At a time when students may be feeling particularly isolated, a selection of international students expressed their satisfaction with Scotland.
A Scotland.org survey found that, in general, students studying abroad in Scotland during Covid-19 have found it to be a positive experience. An influx of 50,000 international students from over 150 countries come to Scotland annually, and whilst it has historically been a popular place to study, there were concerns that Covid-19 restrictions may have affected this.
One of the five students interviewed in detail was a Canadian who is currently studying at the University of Glasgow. She told Scotland.org that she has enjoyed the friendliness of Scottish people during her time here and that the University has been “impressive” in its communication to students during the pandemic: “The sense of community I’ve found with my neighbours lately has also been really lovely. I also think the University has done a really good job staying connected and present.” Mentioning free online and social events, as well as drop-in support sessions, she didn’t feel isolated and commented: “I am very happy to be living here.” A selection of other students studying at universities including Dundee, St Andrews, Abertay and Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh were also interviewed. They agreed that university communication had been extremely efficient and effective during some of the most unsettling times of the past year. Alongside the culture, food and people, Scotland’s scenery was also cited as being an attractive factor, especially given the increasing travel restrictions.
