Helena (Sem 2, 2022)

My Exchange at The University of Edinburgh

After hearing about the 360 programme in my first year at UoA I was immediately set on a year abroad. When all of the Covid restrictions started to be imposed in 2020 I became deflated as I realised that my semester two exchange was not going to happen. Luckily, in the summer of 2022, I was able to reapply to the University of Edinburgh and since then my experience has been fantastic. I’m grateful every single day that I was able to reapply for an exchange.

I had saved up my electives from both my BSc and BA and was able to enrol in some very interesting courses at UoE related to the history of Scotland. These courses included Medieval European History and Celtic Civilisation. I managed to find accommodation with some local students online and quickly became close friends. It was great to be able to live with people who knew the city well and could introduce me to all of their favourite spots.

Luckily, culture shock was very minimal moving from Auckland to Edinburgh. People are extremely friendly and kind here which made the transition much easier. One of the hardest adjustments that I had was understanding the difference in grading systems. Further, the cost of living crisis in the UK was an unprecedented and difficult factor to deal with. StudyLink provided great assistance in this.

My biggest challenge was trying to balance the cost of everything whilst simultaneously getting the most out of the experience. The advice that everyone gave me prior to the exchange was along the lines of ‘say yes to everything’, but sometimes you have to listen when your bank account says no. Ironically, those people were right as the highlights for me have been when I have said yes to experiences. Pub quizzes, day trips to the Highlands and new adventurous hobbies are some of my fondest memories.

Specifically, at the University of Edinburgh I found that the University’s societies and the city of Edinburgh itself to be the highlights. There is a club/society for almost everything you could think of at UoE which makes it very easy to meet new friends. The city itself is absolutely breath-taking, there is so much to explore and it is very safe, meaning that there is always a cheap way to entertain yourself by just walking around the city for hours.

My advice to anyone going on exchange is to truly make the most of it. It is such a special and wonderful experience to be able to have. Moving to a new country can be scary, but the ability to immediately join the University community makes it an extremely welcoming experience. Joining clubs, trying new hobbies and saying yes to trips will create such strong and positive memories. It can be hard to move away from your friends and family, but you’ll create new friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

1. Being able to take courses that related to the specific history of Scotland

2. The very extensive feedback at UoE

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

UoE has amazing societies, one for almost everything you could think of.

I would recommend joining the visiting students’ social media groups and joining a new sport that challenges you (for me it was bouldering)

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

1. Join a society

2. Bring lots of layers

3. Explore Scotland, especially the highlands

How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?

My advice would be to save and budget as much as you can. Everyone that I have spoken to who has been on exchange mentions how they would rather spend more whilst here and make the most of the experience.

Edinburgh specifically is more expensive than I was expecting, more so than Auckland. I think that is something that I did not expect and would’ve been good to know before coming here!

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

Make the most of the experience, the memories will truly last a lifetime.

Having at least one friend from your home country can help to reduce homesickness immensely.

It can be lonely sometimes, but you’re not alone in feeling that way!