Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Adventure of a Lifetime!!! Past Review

By (Biology, General., Berea College) - abroad from 09/03/2013 to 12/21/2013 with

IFSA: Edinburgh - University of Edinburgh

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a great deal about myself and my own abilities. The independence was invigorating, and every day was a learning experience. I messed up a few times, but I was always able to recover quickly and adapt. I would do it all over again, if I could. Can I? Is that an option?

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses were quite demanding with regards to subject matter. I had to adjust to studying on my own time rather than studying for individual tests. Also, as a science major, I was not use to writing so many papers. However, I did learn a lot from the research papers, and the subject matter was exactly what I was looking for in an ecology program.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The IfSA staff was incredible! They were always looking out for my needs, checking in with me, and providing me with adjustment programs and counseling. They made my transition easy and worry-free.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my flatmates and the location of my flat. I had a decent kitchen, bed, and living area. We even had a cleaning lady come twice a week to clean our kitchen and bathrooms. My only complaint would be the facilities maintenance was a little out of date. It took a while for a work order to get set into motion. For instance, my heater did not work for several days and I had a bit of a mold problem in my room because of this reason. Despite that, my accommodation was wonderful!

* Food:

I prepared all of my own food. Fortunately, TESCO was not far from me and I could find a lot of affordable, organic options for my diet.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

IfSA helped a lot with introducing us to the culture and the city. Our orientation covered a lot of the ins and outs of Edinburgh and the university. It was an easy adjustment.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health issues while I was abroad. However, I heard the NHS assisted a lot of sick students.

* Safety:

As long as you walk with a buddy at night, especially when crossing through the Meadows or outside the city centre, you should not have any sort of problems. Edinburgh always felt safe to me. I walked just about everywhere without worry. There were a few reports of petty theft, but nothing I ever had to worry about.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

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

It really depended on the week. I did not travel every week, so I was able to keep my costs under $100 most weeks. However, when I went to London, I probably spent upwards of +$300 on the entire experience. Budgeting is crucial. I bought an app to keep track of all of my spending.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $60ish
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep all your receipts and only buy what is absolutely necessary. Buy a budgeting app if you have a smart phone. Think before you purchase, you can't always return things. You're limited to what you can bring back home with you, so don't go on any crazy shopping sprees.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The Host City
  • The Cultural Immersion
  • The Supportive Staff
* What could be improved?
  • The website navigation. Finding the forms was difficult.
  • Accommodation integration. I felt a little lost when I was dropped off at my flat at first. I had no idea where I was and I was without any sort of bedding or food.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I would have been more financially prepared. I made a few mistakes paying for cabs I did not need or paying too much for airfare. Planning ahead could have prevented so many of my financial issues.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.