Semester in London
New for Spring 2024!
Unique Experiences
LIVE IN ONE OF LONDON’S PRIME AREAS
with easy access to museums, historical treasures, shopping, restaurants, and more
LEARN ABOUT BRITAIN AND CHINA’S SHARED HISTORY
with a community-led tour of Chinatown
MAKE USE OF QMUL’S AMAZING FACILITIES
like its rooftop observatory or media suites
950
STUDY MODULES TO CHOOSE FROM
5TH
RANKED PARTNER UNIVERSITY IN LONDON
250
LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN LONDON
Your Destination
Home of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, London is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. London is at the cutting edge of the arts scene and provides access to music, fashion, free museums, comedy, and theater. There are endless opportunities to find your perfect placement here and there are plenty of eclectic neighborhoods to explore during your time off. Home to nearly nine million people from all over the globe, you can hear 250 languages spoken in London. You will live and work in a busy, multicultural society.
CIEE London is right in the heart of central London, within walking distance of all the tourist highlights of the city. Located in a beautiful Georgian square in the University District, just moments from the British Museum and 10 minutes from Trafalgar Square and its art galleries, CIEE London has a lounge, cafe, and study areas – perfect for meeting up with fellow students outside of class. In the Center, you are a 10-minute walk from the British Library, a 15-minute walk from seeing the free-ranging pelicans in St James’s Park, and a 20-minute walk to the London Eye.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in London.
The Culture
EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- Tour London’s world-class art galleries, from The National Gallery, with its unrivaled collection of Old Masters, to Tate Modern where you can see art by international contemporary artists
- Investigate the legacies of post-colonialism with a visit to the Museum of London’s Sugar exhibition or the Bank of England’s Slavery Exhibition
- Visit Oxford or Cambridge and take walking tours through some of the famous beautiful colleges
- See where Macbeth was first performed and explore the celebrated 18th-century maze at Hampton Court Palace, a former royal palace of Henry VIII on the banks of the Thames
- Explore the Wellcome Collection, which charts the study of the evolutionary, historical, social, and institutional contexts of human development
- Discover street art and learn about the history of immigration on a walking tour of multicultural Brick Lane
- Participate in a steel drumming workshop and performance
- Get involved in university life by writing for the student newspaper and magazine or preparing a film or play for production
PROJECTS
A for-credit internship allows students the opportunity to gain practical real-world work experience in a local company within a variety of industry sectors. Students can choose to intern for NGOs, schools, publishing companies, marketing agencies, businesses, and more. Internships include weekly classroom components that enrich the experience.
Directed Independent Research is for qualified students who have demonstrated academic rigor and curiosity toward a particular research topic. Independent research topics will be approved by the CIEE London Director and must reflect a topic that is relevant to London or the UK. To be accepted into this course, students must submit a structured proposal with the topic of exploration, and the significance of the research topic as it relates to London/England, methodology, a literature review, and a schedule of research milestones. Upon research completion, students will present their findings to a panel of academics.
Program Blogs
3 Favorite Food/Dessert Spots in London
By: Abigail Sekyere London is a place filled with so much culture and diversity! Because of this there are lots of food options from traditional English food, ethnic food to... keep reading
3 things I love about London
By: Abigail Sekyere 1. I really loved how walkable London was. My friends and I would often walk around to places that we wished to go because everything was pretty... keep reading
CIEE Study Abroad Housing Options: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re considering a study abroad program, it’s likely that you’re also thinking about your housing options! While you’re anticipating exciting courses and foreign country exploration, having a better understanding... keep reading
HOUSING & MEALS
HOUSING
CIEE London offers a range of housing options, including residence halls or shared apartments, to ensure you're comfortable in your home away from home. All housing options are located in neighborhoods with convenient access to public transportation, shops, cafés, and eateries.
Standard Housing: Includes a compact double studio room at a student residence hall or a double room within a shared apartment. Shared apartments feature a kitchen, bathroom, common areas, and laundry facilities shared with other students. Residence halls boast common areas, a small kitchen, shared bathroom, and laundry facilities. Housing is located under 45 minutes from CIEE London.
Select Housing: Includes a double studio room at a student residence hall, with an en-suite bathroom and a shared kitchen. The residence hall boasts common areas, study rooms, and laundry facilities shared with other students. The residence hall is located approximately 30 minutes from CIEE London. Select housing requires an additional fee.
