Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My study abroad semester were the best months of my life Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/15/2018 to 06/01/2018 with

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile. It felt great to be in a perfect size city, it allowed me to immerse myself in a new place, meet a ton of new people, and it gave me the break I needed from Middlebury to come back and enjoy my last year here.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were difficult in terms of expectations of work, however, the amount of course work was far less than the Middlebury coursework.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living conditions were nice, and it was nice having my own room and bathroom. However, it would have been nice to live with with other study abroad students, as I was just staying in a freshman dorm.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

I loved doing direct enrollment because it gave me the feel of what it was like to be at a big school, which is the complete opposite for the Middlebury experience.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? approximately 100-150 pounds a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would advise cooking most of your meals if you can. Grocery stores are really cheap in the UK, and it definitely allowed me to spend more money on other things like travelling and plane tickets.

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

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The city of Edinburgh
  • the other abroad students I met
  • size of the school
* What could be improved?
  • housing
  • orientation events
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? A little bit more about the city of Edinburgh. When I got there it was a little overwhelming. I needed to learn what stores to shop at, where to get my bedding, how to get a transit card. It would have been nice to be prepared with that before I got to the city.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Visualizing Scotland
Course Department: Scottish Studies
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

English Literature 1
Course Department: Literature
Instructor: Multiple
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Linguistics and English Language B
Course Department: Linguistics
Instructor: Multiple
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: