Visit Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle towers over Edinburgh city and is a fortress of a castle. It is one of the most spectacular castles ever built and should definitely be visited if you are near Edinburgh. It is over 800 years old and dominates the skyline over the city. It is also one of the most visited tourist attractions in Scotland. If you want to avoid long waiting lines you should book your tickets online so you can have a smooth day if your planning to visit. For full information and bookings you should visit the Edinburgh Castle website.

Gleniffer Braes Country Park

Now when spring is finally arriving, what could be better than a nice walk in the beautiful nature? If you are living in Paisley, and especially if you're living at Thornly Park, you have the nature just around the corner. Next to Thornly Park you will find Gleniffer Braes Country Park with a area of 480 acres. Here you can take woodland walks, enjoy the beautiful views, have a picnic, visit the waterfall or just enjoy the serenity.

Celtic Park

In scotland there's a lot of passionate football fans. Celtic is the best team in Scotland at the moment. Below video are from the game against Inverness 21/04/2013 when Celtic secured this season's title.

Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands are a beautiful landscape with astounding places to explore and see. The highlands are commonly known for their fascinating landscapes with an ancient history attached to them. The Highlands  is an inspiring region with a variety of options available for numerous activities. You can take your pick of what you want to do such as: Exploring famous lochs, visiting beaches, witnessing ancient monument, or experiencing almost any outdoor activity you can think of.

You can visit the highlands by any means of transportation. the stunning scenery provides you with new experiences whichever method of transportation you choose whether it is by train, by car, or with just your bicycle. For more information you should take a look at: Visiting Scotland

Day trip to Glasgow

If you would like to go to Glasgow over the day, getting there by train is the quickest way to go. With frequent departures you can take the train from Paisley Gilmore Street and be at Glasgow Central just 10 minutes later. The price for an off peak day return is £3.8.

Going there by bus is another option that will take you a bit longer time, the approximately travel time is 35 minutes. From Paisley you can choose between going with either McGill or First. McGill offer student discount and the price is £2.20. The price for travelling the same journey with First is £2.50.
A good thing if you choose to go by bus is that the ticket is valid the whole day, and therefore you can use it for other journeys during the same day.

Food stores

There is a wide choice of food store in Scotland. For those seeking a discount store Lidl and Aldi are for you! You can find almost all the products at very affordable prices. There are also stores like Tesco or Morrisons (slightly more expensive) where you can find fresh quality products. The advantage is that these stores are open very late hours (until 22/23h) from Monday to Sunday. For those who do not care about the price and prefer product quality, Marks & Spencer is a very good store for you. Despite fairly expensive price, the products are better quality than other food stores.

The grading system at UWS

The grading systems can differ greatly between countries. Here at the University of the West of Scotland you are required to achieve a mark of at least 40% to pass a module.

Easter break

If you're doing your exchange period in the spring, there's a perfect opportunity for you to do some travelling. University students in Scotland always have 1 week off due to the Easter holiday every year. A lionpart of all exchange students has at some point been to the highlands, and that would also be our recommendation to you. The picture below is from one of the most beautiful islands in the world: Isle of Skye.

Forever 21

Okay, this post is mostly for our female readers, but you guys might also find something of interest.
If you are eager to some shopping, why not visit the newly opened Forever 21 store in Glasgow? The store is located on the big shopping street Buchanan Street in the heart of Glasgow, so if you are in the area, the chance you will miss it is very small.
The impressive three floor store offers a massive selection of trendy and fashionable clothing  mostly for women, and at a very affordable price as well! They have also a huge department for accessories and shoes.
This is the only Forever 21 store in Scotland, so take the opportunity and pay a visit while your are here :)

Concerts, Live Performances and More...

If your a music fan, sports fan or just like seeing live performances then be sure to check out what is going on around Scotland. Scotland offers a wide variety of opportunities to go see bands live or watch a football match. The easiest way of knowing what is going on around you is by visiting ticketmaster. This website allows you to look for specific locations and displays all performances in that area. Or, if your looking for a specific artist performances then just fill in the search bar. All popular events are shown on the homepage, and ticketmaster is international so you can see where and when your favorite bands are playing. There is also an option to buy tickets through the website which then get mailed to you.

Armageddon, the strongest beer in the world!

The strongest beer in the world is Scottish!! And it is drank as slowly as a good whiskey. Called Armageddon, it displays the huge rate of 65% alcohol. More than ten times higher than usual alcohol content of most beers. It is all the same, sold 40 pounds (33 cl.)

Would you be willing to test it?

Low priced taxi company

Taking a taxi instead of the bus can sometimes be very convenient. But are you aware that the price for a specific journey may vary greatly between different companies?

