Have you always wanted to start your college career sporting a sophisticated British accent? 

While many incoming students can’t wait to arrive on the University of Massachusetts’ flagship Amherst campus, each year a select group takes advantage of a unique opportunity to launch their college journey by studying abroad for a semester. Every fall, a cohort of first-year students participate in the UMass Amherst Global Launch in London program, through which they live and learn in one of the world’s greatest cities.  

Hosted by CEA CAPA at its London Program Center in South Kensington, the program is offered through UMass Flex, which provides a range of flexible learning options and locations to adapt to students’ evolving needs throughout their academic experience. 

Jocelyn Canton, a public policy major from Newton, MA, completed her first UMass semester in London in fall 2022. While applying to colleges, she knew she wanted to study abroad at some point in her college career, and when she learned of the UMass Amherst Global Launch in London option, it sounded like a great opportunity. 

“It felt very manageable for my first experience abroad because the UK is English-speaking,” she said, “and the tuition was the same as if I had spent my first semester on the UMass campus. I loved being in a new place and getting to explore while taking classes.”  

Why Study Abroad as a First-Year Student? 

Students who participate in the UMass Amherst Global Launch in London program find that starting their UMass education overseas has many distinctive benefits—from learning about another culture and gaining global perspectives, to developing new skills and networks, to finding a sense of independence and self-confidence. 

For Canton, living in a major international city like London presented an unparalleled opportunity for personal growth. 

“It’s totally different than living at home or on campus in Amherst,” she said. “I had to learn how to do things like a responsible adult, from organizing my schedule to buying groceries to navigating public transportation. It was a real growing experience and left me much better prepared for the real world.” 

Being part of a small group of students in the UMass Amherst Global Launch in London program also allowed Canton to develop close friendships before arriving on campus. “I got to know all the other students in my cohort well, and we all became really good friends, even after the program ended,” she said. 

Hailie Duquette found her experience in London gave her “a great deal of independence that I’d been yearning for.” Traveling over 5,000 miles from her home in Arizona and living with a completely new group of people for three months left her feeling “like I can do anything, which has made me entirely more grateful for the opportunities I’m given.” 

For Dilara Onur of Plainville, MA, a finance student in UMass’s Isenberg School of Management, the decision to study abroad in London during her first semester in fall 2023 was a no-brainer.  

“I could not miss this opportunity to explore one of the financial capitals of the world while also immersing myself in London's contemporary and historical character,” she said. “My decision to go to London largely stemmed from my own desire to better understand the world around me as well as the opportunity to live in a big city compared to the college community Amherst offers.” 

Once students complete their first semester in London, they are well-equipped to transition to the UMass Amherst campus for a thriving academic career.

Many students in the program also use London as a jumping off point for travel, exploring other nearby countries in Europe. 

In the academic arena, as well, London presents a truly unique experience.  

“Throughout my semester, more than half the class time was spent around the city of London, exploring unethical art inside the British Museum for our Business Ethics class, visiting the Thames Barrier for our Geo-Science class, or exploring street art for our Global Cities class,” said Onur. “It's these and many more field trips with our professors that completely changed and heightened my knowledge of London and the world around me.” 

“The professors were great,” added Canton. “Entering into my first semester of college, I was a little nervous about the academics. But I was pleasantly surprised by how hands-on all the classes were.” 

For many students, their time in London allows them to explore their interests and find an area of passion to pursue once they transition to studying at UMass.  

In Duquette’s experience, “Studying abroad in London helped me figure out the direction of my life and what I wanted to do. After exploring a little more in my second semester at UMass, I happily declared my major as public health, which ultimately ties back to my experience in London because this is where most public health advocacies began.”