Exchange Report

Before the interview, it is important to carefully complete the questionnaire and think about which universities you want to apply to and what your motivation is. During the interview, it is essential to stay calm, answer all the questions thoughtfully, and clearly explain your motivation for the exchange. My interview only lasted 10–15 minutes and took place in a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. During the preparation for your semester abroad, it is essential to think about insurance, visa requirements, and official registration. The University of Edinburgh required a short motivation letter and a few documents, such as a copy of my passport. Furthermore, it is advisable to apply early for student housing or to look for private accommodation.

Since I only applied for official student residences, the application process was very easy. However, there is no guarantee of actually receiving a room (although I have never met anyone who did not get one). The room allocation process is somewhat intransparent, and most of my friends did not receive one of their top-ranked residences from the application. I received my housing offer around two to three weeks before I left, so there is no need to worry if you do not receive an offer in July. My accommodation was about 30 minutes away from the main campus by bus. There are many buses in Edinburgh; however, it is generally better to live closer to the city centre, as buses can be quite slow, especially during rush hours. My location was - as Edinburgh in general - very safe, and I never encountered any dangerous situations. If you are unhappy with your allocation, it is advisable to ask in person during the first week whether a facility switch is possible, as there are often some rooms left.

The campus infrastructure in Edinburgh is excellent. There are numerous libraries, study areas, computer rooms, and coffee shops. The academic culture is very personal, especially during tutorials. Both lectures and tutorials are often highly interactive and include group discussions or group exercises. You can always ask your lecturers or tutors for help, and they usually respond very quickly to email requests. A course normally consists of one to two lectures per week, where attendance is usually not taken, and one mandatory tutorial per week. The tutorials are comparable to school classes, and my tutors were able to remember our names after just a few weeks. From my experience, the level of the courses was slightly easier than at WU Vienna, but achieving an A - especially in essay-based assessments - still requires a significant amount of work. Therefore, it is highly advisable to carefully check the course descriptions in advance, particularly with regard to assessment methods.

My time in Edinburgh has been one of the best experiences of my life so far. I met many amazing people from all over the world, which greatly enriched my everyday life. Public transport in Edinburgh consists mainly of buses and a tram line connecting the airport with the city centre. The buses in particular can be quite slow, as drivers check the tickets of all passengers when they enter. You can either pay by card directly on the bus or use a bus pass, which can be purchased at public transport ticket shops. If you use the bus every day, a bus pass is highly advisable. The safety situation in Edinburgh is excellent, even at night, and I never felt uncomfortable. Nevertheless, it is of course advisable to stay in groups when going out late at night. There are many social and leisure activities throughout the semester. During Welcome Week at the University of Edinburgh, it is important to use the university’s activity app, as most events are free and provide an excellent opportunity to discover the city and meet new people. In addition, there is an activities fair in the first week where you can find information about all sports clubs and societies. I would also strongly recommend joining the Erasmus network and attending their events, as this is a great way to meet other exchange students. They also offer weekend trips, which are a fantastic opportunity to explore Scotland.

What made my exchange so special were the people I met and the many activities I shared with them. I would recommend everyone to be open-minded and to step outside their comfort zone. This also means talking to exchange students who are not from Austria or Germany. I, for example, ended up in a friend group in which I was the only German-speaking student, which was a great experience, as I learned a lot about different cultures and countries. Furthermore, I really enjoyed our trips to the Highlands. These can either be organized through the Erasmus Student Network (which is very convenient, as nothing needs to be planned) or done independently with friends, using public buses or a rental car. Cities I particularly enjoyed visiting were St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Inverness. There are also very cheap flights to Ireland, for example to Belfast or Dublin. Besides the many leisure activities you can enjoy in Scotland, I also made the most out of the courses I attended by actively contributing in tutorials and completing the essential readings.