One cheap taxi company that is recommended is Renfrewshire Cab Company. For the distance Glasgow-Paisley you will have to pay approximately £15. And between the University and the Airport the cost will be approximately £6.

When going with other companies you can be required to pay nearly the double.

After you have ordered your taxi you will receive a text confirming your booking. When your taxi is approaching you will receive another text telling you what the car looks like so that you easily can find it, perfect after a night out in Glasgow when several taxis are circulating at the same time!

The company have several phone numbers so visit their website to find out more.

Scottish high streets

It's not unusual that high streets in e.g. Glasgow and Edinburgh accommodate a lot of musicians. The music is  of course different from time to time, but something that's always a returning genre is the Scottish national instrument: bagpipe. Watch the video below so you get a taste of the Scottish high quality music.

Experience various food cultures

When living in student accommodation, your flatmates are often from different cultures than yourself. A great opportunity to get together and learn about other cultures, is to cook together. Cook a tradition meal of your country, and the next time someone else can cook a traditional dish of their country. This is a very appreciated activity and can be both fun and educational.

Scotland Railway

The easiest way to travel between Edinburgh, Glasgow and anywhere in Scotland is by train. Scottish railway options are plentiful and prices are good so you can get from A to B relatively cheap. If you like to visit Scotland then you should check out railway options in order to travel throughout Scotland as there are some excellent and breathtaking railway journeys. If you are looking for a simple ticket between cities you should go to scotrail for more information and ticket purchases if you wish. For some excellent railway pass options and a more travel orientated experience you should visit ScotlandRailways.

Nando's - Chicken restaurant

Looking for a chill restaurant to get a bite to eat?
If you love chicken and haven't yet tried Nando's, you must pay a visit as soon as possible.
You can choose from a selection of chicken dishes, and add up to 1-2 side orders. The next decision is how spicy you want your main chicken dish to be. The least spicy is called  "Plain...ish", (don't let the name fool you, it's is still pretty spicy). The most spicy is called "Extra hot", (only recommended to the ones who are used to eating spicy food, but can despite this be really spicy!)

There are several Nando's restaurants in Scotland, one of them is located in St. Enoch in the heart of Glasgow.
Since most of the Nando's restaurant don't take bookings and can be pretty busy, make sure you are there in time. You won't be disappointed!

Excellent opportunity for you !

We have a new partnership : Travel Rabbit !!! ;)

Because we want the best for you, with travel rabbit, we decided to work together. 

It is great, it allows you to see different trips that you may be interested to do during your study year in Scotland. It is interesting....

.... So one advice : Click and share :) 

http://travel-rabbits.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Their Facebook page : Travel Rabbits Facebook

Scottish and English banknotes

Did you know that in Scotland, the English pound is used but also the Scottish pound?? 

They are of the same value. However, the Scottish pounds are not accepted in the rest of the UK except of some English shops which will accept them on a voluntary basis. But the best is to take the Scottish ones to a bank and swap them for English ones. 

The hospitality of Scottish people

As an exchange- or permanent international student in the UK, and particularly Scotland, you'll will feel that you're being very good taken care of. The Scottish people are very welcoming and bring a great amount of hospitality towards tourists, foreign students and others from outside the UK and Scottish borders.

Ideas for dining out

It is a good opprtunity to go to 410 Sauchiehall Street (Glasgow G2 3JD) in Cook &Indi World Buffet, for lunch or diner with your friends or your family. Every body can find their favourite dish because the restaurant proposes four different nationalities : Chinese, Indian, Italian and Thai.

There is a vast choice of foods, and as the name suggests, you can serve yourself as many times as you wish.

The service is geniunly welcoming and pleasant and the atmosphere is agreable.

Their prices are very interesting, the lunch during the week is approximately £6, the evening after 6pm, it is £10, and the week end, the prices increased to to reach £13.

It is opened every day from 12 at noon to 10pm.

Glasgow Phone : 0141-3339933

For more details: http://cookandindisworldbuffet.com/menu.html

Glencoe

During your stay in Scotland, why not visit the beautiful place, Glencoe. This is the place that's called Skyfall in the recent James Bond movie: Skyfall. 

Low-priced meal in Glasgow

If you want a low-priced meal in Glasgow, which most students want, The Counting House is the place to go to. They have a wide selection of beers as well as a lot of "pub food" to choose from. Food is usually at the table 10 minutes after you've ordered, and you'll get a burger and a beer for less than six pounds. For more information, click the following link: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-counting-house-glasgow

Glasgow in transformation

Did you know that Glasgow has one of the biggest music scenes in the world? Glasgow hosts around 130 music events/week, ranging from pop, opera, Celtic music and rock. Glasgow has transformed from an industrial city to a cultural and touristic one.

