Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

University of Edinburgh for a year! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/14/2015 to 05/12/2016 with

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
more independence, appreciation for a different approach to academia. Very worthwhile.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Lived in university accommodation. Centrally located, but loud at night. Also a mouse lived in the kitchen- we named him DangerMouse.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No major health issues, but would have had access to NHS care if needed.

* Safety:

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

Had opportunities to travel/explore own interests while still being academically worthwhile

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)

Expenses are obviously much greater if traveling/eating out/buying many drinks.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? approximately $80
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook at home, join the local library instead of buying books, shop with airplane baggage restrictions in mind (so don't buy lots of things).

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

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* 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?
  • ability to integrate into the university community
  • ease of travel within Scotland
  • broad range of opportunities within the university
* What could be improved?
  • cheaper options for eating at the university would have been nice
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Living on the Cowgate in Edinburgh actually is very loud. Reviews that say so are not exaggerating.

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:

Medieval Scottish History
Course Department: History
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very good course. The lecturers were very knowledgable and the course material was relevant to the location. Learning about Scotland's medieval history made my own travels around the country more informed.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Archaeology 2A: Scotland Before History
Course Department: Archaeology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Lectures were not particularly engaging, but practicals were interesting. There was a field trip to a reconstruction of a crannog (an Iron Age loch dwelling), that was really great. Was assessed on practical reports and an exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Celtic Civilisation 1A
Course Department: School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Lectures were very broad and those given by professors were better prepared than those given by graduate students. Participation was limited to tutorials every other week. Was assessed by one essay and an exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Early Modern Scottish History
Course Department: History
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Lecturers were all great. The course was divided into different themes, making it easy to engage more with topics that were more interesting. Was assessed by two essays, class participation and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Revolutionary Russia, 1861-1921
Course Department: History
Instructor: Dr. Iain Lauchlan
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Interesting course. Classes were run mostly by student presentations and discussion rather than lectures. Participation was often difficult because of the physical set-up of the room and time constraints after presentations. Was assessed by class participation, an oral presentation, one essay and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Plague, Politics and Protest: Rebellion and Society in Fourteenth-Century England
Course Department: History
Instructor: Dr. Cordelia Beattie
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not a particularly interesting course, but helped build skills working with primary historical documents. Class mostly involved student presentations and participation discussing documents. Was assessed by an essay and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: