My Exchange at The University of Edinburgh
I found out about the 360 International Programme through social media and my own desires to go abroad.
When I first arrived in Edinburgh, the weather was misty and foggy, and the weather I experienced then was probably the worst I had experienced during my entire time there. My first impressions were that the buildings and architecture were so beautiful; gothic and old, but oozing with history which I loved as it was super cosy. It was super cool to see Edinburgh in real life after seeing so many images of it online!
Orientation at the Uni was great, if not slightly overwhelming! There’s a bunch of activities on everyday at every hour and free “taster” sessions for different sports and societies. I attended a Tango taster session with a friend I met during O-week and had so much fun! I would also recommend going on an Arthurs Seat Walk as the weather is amazing and you have the time to before classes start. It’s a great time to meet as many people as possible, put yourself out there, and try something new! Edinburgh as a whole has a vibrant and thriving student culture, and an awesome nightlife with many clubs & cosy pubs.
Courses were similar to Auckland, professors have office hours which you should definitely take advantage of and classes consist of lectures and tutorials. One thing to note is that tutorials are significantly smaller than Auckland. Tutorials will typically have around 10 students, which means everyone is expected to contribute to discussions (especially if you are graded for your participation) and you are consistently held accountable for completing your readings / pre-tutorial work. Fortunately, the courses I took were all recorded, but typically tutorials are not and other lectures in courses were not recorded at all so your attendance in person was mandatory; it is really dependent on your lecturer and the way your course is structured. I really enjoyed my classes particularly as I had no end of semester exams so each course consisted of two 2,500 essays which you do in the mid-sem and at the end of the semester. I found that workload was less than Auckland. Grading is also different; a 40 is a pass, a 70 is an A.
Cost of living in Edinburgh is pretty similar to Auckland. Buying groceries at your local Tesco express was cheaper than Auckland, however, eating out and activities were pretty expensive- a typical meal would cost around $35-40NZD.
Edinburgh is small and compact, which makes it really easy to walk around. There is also a lot of public transport which is super easy to navigate, affordable, and can take you to Portobello Beach (30 mins away from the Uni) and places like Leith and Stockbridge outside of the city centre. I would really recommend taking the time to go to Leith and Stockbridge/Dean Village- they were my favourite suburbs, with really good cafes, pretty views and lots to see. Unfortunately, the Young Scots card which gives those under 22 free public transport is only for those that live in Edinburgh for 6 months or longer, which means that semester exchange students like myself were unable to get it (something to be aware of). Overall, I loved the vibes of the city as there was so much to do and see in close proximity.
As I lived in self-catered accomodation, I was able to cook my own meals which was really nice and affordable. I occasionally went out to eat with friends, but it was significantly more expensive than Auckland. There are plenty of food options wherever you are, and lots of diverse types of food too. I would recommend trying Haggis which was genuinely super delicious-don’t let how it looks put you off, it tastes better than it looks I promise!
Highlights of my exchange include seeing the Northern Lights on Arthur’s seat, going to Ceilidh’s, seeing Edinburgh in the snow, Guy Fawkes on Calton Hill and nights out with friends. The only challenge I experienced was the short days/early sunsets during late November and early December. The sun rises at around 8 in the morning and sets at 3, which can make it a bit disorientating at first and can take some time getting used to.
To anyone that is thinking about coming to Edinburgh, please do! It is an amazing city and there are plenty of opportunities to make friends and put yourself out there!! One semester is incredibly short, and before you know it you’ll be leaving. It can be a little bit lonely at times, particularly in the first week, but it is so so worth it! This is a great opportunity to experience living abroad, meet some of the coolest people, try stuff you’ve never done before and have the best time !!
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
I thought the courses I took were really engaging, interesting and fun! The professors are very passionate, super knowledgeable, friendly, and I found my classes very interactive and creative. Students are also very motivated and eager to learn, which makes it a great environment. Another highlight was the University facilities- Edinburgh has amazing libraries and places to study in! My favourite was Old College library and New College, which is a bit of a trek from the Main Campus library but so so worth it! My classes were mainly on the George Square campus so it was so cool walking past McEwan hall everyday, going to cafes (my absolute fav was black medicine) and walking around the Meadows with an uplands roast hot chocolate in hand.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
If you are going in the September Semester I would really recommend going to the St Andrews vs Uni of Edinburgh rugby game! It was so much fun and great to see students coming together. Also attend as many ceilidhs as you can. These are traditional Scottish dances to live music hosted by societies, and I really wish I went to more!
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Go on an ESN trip! This is an organisation which hosts a bunch of trips for exchange students, to the Highlands, The Harry Potter bridge and many other cool places. I went on the Isle of Skye overnight trip and had so much fun seeing the Highlands and Glencoe. Cannot recommend it enough!
- Join clubs and societies. The Uni has a club/society for anything you could think of, and I found that all clubs had super unique and fun events and were great for meeting new people. I joined the RyanAir Roulette society, Business society, Classics society and the NZ/Aus society.
- Make the most of travelling while you’re there especially as Edinburgh is so close to so many places. At the same time, don’t feel pressured to travel to lots of places and enjoy spending time in Edinburgh on the weekends too as I found myself being a bit burnt out and completing my assignments very last minute with difficulties balancing uni life with travel.
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?
I budgeted around $20,000-25,000NZD for my exchange. This was more than enough, but I would say budget more if you want to do more travel around Europe. Weekend trips are expensive and for each time I went away I spent around $1,000, so please plan in advance for these!
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
This exchange was the first time I was away from home for a long period of time so I learnt a lot as a person, gained crucial skills as well as self-reliance/independence in solving challenges on your own. Take this time away to learn more about yourself ! I pushed myself to go on a solo trip to Brighton from London and I had a great time too! Other takeaways: if there are events on, say yes to everything and make the most of your time there. You never know who you will meet. I found one semester very short, and would highly recommend going for two if you’re able to!
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I went on many short trips around Europe on the weekend with friends, mostly other exchange students. These include: Copenhagen, Majorca, Belfast/Dublin, Paris, London. Thankfully, because I didn’t have any end of semester exams I was able to finish my essays well in advance which meant I could travel around Austria and Sweden in December.
Is there any advice you could share about accommodation options at your host university and/or in the local area?
I stayed in Salisbury Court accomodation, a self-catered/ensuite that I shared with 9 other people, which consisted of both first year students and exchange students. The accomodation is in an amazing location, super convenient to get groceries and a 10 min walk away from the University George Square campus. I absolutely loved my room and found having my own bathroom really worthwhile because you didn’t have to deal with the hassle of bringing your toiletries to the bathroom every time. My only complaint would be that the kitchen did get messy quite frequently, but this depends on your flatmates, and I found that it was difficult to socialise with those in the accomodation/flat because there were so many people.
The uni makes it easy for exchange students to find housing as accommodation is guaranteed. You apply through the University portal and put down your first 3 options. It is first in, first served, so apply as early as possible- Salisbury court was my first option which I was lucky enough to get!
Do you have any advice on what mobile phone apps and/or phone plans that were useful in your host country?
Lothian Buses Bus + Tram App for transport around the city or just use Google maps!
I used Voxi / Vodafone for my plan, which worked throughout the UK. It was really simple, just head into a store and choose your plan options! I chose a physical SIM over an eSIM out of personal preference. My plan was really affordable, around $35NZD for unlimited data, texts and calls. You can also add day passes to use in Europe when travelling.
Final Comments
You learn so much by going on exchange, and I’m definitely going back to NZ a different person. Cannot recommend it enough!