Scotland: The Perfect Place to Live and/or Study Abroad Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I feel as though I have greatly benefitted from the educational opportunities afforded to me by both Arcadia and the University of Glasgow. The courses I took were fast-paced, demanding and incredibly rewarding. I gained important information from perspectives that I otherwise would not have come into contact with.

On-site administration of your program

Arcadia was fantastic when it came to administering the program itself and all add-on programs within Scotland.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in independent housing, choosing to live with a friend in Glasgow, rather than in the available student housing. This worked wonderfully for me and Arcadia was clear that should I need anything, even in independent housing, that they would be available to help. All others in the program lived within student housing and all seemed very happy with their choices as well.

Scotland is often mocked for the wide variety of fried food offered at most chip shops. This however, is an unfair stereotype. Scotland has many different cuisines to offer, including, of course, traditional Scottish food. All are delicious. Scotland has a relatively diverse population, resulting in a diverse culinary experience in most major cities. Grocery stores also offer many varieties of packaged American food, which definitely came in handy on the rare occasions on which I was homesick.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Scottish people, and particularly Glaswegians, are incredibly welcoming and just the most wonderful people. I am a fairly introverted person and tend to keep to myself most of the time, but I made many Scottish friends while abroad, lovely people who went out of their way to invite me along to events and make me feel welcome.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had a few prescriptions to fill while abroad and also became ill a few times. On those occasions, I went to the University of Glasgow medical building and was given prompt care. The UK is blessed with the NHS, which provides free (or discounted) care. Scotland also has a system in place which provides individuals with free prescriptions. This was a welcome change from the US healthcare system. I did not need any vaccines for this program.

With any city, there are bound to be safety concerns and crimes committed, however, Glasgow is a welcoming city with an unfair reputation for crime and more specifically, stabbings. This reputation is unjust. Again, every city experiences crime. Glasgow is well patrolled by police officers and many people look out for others late at night. My advice, as with any city, would be to remain aware of your surroundings, know the local emergency numbers, let others know of your locations if you're nervous and be wary of those you don't know. I am a very petite female student and there were many times when I walked home late at night on my own and never faced any harassment or threats upon my safety. There were many times when I felt safer at 4:00 am in Glasgow, than I have in my hometown of Washington, DC in the middle of the day.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The exchange rate was not my friend while abroad. There were a few times when I struggled to find money in order to eat. This was due to the fact that I decided upon a budget before departing for my semester abroad. With an exchange rate almost constantly in flux, it was difficult to live with a steady budget. My advice would be to use the first month as a practice to see how cheaply you can live (not including one time purchases like books, school supplies, bedding, etc.). One benefit to studying abroad in Scotland is that students have access to hundreds of discounts. On the rare occasion I went clothes shopping, I was able to get many discounts through various smartphone apps and discounts.

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• Local Students

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• Glasgow
• Glaswegians
• Nightlife

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