<p>Hi, I'm a high school student who is planning on studying abroad my junior year of college, possibly at the University of Edinburgh. I was mainly wondering if the university has a lot of local students. Something I want out of my study abroad experience is really being immersed into the local community, even if it's just through meeting a few Scottish friends. I've heard there are plenty of international students, so I guess I'm wondering if the amount of international students outweighs the local students. If I go there, will I be able to meet an abundant amount of Scottish students, or will it be primarily international students? Also, any other comments about your study abroad experience at the university are greatly appreciated! :)</p>
<p>I’ve just had a look at the statistics, and Edinburgh has 19.9% international students. It’s likely that EU students will be in addition to this, and any English / Welsh / Northern Irish students are counted as Home / UK students. </p>
<p>Now, that’s not to say that you won’t be able to meet Scottish friends. I’m at a uni with a comparable proportion of international students, and I can’t say that it’s ever presented a problem. </p>
<p>Whether or not you get out there and meet Scots will be up to you. Go and talk to people. Find out (use The Student Room) if there are halls where international students tend to be concentrated and avoid those. Join a society - and get involved. Find out if the students union has volunteering opportunities - they almost certainly will, and it will get you to see another side of Edinburgh.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your prompt reply! It has helped!</p>
<p>More responses are welcome! I’d like to hear an array of opinions! :)</p>
<p>EU students are not counted under international students. In my year of over 150 students, there are 6-10 Scottish students. Edinburgh university has very few Scottish students, because they can barely compete with the rest of the EU for entry. Most of the dropouts are Scottish students that can’t keep up. </p>
<p>You will meet Scottish students, but also students from every possible place you can imagine, which is better.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies! Any more responses are welcome, esp. about other factors of your study abroad experience!!</p>
<p>My daughter is finishing a semester there…she met students from all over, loved a Scottish dance class that had a good mix also.
She didn’t want to just meet others from the US but she didn’t have to worry about that. The only downside was that some students who did stick with students from home, might be able to see them again, she will just have to stick to Skype. She enjoyed her time there very much.</p>
<p>Thanks! I feel the same way as your daughter, in the sense that I don’t want to just meet people from the US!</p>
<p>It’s not uncommon for Americans to enroll (really enroll, not just study abroad) at Scottish universities, thinking they are doing something edgy or cool. They are disappointed when they find out that almost everyone else there is from outside Scotland too.</p>
<p>The truth is that Scotland has around 5 million people and a number of universities that are world renowned. There just isn’t enough “home talent” to keep these universities at the top. So as a result Scotland’s best two unis St Andrews and Edinburgh actually have fewer Scottish students. I think you will find that around 30-40% of students will be Scottish at Edinburgh depending on the subject. </p>
<p>Glasgow University and Aberdeen University tend to have a higher proportion of Scots out of the ancient universities.</p>
<p>I’m at Edinburgh University and I know a good few Scottish people, I know more English people though, because there are rather a lot of us! Edinburgh is quite an English feeling place, it’s not really Scottish through and through, though of course there are lots of Scottish people who live here. Trust me, you’ll meet Scottish people here, but just meeting scottish people isn’t really immersing into the community. The fact is that a lot of English people live in Edinburgh and that’s part of the experience of the city, you’ll meet Irish, English (Northern and Southern) and Scottish people here in Edinburgh especially if you join some societies as EUSA ([societies](<a href=“http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies/]societies[/url]”>http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies/)</a>) - have a flick through these, we’ve got tons of societies where you’re bound to meet lots of people. Remember, the Highlands is only a bus journey away, you can visit the whole of Scotland, England and explore Europe pretty cheaply from Edinburgh and that’s all part of living here and immersing yourself in European culture.</p>
<p>Thanks, all these replies have been really helpful! Perhaps I should have worded my question better, in the sense that I’m open to meeting more than just Scottish students—I’m really open to meeting all types of people, if that’s part of the culture! 
Thanks again for the replies!</p>