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Hey everyone,
I'm trying to pick a university for a year abroad in the UK, but I don't know enough about the English (and Scottish, and Welsh) universities to make an informed decision.
The criteria for picking a school aren't of an academic nature, but rather about the town or city I would end up in.
I'd prefer to be in the North of England, because it's supposed to be a bit easier on the cost of living, and for that reason I should like to avoid London. I'd also prefer a smaller city over party central, so maybe Manchester wouldn't be a great idea.
Geographically, I think Durham is great, but then again, I' don't know anything.
Here's a list of the unis I can pick from:
+ Show Spoiler +Academic Calendar (2014/15):
Aberystwyth (Wales)
Bangor (Wales)
Belfast (Northern Ireland)
Birmingham
Brighton
Bristol
Cardiff
Durham
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Kent
Lancaster
Leeds
Leicester
London - Queen Mary College
London - Royal Holloway College
Loughborough
Manchester
Middlesex
Nottingham
Semester
Sheffield
Surrey
Just for the sake of being comprehensive, these are the ones in the USA:
+ Show Spoiler +
University of Pennsylvania
Cornell University
Boston College
University of Florida
Stanford University
University of Texas
Dartmouth College
I don't think I will go the US, but I'm not 100% sure yet.
Since we can go tuition free, a year in the US might be fun.
Thanks in advance!
 
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Go to the USA if you can. England is shitty
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lol
ur going to uni but never mention what you are going to study?
That party comment made me laugh. Its up to you how hard you party and how you party is all about who you mix with.
You take a small place where everyone knows each other and are pretty bored and things escalate.
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I went to Durham, it's a great uni. Cost of living is very cheap when you aren't living in college i.e. probably your second year. City-wise, everything's very central, it's probably about 30 minutes from one end of town to the other. There's lots of rural beauty and historic buildings, but you still have all the necessities of the city; it's a good compromise. If you need/want to head into a bigger town at any point, Newcastle is 15 minutes away via train and costs less than £5. Although it's a city university (i.e. uni stuff is all over the place) almost everything is on one of two streets and it doesn't take long to get around.
Judging by your criteria, it sounds like Durham would be a good fit.
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I'm doing a 125% Bachelor in chemistry and English (25%), and the exchange is with the English department, so I would study English exclusively and finish that part of my degree in a year.
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Northern Ireland22212 Posts
No Cambridge so I can't recommend it, and I would not recommend Belfast because there's nothing here
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Northern Ireland281 Posts
I went to Royal Holloway myself. It's quite far away from anything fun, although the train link is pretty decent if you don't drive. Got a few towns nearby with stuff to do and ofc, London is down the road (or 30mins by train to get to central).
I went to uni a good 8 years ago or something tho, so there might be more stuff to do there now, but given that the tiny town it's actually in (englefield green) has nothing, and the town nearby (egham) isn't much better, it might not be what you're looking for.
It's also pretty expensive area, not central london expensive, but still surrey prices everywhere.
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I spent my year abroad at Bristol Uni (not UWE, which is also in Bristol but just one big ugly Uni).
Great Uni and a wonderful city. It's rather big however ( pop at around 400k) and in addition it is kind of the party centre for everything west of London :D
Still, it's great as a hub for Cornwell and Wales. It has its own low cost airport and it is not as expensive as London. And you got Banksy. I mean C'mon 
edit: also, Skins and Being Human!
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On November 10 2014 22:43 SixStrings wrote:
I'm doing a 125% Bachelor in chemistry and English (25%), and the exchange is with the English department, so I would study English exclusively and finish that part of my degree in a year.
More info on Durham not that I have this. The English department is just off the main high street (it's a 2 minute walk from the centre of town). The main lecture theatres for the subject are also fairly central, about the same distance away from the centre. Depending on what college you're at, they could be as little as a minute or so away, but if you're at one of the further out colleges it could be as much as 15 minutes. I think most of the colleges take year abroad students, so you could be anywhere.
Also, if academia does factor into the decision at all, afaik, roughly 40% of Durham English Students get a 1st and almost everyone else gets a 2;1, so it's probably quite good for the subject.
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You should choose Stanford.
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If you can get 1 free year at Stanford go for it!!
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You should ask your professors which university is the best for your field of study and perhaps they can also recommend which lectures to attend and to get in touch with which professors.
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Pandemona
Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts
On November 11 2014 00:03 tar wrote:I spent my year abroad at Bristol Uni (not UWE, which is also in Bristol but just one big ugly Uni). Great Uni and a wonderful city. It's rather big however ( pop at around 400k) and in addition it is kind of the party centre for everything west of London :D Still, it's great as a hub for Cornwell and Wales. It has its own low cost airport and it is not as expensive as London. And you got Banksy. I mean C'mon edit: also, Skins and Being Human!
Oh my god you went to Bristol, how did you get on with that horrible accent of theirs lol?
Durham is a good uni, however its in Durham which whilst has some heritage to it is very cold northerly city and is not good if you fancied on time off (summer) to go exploring. Literally just near Newcastle and such.
If you can bare the Bristol accent that university could be worth it due to being close to both London and Birmingham via trains and such.
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On November 11 2014 01:18 Pandemona wrote:Show nested quote +On November 11 2014 00:03 tar wrote:I spent my year abroad at Bristol Uni (not UWE, which is also in Bristol but just one big ugly Uni). Great Uni and a wonderful city. It's rather big however ( pop at around 400k) and in addition it is kind of the party centre for everything west of London :D Still, it's great as a hub for Cornwell and Wales. It has its own low cost airport and it is not as expensive as London. And you got Banksy. I mean C'mon edit: also, Skins and Being Human! Oh my god you went to Bristol, how did you get on with that horrible accent of theirs lol?
Durham is a good uni, however its in Durham which whilst has some heritage to it is very cold northerly city and is not good if you fancied on time off (summer) to go exploring. Literally just near Newcastle and such. If you can bare the Bristol accent that university could be worth it due to being close to both London and Birmingham via trains and such.
After the initial shock, I actually liked it! Took me quite some time to understand a Bristolian on the phone though 
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On November 11 2014 01:18 Pandemona wrote:Show nested quote +On November 11 2014 00:03 tar wrote:I spent my year abroad at Bristol Uni (not UWE, which is also in Bristol but just one big ugly Uni). Great Uni and a wonderful city. It's rather big however ( pop at around 400k) and in addition it is kind of the party centre for everything west of London :D Still, it's great as a hub for Cornwell and Wales. It has its own low cost airport and it is not as expensive as London. And you got Banksy. I mean C'mon edit: also, Skins and Being Human! Oh my god you went to Bristol, how did you get on with that horrible accent of theirs lol?
Durham is a good uni, however its in Durham which whilst has some heritage to it is very cold northerly city and is not good if you fancied on time off (summer) to go exploring. Literally just near Newcastle and such. If you can bare the Bristol accent that university could be worth it due to being close to both London and Birmingham via trains and such.
Being a German, any English accent is a step up.
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Why not come south? Its lovely down here 
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On November 11 2014 02:22 Skynx wrote:Why not come south? Its lovely down here
I'm going to Istanbul in February, but only for a week or so.
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EPT
