Aslesha Kaur Dhillon recalls her time spent in the UK, pursuing a degree in International Relations and Law.
When graduating from school, we all make the first few important decisions of our lives.
This is full of dilemma, excitement, stress and fear. What should I do? Where should I go? Will I settle in? Should I stay in India or should I go abroad? And the big question is — am I making the right decision?
We have all been there, and some are on their way. I too faced the same worries after graduating from Vivek High School, Chandigarh. Doing my schooling from a very competent and eminent institution, I was not willing to settle for anything but the best.
The United Kingdom, for centuries, has been known for its educational system and institutes and the University of Edinburgh is one of those august institutions which encouraged me to apply.
I decided to do my undergraduate degree in International Relations and Law. This course gave me an opportunity to simultaneously study politics and law, which further gave me a comprehensive understanding of my field of study.
The university also offers a number of scholarships for international undergraduate students. I received a Global Undergraduate Edinburgh India Scholarship, worth £3,000.
I arrived in Edinburgh from India. Adjusting to a new country was an adventure for me. Regardless of the different nationalities around me, all the first-year students sailed in the same boat and thus, willingly lent a helpful hand to each other.
The university organised events to help us meet new students and become accustomed to the new city — there were tours of both the city and the university while a number of social events were held by the student unions at both the university and EUSA (Edinburgh University Student Association), helping us get comfortable.
Edinburgh is a big, and rather intimidating metropolitan city. But somehow, I never feel lost. It has an old world charm to it and there is a sense of being part of the community. The people of Edinburgh immediately make you feel part of the city and I never felt like a foreigner. Also, the mix of the old and new is very appealing too.
Edinburgh is listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, in recognition of its Medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town. Edinburgh has a lot of tourist attractions to offer: The Edinburgh Castle, National Scottish Museum, Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, Royal Yacht Britannia and most famously, the Edinburgh Festival.
The annual festival is an international event welcoming a collection of astounding international theatre, opera, dance and classical music. I think it is a wonderful place to be a student because your experience goes beyond university life.
Since the campus is located across Edinburgh, one also feels like a part of the city. The university also has a very large international community, and because of which, I got the opportunity to meet people from all parts of the world and all walks of life, which is an education in itself.
About the campus
The university is one of the leading institutions in the world and offers students the best in terms of education, competition and opportunities. It is constantly upgrading and developing itself to stay up-to-date with the current technology and services.
The university's library is one of the largest in the UK. While there are subject-specific libraries as well, the main building caters to all students of various fields of studies and is fully automated. Therefore, the library catalogue — and a number of articles, journals and e-books — can be accessed online, irrespective of one's location.
The Edinburgh University Student Association (EUSA) provides students with the opportunity of joining over a 100 societies. These societies cover activities such as debating, a model United Nations, mooting, mathematics, basketball, golf, underwater hockey and many more.
There are a number of other important services provided by the university too. For instance, the 'EUSA Advice Place' is a service which involves student advisors, who provide assistance to students on various issues concerning their lives, be it academic, financial or some personal issue. They are a sensitive, caring group, always trying to point you in the right direction.
The career service provided by the university is extremely helpful in finding jobs while studying there. After graduation, they help students prepare for interviews and help them write their resumes.
A career fair is organised annually where various companies come to the university to interact with the students. There are also a number of student-support services established to help all the needs of the students.
I remember when I first came to Edinburgh, it was a foreign land with foreign people and a completely foreign system. I try to think back and wonder how was I able to adjust so easily. I can't seem to remember any hurdle because there was always someone around to offer help and assistance.
In my experience, everyone I have met in the University of Edinburgh have been nothing but friendly, and now this feels like a home away from home!
Share your experience of studying in a campus abroad in not more than 750 words. Mail us at dheducation@deccanherald.co.in or post it to Education, Deccan Herald Editorial, 75, M G Road, Bangalore- 560001.
When graduating from school, we all make the first few important decisions of our lives.
This is full of dilemma, excitement, stress and fear. What should I do? Where should I go? Will I settle in? Should I stay in India or should I go abroad? And the big question is — am I making the right decision?
We have all been there, and some are on their way. I too faced the same worries after graduating from Vivek High School, Chandigarh. Doing my schooling from a very competent and eminent institution, I was not willing to settle for anything but the best.
The United Kingdom, for centuries, has been known for its educational system and institutes and the University of Edinburgh is one of those august institutions which encouraged me to apply.
I decided to do my undergraduate degree in International Relations and Law. This course gave me an opportunity to simultaneously study politics and law, which further gave me a comprehensive understanding of my field of study.
The university also offers a number of scholarships for international undergraduate students. I received a Global Undergraduate Edinburgh India Scholarship, worth £3,000.
I arrived in Edinburgh from India. Adjusting to a new country was an adventure for me. Regardless of the different nationalities around me, all the first-year students sailed in the same boat and thus, willingly lent a helpful hand to each other.
The university organised events to help us meet new students and become accustomed to the new city — there were tours of both the city and the university while a number of social events were held by the student unions at both the university and EUSA (Edinburgh University Student Association), helping us get comfortable.
Edinburgh is a big, and rather intimidating metropolitan city. But somehow, I never feel lost. It has an old world charm to it and there is a sense of being part of the community. The people of Edinburgh immediately make you feel part of the city and I never felt like a foreigner. Also, the mix of the old and new is very appealing too.
Edinburgh is listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, in recognition of its Medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town. Edinburgh has a lot of tourist attractions to offer: The Edinburgh Castle, National Scottish Museum, Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, Royal Yacht Britannia and most famously, the Edinburgh Festival.
The annual festival is an international event welcoming a collection of astounding international theatre, opera, dance and classical music. I think it is a wonderful place to be a student because your experience goes beyond university life.
Since the campus is located across Edinburgh, one also feels like a part of the city. The university also has a very large international community, and because of which, I got the opportunity to meet people from all parts of the world and all walks of life, which is an education in itself.
About the campus
The university is one of the leading institutions in the world and offers students the best in terms of education, competition and opportunities. It is constantly upgrading and developing itself to stay up-to-date with the current technology and services.
The university's library is one of the largest in the UK. While there are subject-specific libraries as well, the main building caters to all students of various fields of studies and is fully automated. Therefore, the library catalogue — and a number of articles, journals and e-books — can be accessed online, irrespective of one's location.
The Edinburgh University Student Association (EUSA) provides students with the opportunity of joining over a 100 societies. These societies cover activities such as debating, a model United Nations, mooting, mathematics, basketball, golf, underwater hockey and many more.
There are a number of other important services provided by the university too. For instance, the 'EUSA Advice Place' is a service which involves student advisors, who provide assistance to students on various issues concerning their lives, be it academic, financial or some personal issue. They are a sensitive, caring group, always trying to point you in the right direction.
The career service provided by the university is extremely helpful in finding jobs while studying there. After graduation, they help students prepare for interviews and help them write their resumes.
A career fair is organised annually where various companies come to the university to interact with the students. There are also a number of student-support services established to help all the needs of the students.
I remember when I first came to Edinburgh, it was a foreign land with foreign people and a completely foreign system. I try to think back and wonder how was I able to adjust so easily. I can't seem to remember any hurdle because there was always someone around to offer help and assistance.
In my experience, everyone I have met in the University of Edinburgh have been nothing but friendly, and now this feels like a home away from home!
Share your experience of studying in a campus abroad in not more than 750 words. Mail us at dheducation@deccanherald.co.in or post it to Education, Deccan Herald Editorial, 75, M G Road, Bangalore- 560001.