Making the Most Aberdeen: Studying Abroad in Scotland
LOCATION
Aberdeen is the northernmost major urban center in the United Kingdom, a port city set on the North Sea coast of northeastern Scotland at the meeting point of the Dee and Don rivers. It’s a well-connected city; travel to Edinburgh by train in about 2 hours and 40 minutes with stunning views to enjoy along the way, buses offer a cheaper alternative to nearby destinations, and a flight down to explore London takes about an hour and a half.
STUDYING ABROAD IN ABERDEEN
When you study abroad in Aberdeen, you’ll attend the prestigious University of Aberdeen which is Scotland’s third oldest, founded in 1495. The campus is picturesque with a mix of gothic architecture and modern purpose-built facilities. There are grassy quads, botanical gardens, and woods to enjoy, and there are several pubs, small shops, and a post office located on campus alongside the more traditional amenities.
The “Granite City” has a student population of about 16,000, including a large international community drawn from over 120 countries. The Complete University Guide named it Scotland’s safest university city.
Despite offering courses in nearly every academic discipline, the University of Aberdeen has been able to maintain a smaller community vibe. The administration at the school is very friendly, personable, and approachable, which is exactly what you want while overseas. You have access to more than 100 societies and 50 sports clubs to join. The student union is also a great place to get involved and meet new friends.
You’ll live in university residence halls or student flats about a 15-minute walk to campus.
WHAT’S ABERDEEN LIKE?
Aberdeen is home to about 215,000 people, about 7% of them university students. It’s a small city, but a vibrant and international one with a rich history and an exciting cultural scene. More than a quarter of the city is open space, including parks and gardens, and there are opportunities for outdoor activities like sailing, canoeing, mountain climbing, and hiking nearby, not to mention the beautiful beaches!
The city center has received a coveted Purple Flag award many years in a row for surpassing standards of excellence in managing the evening and nighttime economy; that means there’s plenty of nightlife on your doorstep when you’ve put the books away for the day!
HOW CAN I SPEND MY FREE TIME?
Aberdeen may not be huge, but it’s packed with treasures to discover—from the fascinating stories of its history to the seaside culture to its music and art and nightlife—that will guarantee your study abroad experience is a memorable one.
HISTORY. There is history everywhere you look in Aberdeen. A good place to start is a walk along the charming cobbled lanes of Old Aberdeen where you can spot the 13th-century Brig o’ Balgownie and the 15th-century St. Machar’s Cathedral with its impressive ceiling. Within a short drive of the city are impressive stone circles, standing stones, and burial cairns, some dating back as far as the Bronze Age, and castles galore.
CASTLES. If you go to Stonehaven for the beach, don’t miss a chance to walk along the cliffs and visit Dunnottar Castle. As far as castles go, Craigievar Castle is one of the most enchanting; it’s pink and is said to have inspired Disney’s, Cinderella Castle. Another castle to visit is Balmoral Castle, a holiday home of the royal family but also the place where Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away earlier this year. ASA students often go in a group to see New Slains Castle, a source of inspiration for Bran Stoker in writing Dracula.
GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS. Spend a rainy day wandering through Aberdeen Art Gallery which recently underwent extensive redevelopment. Tolbooth Museum, a 17th-century jail, will keep you amused with gristly tales of the past and even has medieval torture devices on display, including the blade of the city’s guillotine from that era. The city itself is a gallery too; keep your eyes open for murals and artwork as you explore Aberdeen. The annual NuArt Festival, along with the Painted Doors project, has welcomed bright colors to some of the city’s surfaces.
BEACHES. As a port city, Aberdeen is on the water, so there are many beaches. The water may not be the warmest for swimming, but Stonehaven has an open-air swimming pool, an ice cream parlor, and some award-winning fish and chips. Head in the other direction to visit the old-fashioned fishing harbor. Balmedie Beach has impressive sand dunes, as does the wild Sands of Forvie, where you can also see the remains of a 12th-century church, dolphins, seals, and puffins. Torry Battery is a popular place to spot bottlenose dolphins.
CULTURAL EVENTS. If you study abroad in the spring or summer, take some time to watch the Highland Games which include competitive music, dancing, and heavy athletics like caber tossing to celebrate the diversity of Scottish culture. In August, the International Youth Festival featuring theater, dance, and music, is popular with thousands of participants from the world under the age of 23.
EXPLORING. Spend some time enjoying the parks. Duthie Park and the David Welch Winter Gardens are well worth a visit. ASA Aberdeen students enjoy some excursions together like a trip to the Isle of Skye, Fraserburgh Lighthouse, Loch Ness, and Inverness.
NORTHERN LIGHTS. From mid-October to mid-March, it’s possible to see the Northern Lights in Scotland! While you’ll want to travel away from the light pollution of the city when the moon is not full for your best chance of spotting them, they have been photographed from the city on the horizon!
WHAT (AND WHERE) SHOULD I EAT?
Aberdeen’s food scene brings a mix of traditional tastes and food from around the world thanks to the city’s cultural diversity. Seafood served up in restaurants with coastal views is a highlight, and there are some eclectic choices too.
CAFES. Foodstory is a great place to stop for a coffee, a vegan lunch, or the occasional arts and crafts event or reggae music night. Mackie’s 19.2 is a café that serves up some wild ice cream flavors made on their family farm. Think haggis and orange marmalade or minted brussels sprouts flavor! Books and Beans doubles as a second-hand bookstore. A few others to try are Cup, Parx Café, The Cult of Coffee, and Café Cognito.
FOOD. Head to Moonfish Café for seasonal innovative British dishes. Find Angus & Ale hidden under an arch for burgers or steak. Amarone is a wonderfully authentic Italian. For Japanese or Korean, it’s Yorokobi. Grub is the place to grab a quick wrap or panini. Nargile serves up delicious Turkish food. Hass’s Fish and Chips is a good bet for this popular meal.
MUST TRY. Experiment and enjoy the diversity of cuisine here! But local delights include fish and chips, butteries (or “rowies” which are similar to croissants but flatter and denser), scotch broth (one of the oldest Scottish dishes), cambus ‘o may (a local cheese), scotch pies (the traditional “working men’s food”), skirlie (toasted oatmeal and chopped onions sautéed in fat), cullen skink (a creamy fish soup), finnan haddie (smoked haddock), stovies (a potato dish), angus beef from local cattle, haggis (if you dare), and deep-fried mars bars (pretty self-explanatory).
ANY OTHER TIPS?
A few other things to keep in mind to make the most of a study abroad experience in Aberdeen…
SEAGULLS. Beware the gulls! Don’t underestimate the mighty urban seagull. If you’re outside with food in your hand, they will swoop, snatch and fly. Don’t feed them unless you want to find yourself under a flurry of feathers and squawking in no time.
CULTURE. Take advantage of the fact that just about all of Aberdeen’s museums and galleries are free to enter!
WIND. Aberdeen can be pretty blustery on windy days, thanks to its position on the coast. If it’s also raining, an umbrella will be pretty useless; bring a raincoat instead!
SUN. Pack your sunglasses; Aberdeen is one of the sunniest cities in the UK! It enjoys an average of 1,447 hours of sunshine on average per year.