Glad it's over, glad it happened January 05, 2023
By A student (Anthropology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/12/2022 to 12/15/2023 with
University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned to be alone and even more self-reliant. More importantly, I learned how much I value and need social interaction.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Professors were uninvolved and did not make attempts to know, relate to, or understand students. Tutorials were taught by TA's who were passionate and helpful, but did not always know what material had been discussed in class. There were only three libraries and they were constantly entirely full, especially the Main Library. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing was a mix of first-years and international students. It was very loud every night aftetr 10pm, especially on weekends. I had a daily walk of roughly 40 minutes to get to my first class and the nearest grocery store was a 20 minute walk. It was a very safe area though and I never felt in danger, no matter the time. |
| * Food: |
Fulfilled stereotypes of British food and the "catered" option was only available for some times during breakfast and dinner with no lunch. Food in restaurants in Edinburgh were great though! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very! I felt quite local by the end of my time there, although it would have been better if my accommodation was not so far from everything. I enjoyed traveling form the city as well to experience more Scottish culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I spent the majority of the term sick with what might have been a flu, starting from my second day, and was unsure how to get help. It is fantastic that their healthcare is free for everyone, however, I heard that the wait times were around 4 or 5 hours before being seen by a doctor. This impacted my ability to get extensions on assignments as I didn't have a doctor's note and I did not want to wait in a hospital with other ill people and become more sick. There was not an "urgent care" like I am used to in the US, only the ER/Emergency Room which saw all sorts of patients. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Edinburgh! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
From what I saw while traveling, no where in the UK would have been better for me than the University of Edinburgh. I was sick for a lot of it though, and that greatly impacted my social life. I love Scotland and look forward to returning and would love to live there one day. However, I did not have a good time with the University. |
Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy your own good seasonings for the ramen you will be making. |
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
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Stay hydrated |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of Art 2A Reason, Romance, Revolution: Art from 1700 to 1900 |
| Course Department: | College of Art |
| Instructor: | Rotating |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | I loved this course! The rotating professors allowed a much more in depth exploration of the material. It incorporated a lot of Scottish history and culture as well. A field trip was taken in a tutorial to the National Portrait Gallery. I participated the normal amount I would at my home institution. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not sure about transferring credits yet, but I would definitely recommend the course. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
The Internet and Society |
| Course Department: | School of Social and Political Science |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | it was only challenging to stay awake, readings were not necessary or included in instruction, and the professor was knowledgeable but spent the class lecturing. I participated less than I would have at my home institution as it was atypical for students to comment. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I am not sure yet. |
| Course Name/Rating: | |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Rotating |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was the first year this course was taught at the University of Edinburgh. I liked the concept and readings were applicable and reasonable. It felt unorganized and hard to follow the themes though. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Unsure about credits |
