Part of the appeal of studying abroad isn’t just that students from St Andrews can go to various countries across the world, but students from universities across the world can also come here to the Bubble and share their experiences and knowledge with us. If you are an international student considering studying abroad, then it can be daunting having to choose where to go, and money can often play a big role. This is why we have a number of study abroad scholarships for inbound students that are awarded based on financial need and academic merit, which can be found here. However, it’s all very well knowing about such opportunities, but what about the real stories of people who have benefitted from them? We asked two students who received inbound study abroad scholarships how they found their time here.
Mariel Kozynski
Coming from a small Uruguayan university, I found the whole St Andrews experience represented a significant shift in my educational perspective as an undergraduate student. Each course I took, Scotland and the English Empire 1070-1500, Drama in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries, and Film History and Historiography, enabled me to get acquainted with the lecture system, for classes at my home university, with a reduced number of students, actually work like seminars. The contents taught in each course provided me with brand-new knowledge of cultural, political, and historical issues with a local, regional, and international focus; I could never have explored these issues from these perspectives. For example, thanks to the medieval history course, I got a better understanding of how Scottish-English relations developed.
Mariel enjoying the Scottish weather!
I could also benefit from student life at an institution that provides several opportunities for bonding and networking, with partners from all over the world, outside of classes. This was culturally enriching and definitely helped me foster my interpersonal skills. For example, I ran the Spanish Café, where I met Spanish speakers of all levels and backgrounds, and I took Scottish Country Dancing lessons, which brought me closer to the Scottish culture in an incredibly fun way.
I want to thank, once again, everyone who has contributed to making my participation in the Study Abroad programme at the University of St Andrews possible and a fruitful experience.
Eyosyas Dagnachew
Eyosyas studied Computer Science and Mathematics in St Andrews and his home university was the College of William & Mary.
The five months I spent at St Andrews have been the most adventurous, fun, and outright best months of my life. This was my first time in Europe, and hence, I was initially intimidated about studying abroad. However, I was surprised at how well I settled at St Andrews. Every student, staff, and local I met was friendly and affable, and the beauty of the town exceeded my expectations. From May Dip to May Ball and everything in between, I was glad to have experienced the different aspects and culture of St Andrews, and even though I was only there for one semester, I feel like I can honestly call myself a true St Andrews student. I had such a wonderful time at St Andrews that I am genuinely considering about coming back for my postgraduate studies.
Esosyas soaking up Scottish culture at Urquhart Castle near Loch Ness
With the scholarship provided for me, I was able pay off most of my expenses and even travel a bit around Europe. I visited several cities in Scotland (Edinburgh being my favorite city not just in Scotland but in Europe) and was especially ecstatic to visit the beautiful Highlands in the north (picture taken at Urquhart Castle along Loch Ness). On top of that, I travelled to Galway, Amsterdam, Bruges, Paris, Barcelona, and Milan. This is by far the most travelling I’ve done in a five months period and I have developed as an individual because of it.
