Information

Food: "How's the food?" This is the favorite question the British like to ask their guests and displays their well-known sense of humor. You can get a nutritious meal at a cafeteria. For those who are unaccustomed to Western food, they can cook in their dorms. Cooking on your own, if you have time, is a good way to save money.

Clothing: Three of the four seasons are like fall, and winter is especially cold. Although the local people wear little clothing during the summer, those who come from a semitropical climate may want to break the tradition. Heavy winter clothing is a must. You can buy highquality winter clothing at reasonable prices after you arrive. There's a saying which goes, "Summers are colder than winters," since the university turns off the heat for the summer.

Housing: There are three types of housing available at the university: (a) traditional halls where students have study/bedrooms and eat in the main dining-hall; (b) blocks of study/bedrooms with well-equipped shared kitchens where students may cook for themselves; (c) smaller Student Houses varying in size from seven to 77 students and located in different parts of the city and in which cooking facilities are provided.

Travel: Much of the land in Edinburgh is made up of hills and slopes. During the winter the winds are strong, so walking around is a good way to get in shape. Dorms are not too far, so most students walk or ride a bicycle to class. It takes five and a half hours to reach London from Edinburgh, and night coaches are available. The coaches leave at ten o'clock in the evening and arrive the following morning at six o'clock.

Applying: Graduate Admissions: The Secretary of the University, old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, Scotland.

All applicants applying to the University are handled through the Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA). An application form can be obtained from the Secretary, UCCA, PO Box 28, Cheltenham, Gloucester GL50 1HY. The University's "Guide to Undergraduate Entry" gives full details of the courses offered. A copy can be obtained by writing to the Registry enclosing postage for a package of 250 gm.

Entertainment: There's no shortage of entertainment in Edinburgh if you've got the time. In the city there are museums, concert halls, opera, parks, and department stores. Strolling around the city among the beautiful buildings is a joy in itself. It's said that students here have minors in "movies." This is because the local film house plays classics from around the world. Student tickets are sold at NT$40 (most theaters charge around NT$240). Going to the movies is one of the favorite pastimes of foreign students.

Language: Students who studied American English on Taiwan will find that they'll need a bit of time adjusting to the different accent spoken.

One thing to keep in mind is that even though the Scottish have belonged to the United Kingdom for two-and-half centuries, they still have a strong sense of their past. The Scottish are often mistakenly referred to as English, which often causes offence. Edinburgh's student body consists of 55 percent Scottish and 35 percent English. If you're not so sure where the person you are talking to is from, then you had better play it safe by using the words Britain and British.