosphere of excitement and sophistication
A major global city with remarkable cultural, historic, artistic, political and intellectual offerings
Home to many universities scattered throughout different neighborhoods, each with its own atmosphere and attractions
A diverse population with more than 300 languages spoken within the city
One of the world's leading business and financial centers

Do more!

Use London's excellent transportation links to explore continental Europe
Take advantage of Britain's extensive rail system to visit other areas of the U.K.
Take a break from the constant bustle of London and experience the beautiful and historic regions of England

Links
Visit London
London On Line
London Net
Time Out: London
London Town
London Transport
BBC

Dates & Fees

Program Dates

Royal Holloway, University of London dates for spring 2012 coming soon!
Click here to view our full England program calendars.

Program Fees

Royal Holloway, University of London fees for spring 2012 coming soon!
Click here to view our full England fees.
What's included in our England program fees
Expense calculator

Personal Cost Estimates

Personal cost estimates for spring 2012 coming soon!
Click here to view our full list of England personal cost estimates.
Expense calculator

Forms

To apply to the Royal Holloway, University of London program, use our easy online application.

Applicants to the Royal Holloway, University of London program must complete additional forms as part of the application process:

We must receive these forms before we can send your application to Royal Holloway, University of London for an admissions decision. They can be sent to IFSA-Butler via email, fax or regular mail. Please submit these forms with the remainder of your program application.

If you have already started an application to the Royal Holloway program, you can track which forms IFSA-Butler has received by logging into the student portal.

Meet Your IFSA-Butler Team

IFSA-Butler has a dedicated team of staff who are here to help students prepare for their program in England.

Program Advisor Chris Haynes prepares students to study abroad by assisting them with the application process and answering any pre-departure questions. Chris can be reached at the email link provided above or at 800-858-0229 extn: 4251. Chris graduated from Butler University where he earned his undergraduate degree, studied abroad and even played four years of collegiate football for the Butler Bulldog football team. While abroad he taught English as a second language and traveled extensively throughout Europe. He currently advises students planning on studying abroad in England and Australia.

alt Student Accounts Coordinator Angelita Shaffer assists with the financial side of study abroad and processes payments and invoices. Angelita can be reached at the email link above or at 317-940-4221.

alt Student & Parent Services Manager Donnetta Spears is available to both students and parents for travel questions and information. Donnetta has worked with IFSA-Butler for 11 years, and she has traveled through parts of Europe, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand. As the mother of 4 college students (including one who studied abroad on an IFSA-Butler program), she has a deep understanding of the ins-and-outs of study abroad from a parent perspective. Donnetta can be reached at the email link above or at 317-940-4252.

Once abroad, our students are in the capable hands of our on-site office, including our resident directors. Click here to read more about Resident Directors Lynne Alvarez and Andrew Williams.

alt Upon return from your study abroad program, Assistant Director for Academic Affairs Rhonda Hinkle processes your Butler University transcript and assists with any academic record queries. Rhonda completed her undergraduate coursework at the University of Evansville and received her master's degree from Bowling Green State University. Currently she is working on her Doctorate in Adult, Community and Higher Education at Ball State University. For Rhonda, study abroad not only increased her awareness of the world around her but also ignited her passion for travel and education. Rhonda can be reached at the email link above or at 800-858-0229 ext. 4259.

Get Connected

Social Media

Connect with IFSA-Butler Students

If you really want to know what it's like to study abroad, connect with IFSA-Butler alumni and students who are currently abroad on an IFSA-Butler program. Check out the following:

Student Network
Student Blogs
Experiences Abroad Videos
For Students