Study abroad is a persistent topic of conversation throughout second year, from when the opportunity is first mentioned during cohort orientation, to the application process which begins mid-way through the semester. The headache that is learning agreements, a VISA application process, and a foreign rental market is another. An international exchange is a big step, and therefore, we must ask – does the University of Edinburgh offer sufficient support to its students throughout the process?
From my experience, many students who did a year abroad have something negative to say about the Study and Work Away Service (or SWAY), and so in applying for my exchange, I was prepared for the worst. However, despite encountering a few challenges, I found that the staff at the university genuinely wanted to help and felt that the support offered was more than sufficient. SWAY offers a range of online and in-person support, from emails containing key application dates to drop-in Q&A sessions with former exchange students.
This is not to say that the application process is without its difficulties and frustrations. However, this issue lies in the fact that, fundamentally, an international exchange is complicated, and therefore, the process of applying cannot be simple. For many courses, a year abroad is only permitted if a student takes courses at the host university which are equivalent to the required third-year courses in Edinburgh – whether the university even offers these courses is one hurdle, and whether these courses are pre-approved for exchange students, of limited capacity, or if they are confirmed to take place each academic year are others which follow.
SWAY emphasises that finding acceptable courses is entirely the responsibility of the student, and this can feel pretty daunting – getting it wrong has significant academic consequences, and might result in the inability to study abroad altogether. However, support is available. It is an exchange coordinator’s job to offer advice and clearance in regards to course choices.
Furthermore, it is not entirely unreasonable to put this responsibility on students. Part of the reason why studying abroad is such a rewarding experience is due to the independence it requires, and this independence doesn’t (and shouldn’t) start on the plane. The stress of sorting logistics is a form of preparation for the much more challenging process of actually moving abroad alone. Whilst there is a lot of information to process, study abroad admin is entirely manageable by keeping up with emails and on top of key application dates.
This all said, some negative experiences outlined by students highlight more problematic issues within the university’s study abroad support system. One student I spoke to had received multiple emails warning her of her poor attendance in Edinburgh, before the university realised its mistake. She described how unnerving it was that the institution that had sent her to the other side of the world was somehow completely unaware of that fact. Despite being easily rectified through communication, preventable administrative errors such as this should be addressed.
Ultimately, studying abroad is complicated, and therefore, it is not surprising that many students come across friction during the application process. Many problems are legal issues or have to do with the exchange university, and therefore lie outside of SWAY’s control, but the university does its best to provide support when it can. SWAY is good at providing the basic information necessary for applying; however, when more specific study abroad support is required, I have found the staff on my course much more valuable. Perhaps I have just been lucky with my exchange coordinator and student advisor, as I am sure that experiences vary greatly across departments.
“planes 024” by zaphad1 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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Study Abroad: Does the University of Edinburgh Offer Sufficient Support?
Study abroad is a persistent topic of conversation throughout second year, from when the opportunity is first mentioned during cohort orientation, to the application process which begins mid-way through the semester. The headache that is learning agreements, a VISA application process, and a foreign rental market is another. An international exchange is a big step, and therefore, we must ask – does the University of Edinburgh offer sufficient support to its students throughout the process?
From my experience, many students who did a year abroad have something negative to say about the Study and Work Away Service (or SWAY), and so in applying for my exchange, I was prepared for the worst. However, despite encountering a few challenges, I found that the staff at the university genuinely wanted to help and felt that the support offered was more than sufficient. SWAY offers a range of online and in-person support, from emails containing key application dates to drop-in Q&A sessions with former exchange students.
This is not to say that the application process is without its difficulties and frustrations. However, this issue lies in the fact that, fundamentally, an international exchange is complicated, and therefore, the process of applying cannot be simple. For many courses, a year abroad is only permitted if a student takes courses at the host university which are equivalent to the required third-year courses in Edinburgh – whether the university even offers these courses is one hurdle, and whether these courses are pre-approved for exchange students, of limited capacity, or if they are confirmed to take place each academic year are others which follow.
SWAY emphasises that finding acceptable courses is entirely the responsibility of the student, and this can feel pretty daunting – getting it wrong has significant academic consequences, and might result in the inability to study abroad altogether. However, support is available. It is an exchange coordinator’s job to offer advice and clearance in regards to course choices.
Furthermore, it is not entirely unreasonable to put this responsibility on students. Part of the reason why studying abroad is such a rewarding experience is due to the independence it requires, and this independence doesn’t (and shouldn’t) start on the plane. The stress of sorting logistics is a form of preparation for the much more challenging process of actually moving abroad alone. Whilst there is a lot of information to process, study abroad admin is entirely manageable by keeping up with emails and on top of key application dates.
This all said, some negative experiences outlined by students highlight more problematic issues within the university’s study abroad support system. One student I spoke to had received multiple emails warning her of her poor attendance in Edinburgh, before the university realised its mistake. She described how unnerving it was that the institution that had sent her to the other side of the world was somehow completely unaware of that fact. Despite being easily rectified through communication, preventable administrative errors such as this should be addressed.
Ultimately, studying abroad is complicated, and therefore, it is not surprising that many students come across friction during the application process. Many problems are legal issues or have to do with the exchange university, and therefore lie outside of SWAY’s control, but the university does its best to provide support when it can. SWAY is good at providing the basic information necessary for applying; however, when more specific study abroad support is required, I have found the staff on my course much more valuable. Perhaps I have just been lucky with my exchange coordinator and student advisor, as I am sure that experiences vary greatly across departments.
“planes 024” by zaphad1 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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