Details

• Great Britain & N.Ireland
• MAWiRe-21
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

-) Give a lot of thought into the place / country / university you want to attend This one might seem rather obvious, but as it turns out some fellow exchange students were a bit disappointed because they envisioned the city to be different to what it actually was - this might include looking up whether a University offers a lot of activities and societies, or if a city has a lot of clubs, etc. Tip: University of Aberdeen offers a lot of student-societies, which you can join for just one semester, meet knew people and try out different things -) The application process at WU is rather straightforward - thoroughly read the emails and try to connect with fellow (future) exchange students as it definitely helps navigate this process -) prepare your semester abroad by reaching out to your fellow exchange-students from WU and to former exchange students to get all the first-hand information you are interested in -) also have a lot of patience and be aware that things like the final course-selection will happen once you are in Aberdeen - but that's no reason to worry, people are very friendly and more than happy to help/accomodate your needs, and changing things is quite easy, as there is no "Sekunden-Anmeldung" as we know it from WU

2. Accommodation

The University of Aberdeen provides student housing for all exchange students that wish to take them up on this offer I stayed at North Court and can definitely recommend that - not the prettiest of buildings, but we were 4 people in one apartment with a big kitchen, two toilets, one shower, and sinks in every room I can definitely recommend staying there as student housing provided by University of Aberdeen has some major benefits: - very safe as it has 24/7 securtiy and reception - there is a movie-room, convenience-store, table-tennis, and lots of activities organised by the accomodation - it is a 20 minute walk through a park to get to the University (and also 2-3 buses every half hour that take you to the University, city centre and the beach) - the beach is also just a short walk away - you get a free gym membership, which also includes lots of (free) classes like cycling, reformer pilates, dance classes, etc. (major benefit and very convenient) The University of Aberdeen will send you all the details you need to know and it is rather easy to sign up for a dorm-room I'd recommend single-sex housing and also ordering all the essentials from Uni-Kit-Out (University of Aberdeen has a discount code for you) As soon as I arrived at my dorm the Uni-Kit-Out was already there and I could simply unpack after a stressful and long day of getting there, whereas my roommates had to go out on a shopping trip in order to get the essentials, which was very draining, simply because you have to think about a 100 different little things and make a lot of decisions / it is way more fun to join them to select some fun pieces for your new room to make it feel homey and not having to cart big things like pillows, sheets, towels, pans and pots, etc. all the way back to the accomodations Quality was also quite okay/nice

3. Academic life at host university

-) The campus is quite big and very nice - lots of old buildings as well as a new library -) very easy to reach by bus or on foot -) teaching style is quite different: I took two classes (both 15 ECTS) - ca. 80% of attendance was required / you were expected to do a lot of reading before a class but it's rather theoretical and not about preparing differnet (law) cases / you are expected to contribute in class but without getting graded on that / we had to write an essay which was about half the grade / and had one final exam which was open book and with essay-style-questions The classes were rather small so it was important to prepare but even more fun to participate and discuss differnet view-points The two classes I took: - Gender, Law and Society (Spezialisierung Privatrecht) - 100% can recommend - International Law (Allg. Völkerrecht, Fachseminar) - can also recommend but also quite some work to do for that one Overall quite simple though to get a good grade

5. Every day life in the host country

public transportation in Scotland is great - also to go on trips throughout the country Aberdeen is a very safe city You can join a lot of societies at University and there are continuously great events I would definitely recommend following the University, ESN, etc. on Instagram and also singing up for the welcome-week activities as you get to meet new people and can go on a couple fun trips!

6. Testimonial

Spending my exchange semester at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland was an unforgettable experience that combined academic growth with cultural discovery. I fell in love with the country’s beautiful, scenic landscapes and its welcoming atmosphere. Alongside fellow exchange students, I explored much of Scotland, taking trips that showed us everything from rugged coastlines to historic castles. Life at the University was enriching both inside and outside the classroom. I joined university societies and took part in city events, which helped me connect with people from all over the world. One of my favorite parts was trying new activities like reformer pilates, while my roommates even ventured into surfing. Academically, I especially enjoyed a law course that focused on women’s issues in law and society, which offered new perspectives and sparked meaningful discussions with classmates. Many nights were spent in the library working on assignments, but even those moments turned into part of the experience: sharing study breaks and snacks, and encouraging one another through deadlines. Overall, my semester in Aberdeen allowed me to experience a new city, adapt to a different rhythm of life, and create memories and friendships that will last far beyond the exchange.