Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best decision in my 21 years :) Can't get enough study abroad! Past Review

By (University of Edinburgh) - abroad from 09/12/2011 to 12/18/2011 with

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I met friends that I would never have met back home. They are open-minded, outgoing, worldly, and I plan to keep in touch with some of them for life. I tried new foods, learned about the culture, and visited many beautiful sites around Scotland. It was such an unforgettable experience, it can't be described in one paragraph.

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.

LOVED IT! Choosing University of Edinburgh is the best decision I ever made. Scotland is not only a beautiful country, it has some of the friendliest people and a very enriching and proud culture. On top of that, you will get to meet an incredibly diverse group of people from around the world--the University is comprised of 90% international students.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Good. Freshers week was helpful in integrating new students and foreign students to the university and city.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Edinburgh University seemed to have accidentally overbooked the freshman dorms, forcing me and several other US students to be moved to a different dorm at the last minute, and it was sort of a makeshift dorm on top of a hotel. It wasn't meant for students, and the front reception desk could not help us with our student needs as they were not equipped for that purpose. Moreover, my particular room had some heating pipe problems so I had to move rooms a month later.

* Food:

The cafeteria food was.. well... typical mediocre cafeteria food. Best to find food elsewhere. However, our freshman dorms at Pollock Halls were not equipped with full-on kitchens so we could not cook our own meals, except with a microwave. There were plenty of local grocery stores around the area though. I'm not also a huge fan of Scottish food, and I know I'm not the only one.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Its really up to you to decide how integrated and involved you want to become with local culture. I enjoyed going out to pubs and clubs a lot, travelling to the Highlands, and taking ISC trips around Scotland, and going to events the university offered. Especially loved the ceilidh dances! I have a huge appreciation for Scottish culture now.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No health issues. You just have to make sure you register at the student health centre at the beginning of the year.

* Safety:

I felt pretty safe in Edinburgh. There's the occasional homeless person, and quite a few dimly lit dark old alleyways that look quite dodgy but if you use common sense and just be careful, you should be fine. My friend did get robbed in mid-day though. I walked back from main campus about 15 minutes walk 2 or 3 times at midnight or 2 a.m. before and was fine. Just be aware of your surroundings.

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)

I didn't actually keep track of expenses that much. Being in the U.K., food was predictably expensive, but not more than typical for other areas of the U.K. A meal might cost 8-10 pounds.

* Was housing included in your program cost? No
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~115 pounds/week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Live in a flat with a kitchen so you can buy groceries and cook. This is cheaper than eating out and better than getting a mealplan with crappy food. Go to Lidl and Poundland for the cheapest groceries (NOT tesco).

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* 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 unforgettable and cultured people I met who were from countries all over the world.
  • deep understanding and appreciation of Scottish culture
  • It was a great opportunity to travel sites in Scotland and the rest of Europe
* What could be improved?
  • I would have chosen a housing site more central to the main campus so that I wouldn't have to walk so far every day in the cold Scottish weather.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How awesome it would be so I would have stayed longer--for a whole year. I didn't know it would be so hard to leave. The weather is very cold in the fall and I didn't have proper clothing and shoes. I would have brought warm clothes and boots! My feet suffered in the first few weeks.