Wonderful Exchange in Glasgow Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were hard to sign up for--I wasn't informed prior to being accepted in the program that the list of available classes to exchange students was drastically smaller than the classes listed as available on the GCU website. Also, I wasn't given the handbook for my major, so I was at a bit of a loss as to what was expected of me in the classes (Knowing how to cite papers, how to do footnotes properly, ect. were things the professors assumed we knew). However, although I had some trouble getting placed in classes I was happy with, the classes I ended up with were phenomenal. The classes covered a wide breadth of information about their topics all quite thoroughly, so I learned a lot without feeling rushed or like I was falling behind. The resources for the classes were very good--we were assigned readings that were available online or in the library. The academic rigor depends on what year level of classes you sign up for (1,2,3, or 4). I took two year 3 classes and a year 2 class, so the year 3 classes were noticeably more rigorous than the year 2 class.

On-site administration of your program

The administration at GCU were quite helpful and available. I did have problems with getting signed up in classes, however, and I felt that the administration didn't properly prepare us for our classes (we weren't given handbooks and information that full-time GCU students in our majors had access to).

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Exchange/study abroad students are placed in flats in Caledonian Court, which is a cute village-like area directly behind the University. First of all, being so close to uni, I was able to get to my classes from my flat in under ten minutes, which was so convenient. I was placed in a flat of eight people, including me, who were all Scottish except for one from Northern Ireland. I absolutely loved the chance to live with people from the country/area I had gone to, because I got to learn so much more about the culture that way. The flat in itself was really nice--I had my own room, which was actually pretty big for a single room, and shared the bathroom, shower (there were two bathrooms and showers), and kitchen with my flatmates. Caledonian Court also had security at the entrance, which added an extra level of safety to the place.

There weren't cafeterias at Caley like there are in the states, so I pretty much cooked my own food. However, there were multiple grocery stores within walking distance, which was really great.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

All my flatmates were from the area, so because I hung out with them and their friends, I felt almost completely integrated by the end of the semester, which is so awesome. I'd definitely suggest at least trying to make Scottish/British friends while there, because I knew some students who only made friends with other study abroad students, and thus didn't learn much about the culture (they did have quite a bit of fun in the country anyway, they just weren't as integrated).

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any issues with healthcare while I was there. However, I did sign up with a GP (general practitioner) while I was there, which was a requirement of living at Caledonian Court. I was told that if I needed to visit the GP, the visit would cost little to nothing (the UK has a universal healthcare system).

I felt completely safe while I was there, because the areas I stayed in were mainly Buchanan and Sauchiehall streets, which are major shopping streets, so aren't creepy at all. However, if you wander further into Glasgow, particularly at night, I'd definitely suggest not going alone, because we sometimes went through areas that gave off strong creepy vibes.

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

I'm not sure how much I spent a week, because it fluctuated, but I ended up spending about $3,500. That was mainly used for necessary things, such as groceries, toiletries (shampoo, hair dryers, etc.), and things like cooking pans, and hangers, but also for shopping (the two main shopping streets in Glasgow were so close!) and going out on the weekends.

Select all that apply

• Dorm

Select all that apply

• Local Students

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Flatmates/Scottish people
• Glasgow
• Classes

• Signing up for classes
• Preparing students for classes

The Outright Urbanite