A note: Housing is on a first-come, first-served basis. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we’ll let you know before you arrive.
MEALS
Not included
Academics
Students take courses at CIEE London and can also take one course at our partner university, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).
CIEE London is set over three floors in a Georgian terrace overlooking Russell Square. It has its own classrooms, lounge, study, café, and terrace and is accessible by all students. Teaching takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Students will study alongside other U.S. study abroad students.
Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is composed of five institutions – the oldest of which was founded in 1785. In 2000, it took on its formal name, Queen Mary University of London. Today, QMUL is the only campus university in London, supporting roughly 25,000+ students across its five campuses. At any given time, there are more than 1,000 study abroad students living and learning at QMUL, making this university a wonderful place to connect with like-minded international students. QMUL’s roots are in STEM, humanities, business, and law. Students can expect an immersive British international university experience while here.
A note about QMUL assignment deadlines: Teaching takes place mid-September to mid-December for the fall semester and in almost all cases, fall-only students will complete their assignments within the teaching term. Exception: Students studying modules within the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) will have online examinations in January. In the spring, some courses/modules may have exams in the examination period in May and others will require the online submission of final essays into May, after the program end date. Students should check their course/module choices carefully on arrival so that they know what to expect.
Course Information
Academic Projects
Visual and Performing Arts
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Health Professions and Related Programs
History, Philosophy, Religion
Literature, Linguistics, and Writing
Social Sciences
Students can take a course in any discipline except medicine or dentistry. Preference for course/module allocation is given to those who require a course in order to stay on track to graduate from their home institution. Otherwise, course/module options requested by study abroad (associate) students are viewed equally alongside those requested by home students.
One course can be taken at QMUL, chosen from a catalog of 950+ choices at Levels 4, 5, or 6. These levels equate to the U.K. degree system, where students graduate after three years of full-time undergraduate study. Level 4 is equivalent to the first year, Level 5 to the second year, and Level 6 to the third year. Please note: Level 7 is a postgraduate level and courses at this level should not be chosen when applying. Some modules (courses) may not be available to study abroad (associate) students, but these can be filtered out when searching for options. You can search via discipline via the online Module Directory. You can refine by level and semester of study too. Examples of courses available include:
- A History of the Internet
- Nuclear Physics
- Cognitive Psychology
- Tort Law for Business
- Cultural Geography
- The Buildings of London
- Pirates in the Golden Age
A list of limits on courses/modules is added to the online Module Directory in March for the fall semester and August/September for the spring semester. Searching for courses at these times will give you the most up-to-date information on what will be available when you arrive at QMUL.
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI Grant
- Trailblazer Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.
Dates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $13,956**
Housing = $6,500
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $20,950Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,320†
International Airfare = $1,250††
Local Transportation = $600
Books & Supplies = $200
Visa Fees = $0†††
Personal expenses = $220††††
Total Costs = $3,590Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee:
Select Housing Fee = $750^
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For groceries if you plan on making your own meals, budget more money if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Unless a student is completing an internship, there are no visa fees for academic programs under six months in the UK for US-passport holders. US-passport holders stay in the UK on a Visitor visa.
††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
^first-come, first serve, based on availability
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $13,956**
Housing = $6,500
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $20,950Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,155†
International Airfare = $1,250††
Local Transportation = $600
Books & Supplies = $200
Visa Fees = $0†††
Personal expenses = $190††††
Total Costs = $3,395Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For groceries if you plan on making your own meals, budget more money if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Unless a student is completing an internship, there are no visa fees for academic programs under six months in the UK for US-passport holders. US-passport holders stay in the UK on a Visitor visa.
††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Mark Simmons
Center Director
Mark is a Scot, a Brit and a Londoner. He has an MA in History from the University of Aberdeen and a postgraduate degree in Administrative and Information Management from...
Dr. Miriam Handley
Associate Director
Miriam studied at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and at the world-famous drama school the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She has worked as a lecturer and author for...
Seán O’Donnell
Student Life Manager
Seán O’Donnell studied Anthropology at Goldsmiths – perhaps that’s why he is so good at working with students as they explore and study with us in London! He has worked...
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