From the classroom to the Highlands: a postgraduate student’s guide to Scotland
By Bella / from the USA / studied MSc Sound Design
Why Scotland?
I’m not entirely sure whether it was growing up in history-filled New England, my early obsession with Harry Potter, or the seven seasons of Outlander I binge-watched a few years ago, but something about Scotland has always called to me. So, when I started considering a master’s degree in the UK two years ago, Scottish universities made up most of my list. The University of Edinburgh was always my favorite though, so when I heard that I had gotten in, I knew that was where I was meant to be.
Living in Edinburgh
Living in Edinburgh is a dream. It feels like you’re living in the beautifully haunting, dark academia world of a fantasy novel, but with all the conveniences of modern life. Feel like a morning stroll around a castle? Easy. Want to squeeze in a ghost tour of the underground city before lunch? No problem. Need some exercise? Just take a hike up the ancient extinct volcano. And the best part? When it’s time to pick up groceries for dinner after this day of adventure, there’s a Co-Op, Tesco, or Sainsbury’s within walking distance of everything. And yes, the bus will take you there too if your legs are dead after Arthur’s Seat.
Student life
One of my favorite parts of living in Edinburgh was the people I met and the friendships I made. Before I even got to campus, I connected with other incoming postgraduate students, and some of the people I met in then are now my best friends. After I arrived in Edinburgh, I also quickly became friends with the students in my lectures and tutorials.
The professors in my program were incredible as well. As they were all experts in their fields, they were always extremely helpful whenever I needed academic guidance. More than that, they were also all incredibly engaging to talk to, enthusiastically supportive of my academic interests, and were genuinely invested in helping us grow during our time in Edinburgh and beyond.
Escaping to the country
Edinburgh is great, but I don’t think you can truly appreciate Scotland’s beauty until you venture out of the city and into the countryside – and there are plenty of ways to do it. If you’re from the UK, or you’re a particularly brave international student, you can rent a camper van in Edinburgh and drive yourself up into the Highlands. I did this with my brother (who bravely volunteered to drive) just before I began working on my dissertation in June.
Starting in Edinburgh, we spent eight days looping through the Highlands and the Outer Hebrides. It was an incredible trip, but if driving on one-lane country roads and sleeping in a van for a week sounds like a bit much, there are also daily bus tours from Edinburgh to some of the best parts of the countryside like Glencoe, Inverness, and Loch Ness. If you’re staying in university accommodations, your resident life team will organize some student trips outside of the city as well.
Enjoy your time in Scotland!
No matter how you choose to spend your time at university, Scotland has a way of settling into your heart and never leaving. Between my adventures in the city and the countryside, and the people I met along the way, my year in Scotland left me with memories that I’ll carry with me forever. Enjoy every minute of it!
Got questions about student life at Edinburgh?
