What exactly is your question? You’re curious what Scotland is like, before you commit to moving there for 4 months to a year? Since money is no option, why not fly there for a week sometime within the remainder of August or September, so you can get a feel of what Scottish summers are like, and then fly back for a week in December to get a feel for Scottish winters? I’m not being a smartass, I’m being serious. Since you have practically unlimited financial freedom, why not take advantage?

I’m also not sure what you mean when say you’re looking for “a legitimate foundation to help send you there”. Are you looking for a program in Scotland? You said you’re going to the University of Aberdeen. Did you mean you’d like to go to U of Aberdeen, and are looking for such a program? Or does your college in the US offer a program in Scotland with the University of Aberdeen? Your post just isn’t very clear.

You are looking for a legitimate program to help send you there for study abroad? There is nothing through your present school? According to this link, U of A accepts 100-150 students per year for study abroad.
They have a third party programme to help, or you can just enroll yourself. It does look expensive.
Even when the dollar was strong, traveling in Scotland felt fairly pricey to me.
But it is a beautiful, if rainy place, with friendly people and a long and fascinating history.
A Scottish winter in Aberdeen might be dark and long, but probably not any colder than Pennsylvania.

Thanks for your answers, you’re really great!

Beachy, looking back I do see how you got confused by my post, i should have written in better. I am currently still in a highschool which offers absolutely no foreign exchange program.
I know I will have no problem getting in to Aberdeen, my SATs, GPA, club involvments, athletics and such would permit me to go to almost any school of choice (excluding IV Leagues, course). I would like to find a program/organization to find a host family for a few months/semester/year and i’m having trouble finding a safe and legitimate site to help me locate one. Thanks again!

Hi, I’m going to Napier University in Edinburgh this upcoming school year. I actually leaving in 19 days which I’m very excited about. Well universities in the states have a study abroad program. My recommendation is to go to a University near you or one that interests you, then meet with someone in your study abroad office and find what schools they have agreements with or whatever. They will more than likely have one in Scotland, but most schools wont let you go until at least your sophomore year.

Haven’t actually been there myself, but from everyone’s views that i have heard it sounds like it will be a lot like home. I live in Washington state so I’m very used to cold, wet, and dark winters.

But if you have any questions about the process or what you need to do feel free to ask since I’ve done everything except actually fly there…

YerSmilingQuine,

Okay, it’s all clearer now.

Pretty much all major universities have study abroad programs for both undergrads and grad students, so as you’re researching different schools and sending applications, definitely seek information on their study abroad programs. If you do a program through your college, then school enrollment, lodging, and all that stuff is taken care of for you. Of course, you don’t want foreign study to be the only deciding factor on which college you attend. But when applying for colleges, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding information on your prospective school(s)‘s study abroad programs. Some of them have very extensive programs (offering study in several cities around the world), while others don’t. If you end up being torn between two colleges that are the same for your academic needs, then the school’s study abroad program just may be that deciding factor. Another way to go about it, is to enroll on your own for classes in a specific European city of your choice (if programs to that city are not offered by your college). The most popular way to do this is by enrolling summer language courses at a language institution (which can be either a university, or simply a language institute) in, say, Paris or Madrid or Munich. Obviously in Scotland (Britain) they speak English, but maybe there’s some other courses you can take on your own at a university in Scotland that you can get college credit for back home, maybe you can work something out with your college depending on your major, and maybe there’s a university in Scotland that offers such courses for short-term foreign students (non-Britons, like yourself). I would have no idea how you can go about doing this, but you can ask the colleges you’re planning on applying to. Maybe get a hold of their foreign study departments, and just ask them about a possible independent program. Also [if you’re interested in hearing more about the kinds of options that are out there, and how you’d go about pursuing those options] let us know, so that jeffstravels can provide you information and advice from his own experience.