Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I felt that the workload was extremely light. Most classes had only one graded assignment and a final exam to determine the grade - assignments were given routinely every week they were not graded and therefore optional (they were extremely helpful and necessary to keep up with the work and do well though). The teachers lectured mainly from powerpoint and notes were easily available online. The classes were small (a plus) and all the students in your grade and major take relatively the same classes so you get to know familiar faces. The biggest difference between the American system and theirs was just the amount of work that is graded and goes into your final calculation.

On-site administration of your program

I didn't have any contact with the international office once orientation was over. They briefly pointed out their office on the tour and showed us the webpage but that was the extent of my contact with them. As far as we were told, however, they were always available in their office and had a student lounge area.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in the Robertson's Close student flats. Great location for being near the Edinburgh nightlife and Old College. A 40 minute walk from the engineering buildings if you miss the buses, but they run regularly. <br /><br /> Excellent location in terms of nightlife and Old College but not the engineering buildings. The engineering buildings are not near much though so this is the IDEAL location for any student. The flats are located down a narrow alley that can be hard to navigate at night and seem a little unsafe, but I never encountered any problems. The inside of the flat was not very open and you are very separated from your flatmates. This hindered the ability to really spend time with them. No kitchen ware was provided and the refrigerator was very, very tiny. I ordered the university provided bedding but it wasn't worth the money.

Most of the cheap student food you will find isn't very healthy. Food was a little expensive, but the grocery stores had just about anything you could want. I would advise going to the chippies (local fish and chip shops) for the cheapest meal but know not to expect anything healthy there.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I went on several trips with my friends that we organized ourselves, through the Catholic Students Union, or with a tour group. Because so many tourists visit Scotland, its easy to get on an affordable bus tour (the one I did was 3 days) and are really fun and educational. In January there is Burns Night which is a huge Scottish holiday to celebrate the poet and usually includes haggis and ceidlhs. A ceidlh is a traditional dance and is so fun - you can't go to Scotland without participating in one!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Edinburgh is a very safe city - the usual precautions are always a good idea (take taxis if going long distances alone at night, etc.) but other than that I felt safer than at home because the city is still so bustling at night you are always surrounded by a crowd. I didn't have any need for healthcare over there but did stop in my first week and was explained that if I needed anything, I just had to make an appointment - the same as at home.

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

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• Apartment

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• Americans
• Local Students

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• Local Students