Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A fun chance to experience a different type of college experience! January 16, 2025

By (Economics; Peace and Justice Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/16/2024 to 12/22/2024 with

IFSA: Edinburgh - University of Edinburgh

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Studying abroad was worthwhile as I had a fun time, learned about Scottish culture, and got to experience different university cultures.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses were interesting, but definitely not as rigorous or challenging as I am used to. As someone coming from a liberal arts college, the difference in learning structure took some time to get used to. Lectures are twice a week, ranging from 30 to 100 students, with tutorials once a week. Tutorials are with smaller groups of people, usually 20, to discuss the readings or go over problem sets. I found that academic support was not as readily available as my college, but the professors assign plenty of outside reading sources. Overall, I really enjoyed my time here. If you are looking for a semester where you travel, be a part of university culture, but also relax a bit, this is the program for you!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were a lot of events specifically for visiting students.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Pollock Halls, the university’s catered accommodation center. I had a single with an en-suite bathroom.

* Food:

The dining hall food was good. My only complaint is that meals are served twice a day (7am-10am and 5pm-8pm), but they were very strict on not being able to take any foodstuffs aside from fruit out of the dining hall.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Pretty well integrated. Joining societies and sports club helped a lot as they host many socials and events.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Did not have any health issues that needed to be addressed. We were told to find a local general practitioner to sign up with.

* Safety:

I felt extremely safe walking around alone at night, but, obviously, it is still important to adhere to basic safety precautions. Edinburgh, at least the area near Old College and George Square, feels very much like a college town. The university has buildings on every street and students are always out and about.

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

The courses I chose were interesting and Edinburgh is a beautiful city.

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)

My room and board covered my meals so I did not need to spend much on food.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? £30

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • City
  • Meeting new people
  • Courses
* What could be improved?
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? N/A

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Seoul, Shanghai, Edinburgh
Course Department: Asian Studies
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: I found this course quite interesting. The course contents were extremely broad and we covered a variety of topics ranging from labor laws regarding joseonjoks (ethnic Koreans with Chinese nationality) to how festivals such as the Fringe in Edinburgh creates culture and place making to the feminist movement Megalia’s fight against misogyny and the patriarchy. I really enjoyed the tutorials when we could discuss the readings and hear about the different perspectives and stories of other international students.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Human Rights and Social Justice: social work and the law

Course Department: Social Work
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: This was a reading heavy course that focused on the challenges facing social work law in Scotland. Some readings were a bit dense due to its focus on specific legislature and acts. Although, the majority of the focus was on social work and what social workers can do, I found the theories we learned to be applicable to my Peace and Justice Studies major and more generally thinking about inequality and accessibility in the world. We were graded on discussion participation (weekly participation in addition to the one session we had to lead), an essay in response to one of three questions, and a final policy brief on a relevant act.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Development, Inequality and Trade
Course Department: Economics
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: This was a typical economics course. The first half focused on the advantages of trade and the second half focused on development. I enjoyed the second half a lot. The course was not math heavy. Lectures were conducted in a large lecture room with pre-made slides that took away a sense of engagement between the Professor and students. We were graded on a group project and final exam. The exam was 80% of the final grade, which was a little unsettling.
Credit Transfer Issues: