Scotland : Reviews (Stirling)

Stirling, Scotland is absolutely incredible. My favorite part of the program was getting to meet people from ALL over the world and forming connections with all different people. This program allows you to go out of your comfort zone and form friendships with people from Scotland as well as other places.

My favorite part of my study abroad experience was the accessibility I had to be able to cheaply travel to other countries while I was there. There was always plenty to do in the city I lived in, but I was never limited to staying in just one place the whole semester. I also loved the freedom I had abroad. It is a different level of freedom compared to moving away to college, you're completely independent and alone. This seemed scary at first, but it wasn't long until I became familiar with the discomfort of being so far from everyone and everything I have known, and the best part was that everyone else around you was experiencing the same feelings as you. Studying abroad for even just a semester shaped how I view my age and maturity because I feel as though I became an adult and my own person the moment I touched down in Scotland.

I really loved the experience of being immersed into the school and the culture through the accommodation. I felt that I got the best experience through meeting lifelong friends in the clubs and activities on campus.

I lived with other international students, but got to meet Scottish students by becoming involved in a club. This mix of both other abroad students and local students was so rewarding! I got to see what Scottish life is like, as well as learn about other culture from my flatmates and friends.

Meeting and speaking with those from outside the US and from other states was the most rewarding part of my experience abroad. My roommates were from Sweden, Spain, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and in the US from Maine, Maryland, Ohio, and North Carolina. I loved talking with them and sounding ideas off of each other. While we grew up across the globe, there were so many similarities that we shared. For example, the love of Harry Potter movie nights was not lost on a single one of us. But it was also interesting to compare the differences. I got to learn so much more about their cultures and day to day lives that I never would have by not meeting them in person. I found some amazing friends, even though we were all thousands of miles away from home.

The buses are expensive (your student ID gets you a discount not free fare) and I would suggest investing in the monthly pass. Also, if you plan on traveling by train a lot get a 16-25 railcard, its 30 pounds, but you get 1/3 off almost all rail tickets.

That transportation to and from campus is not ideal. The buses are not only unreliable but they also cost a lot of money. I ended up spending around $100 every month for just bus passes (not including trains and city to city busses that cost even more). Walking and biking ended up being the best way to commute from the town on to campus.

I would advise future students to be aware that university works and functions so differently from the USA, and it will feel like you have a vast amount of free time with easy assignments, but there is very little room for error. Due to how the programs are set up you only showcase your knowledge on a few large assignments, making mistakes extremely costly

I learned that the structure of the classes is an adjustment at first, but once you get used to it, it allows you to prioritize being a student while having fun experiences while abroad.