In just over two weeks, eight Concordia students studying abroad at Westfield House through the Concordia Cambridge program will say goodbye to England and head home to the U.S. 

Amidst writing final papers and studying for exams, the students are reflecting on their experiences studying abroad. Anna Roettjer, a sophomore History and Political Thought major, said, “I love just being able to walk 20 minutes and go to a big historical site and being able to see the architecture and experience a whole other culture right in my backyard.”

Troy Randall, a junior Communications major and Music minor said, “My favorite part about studying abroad is being able to travel to new countries every weekend and the people I can travel with.”

Departure day, Dec. 20, is coming quickly, but the students are soaking in the rest of their time in Cambridge. Many of the students have favorite coffee shops and study spots that they are making the most of while finishing their work. Movie nights are frequent, especially as Christmas approaches. The eighteen students from Westfield House have become a family of sorts, celebrating birthdays and Thanksgiving away from home. Many of the students will be leaving with new interests in academic areas they learned about while abroad. All of the students will be leaving with new friends and good memories.

The Concordia Cambridge program at Westfield House has been a valuable experience for the cohort. The students have learned to live in a new country, adjust to different customs and explore another side of the world, gaining practical life skills along the way. From grocery shopping and cooking to traveling and using public transportation, studying abroad has been an amazing way to take education a step further than the classroom. Not only do the students get to tour incredible historical sites, but they also get to live in one and experience it over the course of three months. Cambridge is a city home to many historic sites, but most notably Cambridge University, one of the oldest universities in the entire world. 

The students have explored many of England’s most famous cities (London is only a 45-minute train ride away from Cambridge), but also had the opportunity to take weekend trips to places such as Italy and Scotland. Some have gone to the Louvre Museum in Paris and others have wandered through the Christmas markets in Vienna, Austria. Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity to travel, both around the host country and its neighboring ones!

Roettjer said, “I think my favorite place was Bath, it was just so beautiful. Every place you turned there was something cool to look at, and the Roman Baths were really cool to see…And I love going down to London, it’s so cool to be so close to a big city like that.”

In January, these eight students, part of the Cambridge cohort, will return to Concordia, ready to begin their semester on campus again. They will be happy to talk with any prospective Concordia Cambridge students and share their experiences!

The Concordia Cambridge program has run for years between Concordia University Irvine and Westfield House and is a great option for high-achieving students looking to challenge themselves while exploring more of the world. Concordia sends students to Cambridge every fall semester. The application for fall 2026 is due on March 1. For more information about the Concordia Cambridge program, visit the Moon International Center at Concordia or https://www.cui.edu/academicprograms/programs-abroad/partner-programs-abroad/concordia-cambridge-england. 

Concordia Cambridge is not the only study abroad option for students, however. In the past, students have studied through Living and Learning International programs in both Quito, Ecuador and Rome, Italy. Other opportunities are direct exchange programs through ISEP, the International Student Exchange Program. Concordia offers over 50 study abroad programs that students can take advantage of and gain a practical component to their education. Studying abroad takes learning beyond the classroom and textbooks and into the real world. 

For the full list of opportunities to study abroad, email programsabroad@cui.edu or visit https://www.cui.edu/academicprograms/programs-abroad/partner-programs-abroad. Studying abroad is open to students of all majors with sophomore standing or above. Set up a meeting today with the study abroad office to discuss your options for a semester abroad!

Tags: Cambridge, study abroad

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