Hello. My name is Hannah Burch and I’m a junior at GW studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I’ve been in Edinburgh for a month now, finding my routine, my friends, and exploring the city. I have grown to love the university, city, and country in that short-time period and would like to share with you how you can do that too when you go abroad, even when there are times you feel homesick, anxious, or overwhelmed by all the changes.
When I first moved into my flat in Edinburgh, I was terrified. I was terrified of making new friends, adapting to the UK University system, and navigating the public transportation. Everything felt unfamiliar and overwhelming on that first day. But the key to getting past these anxieties and unfamiliarities is to push past them.
To solve the problem of not knowing a single person in a brand new city: reach out to other GW students (the study abroad office shares all their emails), join international student clubs and attend the University’s international student events. It’s like freshman year, everyone is in the same boat and feels alone, so don’t be hard on yourself.
Another thing you’ll haver to push past is the grading system and workload of your new university. At the University of Edinburgh, and other UK schools, anything above a 70 is an A (which is very scary when you get that first paper back and have a moment of panic). There are three levels of A’s that you can achieve, but it is important to know that a 70 is more than passing, it is excelling. From there, a 40 and above is considered a pass, though technically categorized as a D. To keep it brief, always look up the grading system of your University to avoid those panic moments later on. Additionally, in UK Universities, it is very common to only have one or two assignments throughout the semester that are each worth massive portions of your grade. At GW, I was very accustomed to weekly reading quizzes, regular essays, discussion posts, etc. In UK Universities, the workload is all about independent reading that you are trusted to have completed and just one-three large assignments. This places a huge emphasis on individual study and discipline.
All students abroad will of course have to navigate a new transportation system, but for students coming to the University of Edinburgh specifically, my advice is to always have access to GPS/Maps. The bus system in Edinburgh is difficult to navigate at first, and there is no metro, so it is your only option beside biking (which I wouldn’t recommend in some areas, given the cobblestone streets) or walking (which isn’t very realistic considering how massive the city is). The University of Edinburgh does not provide a subsidized transportation pass like GW, so account for this when you budget for the semester! A Young Scots card is free, but impossible to get if you are only there for one semester. And a monthly bus pass is £50 each month (about $65).
In general, the best way to avoid confusion over grading, navigation, or other differences in your new city is to research things ahead of time and meet other students like you, who you can explore and struggle with together. That is all the advice I have for now, I can’t wait to see what else I will learn and see in the coming months. Enjoy your time abroad!
Hannah Burch
Fall 2024
GW Exchange - University of Edinburgh
Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
Political Science & Communication Double Major