Islay whiskey, an whiskey island in prosperity

If you like whiskey, particularly the smokier ones, Islay is the island for you. See the video link below for some information about Islay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PxyJgxNvW8&list=PLppkFEOHLEQMrXw6T2vSp0tKbq7gvYToH&index=5

Discounted course literature

In most courses you are required, or at least advised, to buy course literature. These books can be quite expensive, and as a student there is probably other more fun ways to spend your money! Usually the school library holds the literature you need, but it is always more convenient to have your own copy. At the campus bookshop you can find second-hand books at discounted prices, which can save you a lot of money!

Kilts

The kilt is an old traditional dress for boys and men from the highlands. It became a tradition back in the 16th century. However, in the 19th century it has become associated with the Scottish culture in general. The kilts are usually made from wool with a tartan pattern. The kilt is usually worn for formal occasions, but in recent days the kilt has become more popular as an everyday garment.

Visiting Scotland by coach tours: good way to meet people!

There are a lot of coach tours like Discover Scotland Tours or Timberbush Tours which suggest you 1, 2 or 3 days tour. It's quite affordable and it allows you to discover some places that you didn't think about going there.

But there are also student tours which are cheaper but they just propose 1 day trip like Student Tours Scotland or GU International Society. However, the good point here is that you will discover Scotland while meeting students from other universities!

For more information about where to visit, please check out our travel page

Scottish people

To quote chacha.com:

"Stereotypically, Scottish people are known for their loyalties to family, village, local pub, and local soccer team. They are also thrifty, have a deadpan style of humor, and a reluctance to express enthusiasm for anything in direct terms."

http://www.chacha.com/question/what-are-the-scottish-people-known-for-personality-wise

Order In!

If you ever come home late or do not have time to pick up groceries, Order In! Scotland has lots of small home delivery or take away shops. There is a high variety of options available. Just browse through websites like Just Eat, just enter your post code and you will find all the food shops that deliver near you. Ofcourse, the more commonly known food service delivery options such as Domino's or Pizza Hut are also available.

Flights to Glasgow/Edinburgh

Depending on where you travel from, you will probably find the most favourable flight prices by searching various airline companies’ websites.

If you can’t find a flight straight to Glasgow, you might consider the possibility changing in London, which offers many connection flights to Glasgow. For example, if flying with easyJet, you can switch at London Gatwick, Luton or Stansted, all of these offers departures to Glasgow Airport.

Glasgow have two airports, the second one is called Glasgow Prestwick and is located at a greater distance from Glasgow City Centre compared to Glasgow Airport. However, Ryanair operates to Glasgow Prestwick, so you might find good value tickets by choosing this alternative.

If you can’t find any suitable tickets straight to Glasgow, flying to Edinburgh Airport can be an alternative travel arrangement. Ryanair operates to Edinburgh and due to the fact that train tickets between Edinburg and Glasgow isn’t that expensive this can be a favourable way to travel.

Teaching

Usually the teaching in Scotland is divided into different learning methods. For example, it's not unusual to have lecture for two hours with following tutorial/seminar for one additional hour. Also, modules are usually scheduled for a fixed day of the week which facilitates the planning of assessments and exams a lot. A normal procedure would be that you're taking three modules simultaneously throughout one semester, where each module equals 20 points (10 ECTS).

Health advice

Hopefully, you won't need any medical attention during your studides in the UK. Though, a smart thing to do is to register with a local "GP" (General Practise) There can be a bit of a hassle if you do get sick and didn't register with a specific GP. Thus, take our advice and register right away upon arrival. More information about this can be retrieved from the following link: http://www.educationuk.org/Article/Health-advice-for-UK-international-students

Bring your rain gear

For most people there's no secret that it rains a lot in Scotland. You must not forget to bring your rain gear with you :). However, there are sunny days here too, and it can be really beautiful. It's not unusual that it's raining simultaneously as it's sunny outside, which is very fascinating.

International Scholarship - Scotland

As an international student it can sometimes be hard to cope with the financial situation when studying abroad. Therefore, you should always apply for scholarships applicable to you. The following link would be a good place to start with if you're going to study in Scotland in the near future: http://www.talentscotland.com/students/study/scholarships.aspx

Welcome to our blog

Hi and welcome to our blog about the life as a student in Scotland!

We are five students attending University of the West of Scotland (Paisley), and have together set up this blog as a guidance to all of you that either are studying in Scotland at the moment, or are thinking about doing so in the future. As four of us are exchange students, we have focused on information we consider important when you come here for the first time and everything is new.

If you can not find the information you are looking for, do not hesitate to contact us!