CIS Abroad Semester Programs in Scotland

Going abroad in Scotland was the time of my life. I was so nervous to leave the normalcy of my life, but I am glad that I was able to push myself out of my comfort zone and go for it. I was able to have amazing experiences that I could never have dreamed of doing, and was able to travel all over Europe, even on a college student budget. I felt safe and comfortable in Edinburgh, and was able to navigate the city very easily even though I am not used to being in cities. I made amazing friends that will last a lifetime. I hope that everyone takes the opportunity to go abroad as it was the most amazing time of my life!

If you are considering studying abroad through CISabroad, do it! I went to Edinburgh from early January to late May of 2019 and it was the best decision I have ever made. CISabroad is an amazing program and we had all the support we needed throughout the entire process, and even now as CIS alumni. Edinburgh has SO much to offer and it is a great location nearby the airport, main train stations, and has a really amazing bus transportation system to help you get around. If we needed anything, CISabroad staff were more than willing to help in any way possible! This program really makes you feel comfortable wherever you go. With a director on-site, we had easy access to assistance and we always knew we had someone to go to when our families were often across the ocean.

The few months I spent in Edinburgh were truly some of the months of my life. I met so many wonderful people and instantly felt at home with the help of the amazing site director and the other students in the program. If I had the opportunity to go back I would in a heartbeat. There are so many opportunities to travel and the weekend trip to the Highlands was one of the highlights of my study abroad experience. There is so much to do and so much to see around Edinburgh - it is impossible to be bored! Simply taking a walk to Princes Street or to the Royal Mile offers you so many things to do. Pop into any cafe or the Starbucks on Princes Street (great view of the castle) or choose to discover some history with any one of the many free museums available.

Studying abroad in Stirling, Scotland was the best decision I ever made. The people there are so kind, and the Scottish land is stunning. I felt so supported while there, and I made so many great friends from around the US and the world. The University itself is gorgeous, and the international student staff was great. There are three housing options we were able to choose from. I lived in Alexander Court, which was nice, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend. It was one of the older buildings and was also quite far from the center of campus (about a 20 minute walk). If you can, try to live in Willow Court which is a much more central option. I would also recommend the off-campus housing on Union Street, because you will be right in town and have easy access to grocery stores, nightlife, the train station, and whatever else you may need. I would recommend Stirling to anyone who wants to go abroad!

My study abroad experience in Edinburgh through CIS was the best semester of my life! Through doing this, I was able to meet so many great new people and see places I've always dreamed of seeing. Even though I never considered myself a big city person, Edinburgh was the perfect fit for me. It was small enough that I got comfortable exploring on my own, but still big enough to always find new things to do or see. Edinburgh also had the perfect balance of historic charm (from the castle to the palace) to being modern enough to have easy public transportation and offer a fun, social life. CIS made the transition to studying abroad so much smoother than it would have been had I not gone with them. They had great communication and information sharing prior to arriving and had the most amazing onsite program leader, Jeanna, as well. By having us all stay together in a hotel the first night, giving us walking tours of the city, and taking us as a group to the school's orientation, CIS definitely helped make life easier. CIS also organized such a beautiful trip to the Highlands, that I recommended what we did to the friends I met that were not a part of this program! My biggest piece of advice for anyone else about to study abroad is to say yes to everything! Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone! As someone who usually finds themselves a bit more on the shyer side, this is how I tried to live my life while in Scotland. By pushing myself and doing things I normally wouldn't, I was able to make so many great new friends and have tons of amazing new experiences that have left me with fantastic memories. I know I surprised myself with what I ended up loving, and even if I didn't, I was glad to have tried something new. This growth in confidence and independence has definitely impacted my life post-program as I carry what I've learned with me back home. The independence of life in the city and everything I've learned has affected how comfortable I am doing things now at home and has made me more excited for traveling and life in the future.

I had the absolute best semester in Edinburgh thanks to CIS. Edinburgh was beautiful, you could walk anywhere in the city in 20 minutes. The public transportation was cheap and simple. The airport was incredible, and you could fly anywhere! I took biology classes, so I had it a little harder than my friends who were business majors. The night life is incredible, and Edinburgh has the most pubs per square mile in the entire world. Through CIS, we even got a weekend tour of the Scottish Highlands, which is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. There's something for everyone in Edinburgh - shopping, hiking, history, pubs, cafes, and more! I would definitely recommend Edinburgh as a place to live, and to use CIS! If you go, take me with you!!!

While it was a well run program, because we were in an English speaking country, I rarely saw the program coordinator. We were located in a fantastic area of the city. School was very easy and met very little so I had a lot of free time. There was not many opportunities to meet local people. It was hard to meet new people and if I hadn’t befriended my flatmates I wouldn’t have had any friends. Edinburgh was a great spot to travel to other countries from. It was very easy to find cheap flights from Edinburgh.

The program made spending a semester abroad in the most wonderful city an absolute breeze. Edinburgh came to be my true home, with endless thanks due to the CIS staff who coordinated and welcomed us so seamlessly. Everything put on by the program itself was incredibly useful and fun, and yet there was ample opportunity for independent adventures. I was able to travel to nearly twenty different cities throughout Europe on weekends, breaks, and after classes ended. The CIS staff was not only willing to let us take these trips, but encouraged us to do so and gave us as much information to make it as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
Since completing the program, I have realized that the semester abroad wasn't the quenching of my travel thirst. Instead, it was only the first taste. I believe that CIS was a crucial experience for me, one that will impact the way I live the rest of my life.