Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The hardest and most important and most fun semester of my life. June 29, 2022

By (Geography, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/12/2022 to 05/30/2022 with

IFSA: Edinburgh - University of Edinburgh

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned all about a different culture and became much more independent and self sufficient.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Post-covid was a poor time to go abroad academically (even though I loved every other part of the experience) - it is more the University of Edinburgh's fault than IFSA, but the mixture of online and in-person lectures led to minimal engagement and few opportunities to meet other students.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

doesn't really apply since I was living in my own apartment and cooking for myself.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

i felt very integrated! Not sure if this is due to the program or just the welcoming nature of the scottish people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

IFSA gets full points for healthcare. When I needed to see a doctor they made the process so much easier and faster than it would have been if I'd needed to figure it out on my own.

* Safety:

Edinburgh is super super safe. No worries here.

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

Ifsa provided good support/help integrating into a society 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 150? This is super hard to quantify.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't buy any clothes while you're there.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • The city
  • The independence
* What could be improved?
  • More activities for IFSA students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing. Going in with a fresh mindset was super important for me.

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:

People, Landscape, and Change: The Last 15,000 Years
Course Department: Geography
Instructor: Dr Eva Panagiotakopulu
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Fun and a good glimpse into a different kind of geography. Several assesments – a paper and a few practical lab sessions.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, no issues.
Course Name/Rating:

Computer Communications and Networks
Course Department: Informatics
Instructor: Dr Mahesh Marina
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Challenging and poorly taught. I had to teach myself everything and the assignments (biweekly quizzes + 3 coding assignments) were confusing and nobody offered support.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues.
Course Name/Rating:

Ice and Climate
Course Department: Geosciences
Instructor: Dr Daniel Goldberg
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Pretty good on all counts. Interesting lectures and lab assignments.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues.