Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An amazing experience with lots of exploring Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/09/2017 to 05/27/2017 with

Arcadia: Edinburgh - University of Edinburgh

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Got a lot of experience traveling, living on my own, problem solving, and being independent. I think it was very worth it.

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.

I enjoyed my English classes in which we read books that took place in Scotland/Edinburgh, which was a great way to get to know the country. Overall, I did not feel that my classes were as rigorous as my classes at Middlebury or that I learned as much. But, having easier classes also allowed me to explore Edinburgh more and do a lot of traveling. I also had a difficult time getting the classes that I wanted.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I really only used Arcadia for the week of orientation beforehand and it was nice to have that time to get all settled. Some of the people I met through Arcadia were the people I always hung out with and travelled with. Other than that, I didn't really interact with Arcadia once orientation was over. They weren't very helpful for finalizing my class schedule once I was there.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My apartment was in a very convenient, central location which I enjoyed a lot. It was right about a bar and near some main streets so could be loud at night, but it was worth it for the location.

* Food:

cooked for myself or ate out

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Didn't feel particularly connected to the University, especially compared to how connected I feel to Middlebury. I did participate in a few clubs and always felt very welcome. It was pretty easy and quick integrating into the city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Never had any experience with it but I think the support was there

* Safety:

The city felt so, so safe. I was never worried about my safety while I was there.

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

I thought Edinburgh was the perfect city for a semester because it's small enough that I felt I could really get to know it, but big enough that I never ran out of things to do. Scotland is also a great place with it's own unique history, great hiking, super friendly people, and a strong accent to remind you you are abroad.

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)

Buying food at the grocery store was not that expensive. Going out to bars or eating out was what wracked up expenses.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I probably spent about $75 on groceries/eating out a week. But then traveling was expensive and might have spent about $350 on a weekend of travel.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Travel
  • Independence
  • Exploring Edinburgh/Scotland
* What could be improved?
  • Getting into the classes you want
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Not sure

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:

Edinburgh in Fiction/Fiction in Edinburgh
Course Department: English Literature
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: Reading books set in Scotland/Edinburgh was a great way to learn about the country and I felt that both by living there and learning about Scotland's history/culture through books, I came away with an understanding that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues