Experience Scotland
Location: Dalkeith - Scotland
Dates: Spring: 1/27-5/7/10; Summer: 5/19-7/9/10; Fall 9/1-12/10/10
Courses: Biology, Business, Communication, English, Geography, Geology , History, International Studies, Kinesiology, Psychology, Sociology; General Education in EN, ES, GE, HU, NS, NW, SS
Contact: Office of International Education
Details: http://www.uwosh.edu/oie/abroad/experiencescotland.php
______________________________________
Immerse yourself in Scottish culture and become a part of the community of Dalkeith!
Join UW students from around the System for a semester or summer in Scotland. Study under University of Wisconsin and University of Edinburgh professors while living in Dalkeith House, an 18th century manor house known to the Scots as Dalkeith Palace. The program includes planned extracurricular activities to acquaint students with various facets of British culture, history, politics, and daily life plus course-related field trips, House field trips, time for independent travel around Scotland or Europe, an internship (semester only) and a friendship family (semester only). All in one incredible package!
Internship
Obtain practical experience in your field of study! Unpaid internships at multiple internship sites. An internship director will search for fitting internship options and even accompany you to the internship site for your interview! Past students have found their placements to be an incredibly valuable part of their experience!
Friendship Family
This is an incredible opportunity to spend time with a Scottish family and enhance your understanding of the Scottish host culture! While you do not live with the family, you may be invited for meals, occasional outings to local points of interest or other family activities. This free host family program is offered during the fall and spring semesters.
All of the information included here is subject to change. Modifications may be required depending on the exigencies of the situation.
Course(s)
Before committing to an exchange program, applicants must spend time looking through the course selection available at the host institution. Keep in mind that you will need to maintain full-time status while studying abroad.
General education courses are taught by University of Wisconsin and University of Edinburgh professors. Fall and spring semester students are required to enroll for a minimum of 12 credits; summer participants enroll for 6 credits. You will be enrolled in all courses (except the internship and/or independent study courses) at UW-River Falls, with UW-River Falls courses transferring back to UW Oshkosh.
Course Options
Required course:
- Scotland: Society and Globalization (HU elective) (3 credits)
Internship
It is highly recommended that semester abroad students enroll in one 3-credit internship through UW Oshkosh (not available over summer). Choose one of the following options.
- Interdisciplinary Studies 399 (3 credits)
Sign up for this course on your study abroad application and Chrissy Lambie in Career Services (424-2044) will work with you on getting this set up.- Internship Course offered within your Major
Find a faculty member in your major's department at UW Oshkosh to mentor, evaluate and grade your internship experience. Talk with this faculty member about how credit will be awarded. You and your faculty mentor will then be put in touch with the Internship/Volunteer Site Coordinator to set up a site interview (the Internship Coordinator will accompany you to the interview). Course enrollment will take place at UW Oshkosh. No additional tuition will be assessed.Remaining Courses
Choose additional courses from the Course Schedule. Many options fulfill general education requirements.
Studying at Dalkeith House
Your class schedule will be included in the packet you receive before your departure. You will have an opportunity to change your schedule during your first week in Scotland. The Resident Director at Dalkeith House will handle the add/drop procedure.
Courses at Dalkeith House tend to feel more rigorous than U.S. students may be used to in the U.S., partially because the courses are being offered on-site where students and faculty are surrounded by teaching and learning opportunities related to coursework all of the time.
There is a very limited number of books at Dalkeith House. Library work can be done at Dalkeith Library and the Central Library of Edinburgh; both allow students to check books out. The National Library allows books to be used on the premises only. Please check with the Resident Director regarding what arrangements have been made to use the University of Edinburgh library. Academic resources are also available on the Internet.
Students may also try to take an educational course at The University of Edinburgh, though tuition is expensive. Because of the daily travel (the 6-mile bus ride can take 30 minutes or more), working out a schedule between classes at Dalkeith and Edinburgh is difficult, but it can be done.
Any absence from class beyond those allowed will result in a reduction of your final grade unless you have written documentation from a medical professional of a bona fide illness or injury preventing you from attending class. The class attendance policy is firm, with no exceptions. Be prepared to be on time and present for every class session.
Registration
Course enrollment is completed through UW-River Falls and UW Oshkosh (depending on the course). All participants will transfer UW-River Falls courses back to UW Oshkosh at the end of their studies.
Transfer Credit (except Internship)
After you have successfully completed your study abroad experience, but before you leave for home, you will need to have your transcripts sent to the Transfer Student Coordinator in the UW Oshkosh Admissions Office. You cannot receive credit at UW Oshkosh without the official transcript.
All transcripts and related documents must be sent directly to:
Transfer Student Coordinator
Admissions Office
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
800 Algoma Blvd
Oshkosh, WI 54901
U.S.A.
You should also consider ordering a copy of your transcripts for yourself.
Accommodation
Call Dalkeith House home for a semester!
WIS takes you to Dalkeith, a village just six miles southeast of Edinburgh in the Midlothian region of Scotland. Edinburgh and the surrounding region provide an ideal environment for educational programs and personal exploration. The richness of British history, politics, literature, poetry, arts, and other subjects come alive at every turn. Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland since 1124, is a classic European city. There the medieval grandeur of Old Town, crowned by Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House, joins harmoniously with the modern attractions of New Town. The natural beauty of the Scottish landscape and its coastline provide a majestic background for exploration, education, and enrichment.
The Dalkeith Estate (the estate on which Dalkeith House is located) is pastoral living at its finest. There are several nature trails, fishing, the adventure park and all sorts of animals: sheep, cattle, horses, ponies, pigs, goats, pheasants and fox, just to name a few. There is also a full time ranger service.
Dalkeith House is an 18th century manor house known to the Scots as Dalkeith Palace. It was rebuilt in 1701 on the remains of the original Dalkeith Castle built in the 12th century. The "Palace" is a magnificent example of late William & Mary architecture and is renowned for its fine oak paneling and carvings.
There are typically about 50-70 students living in Dalkeith House at any given time, though there may be fewer or many more, depending on the time of year. Students share multi-bed rooms, with 3-6 students per room and storage bins available in the basement. To keep costs low for students, many of the daily chores are done by students living in the House. Students are all assigned duties by the House supervisor upon arrival. Duties may include cleaning, cooking, ground work, or administrative work. All participating students are required to perform the assigned house duties.
In addition to students, faculty and house administrators live in Dalkeith House. House administrators include a full-time Resident Director, a full-time Associate Resident Director for Student Affairs, and an Internship/Volunteer Coordinator, all of whom are faculty from a University of Wisconsin school. The Associate Resident Director's duties include counseling, programming, and managing house chores, class schedules and room assignments.
The house has plenty of space for residence life and food service facilities, classrooms, offices, lounge areas, and laundry and recreation rooms. There is a computer lab equipped with software for word processing, high speed internet and PowerPoint, but you are encouraged to bring a laptop with you if possible. If you don't have a laptop and want to save information, you must bring a large zip disk with you. You cannot save on the hard drives in the computer lab. Additional House resources are listed here.
Meals
Address and Phone
(Your Name)
Wisconsin in Scotland Program
Dalkeith House
Dalkeith Midlothian
Scotland EH22 2NASTUDENT/PAY PHONES:
011-44-131-660-4065
011-44-131-654-1416
011-44-131-663-9740FAX: 011-44-131-654-0320
(£1.50 for the first page and 75 pence for each additional page, free to receive)
Guest Rooms and Program Extensions
You may extend your stay beyond program dates at Dalkeith House for a nightly fee which does not include meals on a space-available basis. Please consult with the staff at Dalkeith House regarding your plans.
If you have a friend or family member who plans to visit you at Dalkeith House during the semester, plan ahead with Dalkeith administrators. The House has two or three guest rooms available to rent out.
Schedule
House Field Trips
Full day and overnight House Field Trips are offered throughout the semester. While many of these field trips are included in the program fee, a few will require an additional payment. House Field Trips are optional.
Breaks
The semester program includes a 10-day break and several long weekends. The summer program allows three days of travel/exploration most weekends.
Individual Travel
Travel on your own during free days and extended free weekends. Plan your trips with a few friends or work through travel agencies located 1/2 hour from Dalkeith in Edinburgh. Visit the highlands, Glasgow and beyond. Travel to London and other European cities on Ryan Air, which offers truly cheap fares to last-minute travelers. Consult a guide book in order to plan financially (and realistically) for transportation, accommodation and meal costs while traveling.
Unless you have definite travel plans, former students recommend that you NOT purchase a rail pass before you go (students are now traveling across Europe by air!). However, if you are interested in acquiring rail tickets, contact your travel agent to purchase them in advance (NOTE: Brit-Rail and Euro Rail passes MUST be purchased in the U.S.).
If you intend to use the extensive youth hostel network (dorm like housing at very inexpensive rates) in the United Kingdom and Europe, wait and buy your card in Scotland. They are less expensive there. If you have a sheet sack, bring it.
In spite of Scotland's often inclement weather, students have enjoyed camping and biking in Scotland and in Europe. Enthusiasts might consider bringing sleeping bags, cookers, or even a compact tent. The program has purchased several tents that can be checked out. Equipment can be rented at several locations in Edinburgh. In addition, Dalkeith has a mountain bike rental shop and bikes can be rented from the House. If you want to bring your bike over, you can check it as one of your two pieces of luggage. Mountain bikes are incredibly expensive in Scotland, even the used ones.
Flight
Luggage Limits
Check with your airline for restrictions on carry-on, checked and excess baggage.
Money
Carry the equivalent of approximately US$200 in cash to cover transportation fees to Dalkeith from the local airport and living costs for the first few days.
Flight
Participants may arrange (on their own) to fly with the group or make other arrangements on their own. The Wisconsin in Scotland program offers airport pickup and drop off in Scotland for students who arrange to fly with the group.
Group flight arrangements will be posted here when available.
Air arrangements are NOT automatic.
Each individual traveler MUST complete the steps outlined by UW-River Falls
once flights have been announced.
Arrival Abroad
Be sure to plan your route from the airport to your residence BEFORE traveling if you are not going to be on the group flight. Read through the directions to Dalkeith House. Or, perhaps our Picture Tour from the Edinburgh airport to Dalkeith House will help!
Fees
°Indicates the expense will appear on your UW Oshkosh student account.
Fall Semester 2009; Spring Semester 2010
| Program Fee Estimate | |
$_____ |
UW-River Falls Program Fee |
$_____ |
Internship Fee (optional) |
°$ 35 |
UW Oshkosh Program Fee |
$ ____ |
Total Program Fee |
| Estimated Expense in U.S. Dollars | |
$ 100 |
UW Oshkosh Application Fee |
$ 275 |
WIS Application Fee Make your check payable to WIS; $375 for out-of-state students |
$ 50 |
UW-River Falls Application Fee Make your check payable to UW-River Falls. |
$ 125 |
Passport & Pictures (you will need two photos for your passport application, four photos for your WIS application and an optional two extra photos to carry with you to Scotland for the various discount cards offered to students) |
$ 1,000 |
Airfare |
$ 100 |
Damage deposit (refundable) |
$ 100 |
Textbooks |
$ 1,750 |
Total Pre-travel Expense Estimate (plus immunizations) |
| Estimated Expense in Foreign Currency (£ = United Kingdom Pound) | |
£ 250 |
Meals This estimate assumes that food will be purchased at a grocery store and made in Dalkeith House. |
£ 0 |
Local Transportation; Dalkeith is walkable |
£ 10 |
School supplies |
£ _____ |
OPTIONAL: £15/night room charge for an extended stay at Dalkeith House |
£ _____ |
OPTIONAL: Fee for special courses such as art, photography, etc. |
£ _____ |
OPTIONAL: Add to your estimate if you plan to travel beyond Edinburgh, travel during break/s and/or travel on optional field trips not included in the program fee. Consult a guide book in order to plan financially (and realistically) for transportation, accommodation and meal costs while traveling. |
£ 100 |
Personal Spending Money (£100-£250) |
£ 360 |
Total Expense Estimate while Abroad |
$ 580 |
Total in U.S. Dollars as of 1/12/2010 (today's rate of exchange) |
$_____ |
Total Estimated Expenses (plus optional expenses) |
Summer 2009
| Program Fee Estimate | |
$_____ |
UW-River Falls Program Fee |
°$ 72 |
UW Oshkosh Program Fee |
$ _____ |
Total Program Fee |
| Expenses in U.S. Dollars | |
$ 100 |
UW Oshkosh application fee |
$ 275 |
UW-River Falls Application Fee Make your check payable to WIS; $375 for out-of-state students |
$ 50 |
UW-River Falls Application Fee Make your check payable to UW-River Falls. |
$ 125 |
Passport & Pictures (you will need two photos for your passport application, four photos for your WIS application and an optional two extra photos to carry with you to Scotland for the various discount cards offered to students) |
$ 800 |
Airfare |
$ 100 |
Damage deposit (refundable) |
$ 50 |
Textbooks |
$1,500 |
Total Pre-travel Expense Estimate (plus immunizations) |
| Expenses in Foreign Currency | |
£ 125 |
Meals £100 for ten meals per week; £25 for meals during break; this estimate assumes that food will be purchased at a grocery store and made in Dalkeith House. |
£ 0 |
Local Transportation; Dalkeith is walkable |
£ 10 |
School supplies |
| £_____ | OPTIONAL: £15/night room charge for an extended stay at Dalkeith House |
| £_____ | OPTIONAL: Fee for special courses such as art, photography, etc. |
| £_____ | OPTIONAL: Add to your estimate if you plan to travel beyond Edinburgh, travel during break/s and/or travel on optional field trips not included in the program fee. Consult a guide book in order to plan financially (and realistically) for transportation, accommodation and meal costs while traveling. |
£ 50 |
Personal Spending Money (£50-£75) |
£ 185 |
Total Expense Estimate while Abroad |
$ 300 |
Total in U.S. Dollars as of 6/18/07 (today's rate of exchange) |
$_____ |
Total Estimated Expenses (plus optional expenses) |
Program fees cover course-related expenses (no tuition is assessed); shared accommodations; meals (15 per week during the semester/11 per week during the summer) while school is in session; internship fee; ground transportation between the airport and Dalkeith House for students flying with the group; bus passes which include transportation between Dalkeith and Edinburgh; official field trips; pre-travel orientation; and international health insurance. The itinerary above may be tentative and will not be finalized until approximately two weeks before departure.
Program fees do not cover items not specifically mentioned above such as trip cancellation and baggage insurance; passports; immunizations; airfare; meals not mentioned above, including meals while on field trips or otherwise off campus and other food and beverages; textbooks and supplies; special class fees; damage and work deposits; alien residence fees (for programs running six months or longer); local transportation costs not associated with the itinerary; immunizations (if needed); and all expenses of a purely personal nature. Estimates for some of these expenses have been included in the budget below.
Estimates found here are based on the group rate for services and travel dates as well as current exchange rates, where applicable. Changes to this plan or a large exchange rate fluctuation may cause adjustments to the final cost.
Apply
We know this list looks daunting! To reduce the amount of time it takes to complete this process, read ALL of the information on this web page first. Then, print all of the forms below and read the directions on all of the forms. Use this section as a checklist for completing the process, make appointments as necessary (some of the forms below will be completed by other people on campus), and begin filling out the forms. Be sure to have your forms completed before you arrive for your appointments.
Eligibility
Students must reside at Dalkeith House and, therefore, will not be accepted into the WIS program if they have been suspended from living in campus housing at a UW System Institution.
STEP I
Read the study abroad/study away application instructions and complete the GENERAL Office of International Education application as outlined on our Apply page.
In addition, access PROGRAM-SPECIFIC application materials as needed from below on this page.
STEP II
Program-specific documents due by the application deadline.
| WIS Student Application "Home Campus" = Oshkosh; "Tuition Status"-are you a WI resident? | |
| Personal Statement | |
| Two Recommendations One recommendation must be from a professor in a department related to your major. The second must be from a professor or from a professional person with whom you work. Email the link to this form to your references (http://www.uwrf.edu/wis/online_forms/Faculty Recommendation-field.doc). |
|
| Course Selection Form (Spring 2009, Summer 2009) | |
| Academic Advisor Form Complete the student section of this form, SAVE the form as a Word Document, and email your saved Word document to your academic or faculty advisor to complete the remainder of the form. |
|
| Dean of Students Clearance Form | |
| UW-River Falls Special Student Application Complete this form on-line, but do not remit any payment. |
|
| Internship Application (if doing an internship) including: International Internship Application Form General letter of application to potential employers (cover letter) Information Release Form Faculty Mentor/Department Chair Internship Approval Form Official transcript (this is in addition to the unofficial transcript) Three copies of your resume (Don't have one? Use this Microsoft Word resume template and fill in the blanks.) |
STEP III
Program-specific documents due by the Friday following the application deadline.
WIS Admitted Student Information Form
All applicants should request a host family (friendship family) as this is a large part of the academic experience.WIS Medical and Disability Self-Assessment Form 4 recent passport size photos of yourself
Write your name on the back of each photo before turning them in. When having photos taken, remember that in addition to these four photos for your WIS application, you will need two photos to be submitted with your passport application and an optional two extra photos to carry with you to Scotland for the various discount cards offered to students.Other Deadlines
Additional program-specific documents due
to the consulate in Chicago ONLY if you plan to complete an internship (even unpaid) OR you plan to study for six months or more
U.K. Visa Application
Full-time students must apply as a "Student Visitor, up to 6 Months" in order to intern for up to 20 hrs per week.
Resources
Office of International Education Orientation Materials
WIS Student Handbook
- Section #1 Getting There/Documentation. (2 pages .pdf)
- Section #2 Accommodations (2 pages .pdf)
- Section #3 Academic Program (4 pages .pdf)
- Section #4 Health Care/Personal Welfare/ Alcohol Misuse (1 page .pdf)
- Section #5 Insurance (1 page .pdf)
- Section #6 Guidelines and Rules (4 pages .pdf)
- Section #7 Legalities (1 page .pdf)
- Section #8 Financial Info (3 pages .pdf) UW Oshkosh students make payments directly to UW-River Falls.
- Section #9 Traveling on Your Own (1 page .pdf)
- Section #10 Coming Home (1 page .pdf)
Touring Scotland
- Points of interest around Dalkeith
- Public Transportation in Edinburgh
- Lothian Bus Company
- First Bus Company
- Train Schedules and Fares
Emergency Contact (during program dates)
In a life and death emergency ABROAD
U.S. Department of State Citizen Emergency Center (1-202-647-5225) will relay messages to the foreign Embassy. Embassy personnel may try to locate your student, pass on urgent messages and, consistent with the Privacy Act, report back.
To reach your student directly
If your student is staying in a hotel, use the hotel contact information listed on the web page for your student's program. The Office of International Education cannot give out private residence or homestay phone numbers unless authorized in advance by the student, but we will contact your student for you in an emergency.
To reach someone at UW Oshkosh during office hours (7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F)
- Office
of International Education Phone: 1 (920) 424-0775
- Jenna Graff: Director, Office of International Education - graff@uwosh.edu
- Maria Carvalho: Front Line Advisor - oie@uwosh.edu
- Tom Kiekhafer: Program Manager - kiekhaft@uwosh.edu
- Alison Maresh: International Student Advisor - maresa30@uwosh.edu
- Office of International Education Fax: 1 (920) 424-0185
- Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor Phone: 1 (920) 424-1410
- Office of the Provost & Vice Chancellor Phone: 1 (920) 424-0300
To reach someone at UW Oshkosh outside of normal office hours
University Police: 1 (920) 424-1216
To reach local contacts associated with our program ABROAD
Office of the WIS Resident Director in Scotland: 011-44-131-663-5632
Duty number (for emergencies) is 011-44-752-803-8885
Time Zone Differences
This page was last updated on: January 14, 2010