CAPA London: Study & Intern Abroad

Studying abroad for a semester was the best experience of my life. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity and I would do it again in a heart beat! I learned and grew so much during my time abroad and I came back as a completely different person. Interning was probably one of my favorite parts because I was given opportunities I never thought I would be given. My favorite part was going to London Fashion Week. Even though I had classes and a job, I still had so much opportunity to travel and explore with my friends. 10/10 recommend.

CAPA London was a fast-paced and fantastic experience!

The CAPA courses were dynamic, yet manageable. My favorite class was 20th Century British History. It was particularly interesting to learn about the London boroughs and UK immigration in the 20th century.

I had a very positive experience at my internship at a charity/ community center. I made immediate connections with my co-workers due to their warm and welcoming personalities. My one critique about the CAPA internship programs was that I was not satisfied with my placement. Though I loved my co-workers at my internship, I wish I was placed at a fashion/style company.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience exploring London, making friends, and documenting every beautiful and crazy moment.

While the Villanova program is different than the standard, studying abroad through London CAPA was fantastic due to the resources that they provided. From their work pairing me up with a summer internship to planning various excursions around London, I loved my time in the city. Before I left the US, I met with a CAPA advisor to discuss internship preferences, tailoring it to my interests. Living in an apartment by Tower Bridge, I was able to use the Tube to commute to the internship and then spend the afternoons and nights exploring the city, either with the larger program or with close friends. As a large program, we had numerous events planned such as attending the Wimbledon, visiting Lloyds, and so much more!

At first, I was hesitant to study abroad because I fear that I had to do everything on my own and I was also worried about money. CAPA helped me every step of the way and made sure that I was all set before the departure. They also helped me with my financial issue by letting me know of the scholarships they offer to students who are in need of financial help. They were available all the time for questions and inquires. They got back to me very quickly when I emailed them my concerns and questions. They had different orientations for students studying abroad to come to learn more about the process and to meet with others. I love that they paired me with a "manager" to who I can reach out at any time. Every student is paired with their own "manager", who helps them with the entire process.

Studying abroad was of course a great experience! Studying abroad with the CAPA program enhanced my time abroad dramatically. There were always opportunities to immerse ourself in the culture from the activities that CAPA planned for students. Even with our time getting cut short due to COVID CAPA remained organized and kept all students best intentions in mind. CAPA's program was very organized and as a student in a country that is not their own I felt this was critical to making sure everyone's time abroad ran smoothly and it did.

Studied in London with CAPA fall 2019 - before COVID hit. So much fun, met some of my best friends there. Staff is great. Internship experience was amazing - still in contact with site supervisors! Great location within London! **your travel is included with the program cost so you do not have to keep topping up your oyster card (unless you go out of the designated zones) BIG PLUS! I stayed in a homestay but CAPA's my global city events allowed me to interact with more people in the program and explore the city in a way that was outside of my comfort zone but allowed me to thrive.

Studying and interning abroad in London through CAPA was one of the best choices I've made. I met amazing people both at my internship site and the people I shared a flat with, expanding my network internationally. I learned so much about myself professionally, academically, emotionally, and socially, and am so happy to have the experience I did. Even though my program was cut a month short due to the pandemic and increasing threat levels, CAPA made sure everyone got home safely and in a timely manner.

Very appreciative my semester with CAPA. I studied abroad in London in spring 2019 and it was extremely helpful to have my housing, transportation, courses, and internship sorted out before arriving. They were able to fulfill my roommate request, so I was fortunate enough to live with my best friend in West Kensington. While it wasn't the biggest flat, the two of us lived very comfortably and even had a weekly cleaning service. It was a safe and convenient location in central London, plus the CAPA emergency/safety app helped me feel more at ease. The CAPA staff in London were available on site to offer assistance with classes and internships, important resources such as how to set up our phone plans, and recommendations of their favorite places. We also had the opportunity to go on some tours and excursions - most memorable were my trips to Oxford and Stonehenge & Bath. My courses and (guaranteed!) internship were aligned with my academic and professional goals. The one downside to the program is that my classmates were all American students. However, I ended up creating friendships with other Pitt students on my program and was able to maintain them once we were home.