130 reviews
4.02 / 5 based on 130 reviews

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Languages
Language of instruction: English
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
How much did you improve your English?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Most communication happens with other foreigners. This is not such a big problem when you're learning the basics, but it's not very efficient to improve your language skills if you're starting at a (relatively) higher level... However, practicing a lot has always been a good exercise.
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Balthazar d
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
An ERASMUS grant
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits
Everything IS just more expensive than in Belgium, except maybe the food from LIDL... I spent less on telephone calls simply because I called less and because I found a good solution for the international calls. Travel was obviously a more common activity than in Belgium.
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Housing, Nightlife, Travel, Overall:
was more expensive than at home.
Food:
was the same price as at home.
Telephone:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
Use code-cards for international calls.
Buy your food at LIDL.
Fortunately enough, everything is at a walking distance from campus
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Overall
I wish I had known...
The cost of life and the need to study during the year for the courses
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In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
very good university, not many possibilities in course choices, but very well teached and interesting
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
The University of Aberdeen is definetely used to host foreigners, and those doon't feel like complete strangers. Teachers are available, course changes are easy, accomodation is quite easy to find, everything very accessible, etc.
Nightlife and weather may not seem as attractive as those of Spain, but you can have a lot of fun, and the contrast between the freezing winter and the blooming spring is wonderful! Besides, there are other compensations: Scotland is a magnificent country, the scottish culture is fascinating, and so on.
However, be aware of the cost of life and of the fact that some (a lot?) studying is required all year long (but exams preparation is not very harsh).
If you don't forget to take care of your day-to-day work, you won't get stuck in your flat when there's much better to do, and you're going to experience one of the best moments of your life !!!
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Academic
Course recommendations
Very different working system than in Belgium : much more all-year participative.
Watch out for availability of courses (some are only given 1 year out of 2), but the timetable compatibility is usually very good.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
I would have appreciated a wider choice of courses, but the Erasmus Program is quite flexible about equivalencies
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course

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Balthazar d
Housing
Type of housing: On campus
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: On campus
Why?
Is still one of the cheapest solution and easy to find when you're stranger.
Also a good way to know other people.
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Personal comments
Frightening when you are used to something else, but overall good experience : there is what you need and not what you don't need
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Student life
Describe host city:
Students equally interact with the local and student community
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Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment
Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Nightlife: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
Everybody knows about the Amadeus, a 20-minute busride away from campus, where pints are at 1 pound on Mondays.
There are of course plenty of pubs in town, some organising special events, etc.
For freezing winternights, go to the campus' pub (forgot the name : "7th hole" or something like that), very nice as well...
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