London Experience FAQs
The College of General Studies and Global Programs are happy to offer an 8-day “London Experience” program to students in the CGS Classes of 2023 and 2024. The program will run from May 14-May 22, 2022 and will count for one Hub credit in Creativity. Important details and answers to frequently asked questions are included below.
What does the $800 fee include?
The cost of the London Experience is $800 per student. This fee covers tuition for one Hub credit in Creativity, roundtrip airfare, seven nights lodging, breakfasts every day and two lunches and two dinners during the week, tickets for museum/play/historic site entrances, a Tube pass, and travel insurance (in case of delayed departure due to a positive Covid test). Students will need to pay for some lunches and dinners.
Is financial aid available for this program?
Yes, financial aid is available for students who already receive financial aid from BU. The aid will be the same percentage that students get for the regular academic year (e.g. if financial aid currently covers 25% of your BU academic year charges, then it will cover 25% of your London Experience Program fee, which would be $200 of aid for a reduced fee of $600). Students do not need to fill out a separate form for financial aid; once students have registered, we will pass along the information to the Financial Aid Office, and they will apply the appropriate amount of aid to students’ charges.
Can I take flights that are not the ones scheduled by WorldStrides?
Yes, students may wish to stay longer in the UK, or leave London for a destination not included in the group flights, but they will have to schedule and pay for the alternate flights themselves. (Anyone who wishes to arrive later than the scheduled group flights should clear this with Dean Natalie McKnight by emailing njmck@bu.edu and making arrangements with her for orientation upon arrival. No one should participate in this program if they need to arrive beyond one day late, and late arrivals may need to schedule their own Covid tests).
If I’m scheduling my own flight, can I deduct the cost of airfare from the $800 London Experience fee?
We cannot deduct the cost of airfare from the $800 program fee because airfare alone costs more than $800. The actual costs of this program per student are about three times what students are being charged. We are able to keep the fee to $800 because BU is covering the bulk of the expenses for the program.
Can I get a refund if I register and then withdraw?
Students will get a 100% refund (or simply not be charged to begin with) if they withdraw from the program by March 15, 2022 at 11:59 pm. Beyond that date, if students withdraw or WorldStrides has to cancel due to pandemic restrictions, partial refunds may be available; the amount will depend on how much WorldStrides can collect back from the vendors with which they have scheduled. All savings recovered by WorldStrides will be passed on to students.
I’m an international student—will WorldStrides help me secure a visa?
Yes, WorldStrides will help with the visa process, but students will have to pay for the visa themselves. The fee is usually around $170.
Will students receive regular grades for the one-credit London Experience, or will it be pass/fail?
Students will receive regular grades for the brief reflections and the creative work they produce for the one Hub credit in Creativity. They will be graded by the faculty assigned to their group.
Where will we be staying?