Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A great introduction to city life. May 23, 2023

By (English, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/11/2023 to 05/27/2023 with

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to travel on my own!

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.

Strikes at the University of Edinburgh greatly restricted my learning experience. I'd estimate that at least a quarter of lectures and seminars were canceled over the course of the semester because of strikes.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Not a ton of support/ways to meet new people. I had to figure it out on my own!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No healthcare assistance, and it was impossible to find a local doctor, even if it was through the school.

* Safety:

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

I had just the right amount of freedom to be engaged academically while still exploring Europe.

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? $150-$200

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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
  • 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?
  • Very big, lots of people to meet and make friends with
  • Studies weren't overly difficult
  • City is beautiful, safe and fun to explore
* What could be improved?
  • More support/resources for visiting students
  • More opportunities to meet people and make friends
  • I wish I didn't have to live with freshmen!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I'd be spending all my money.

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:

Celtic Civilization 1B
Course Department: Celtic Studies
Instructor: Kate Mathis
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Although it was great to learn about the relevant history of Scotland and its people, the lectures were incredibly dry and at times hard to follow. Tutorials were mostly canceled due to strikes.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Nature, Greenspace and Health
Course Department: School of Health in Social Science
Instructor: Dr. Alette Willis
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was very rewarding to develop group work skills and think proactively along with other students. Lots of freedom to choose your own learning path in this course.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Gender, Marginality and Social Change
Course Department:
Instructor: Dr. Radhika Govinda
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very engaging and interesting lectures and tutorials. All of the readings assigned were from diverse perspectives and incredibly relevant to the course material. I really enjoyed this course and found the instructors to be talented and knowledgeable. However, grading for this course is split unevenly between two exams and the instructors are incredibly harsh graders.
Credit Transfer Issues: