Liam's Exchange to Aberystwyth University | Wales
My name is Liam Morrell and I studied abroad at Aberystwyth University in Wales in Semester 2, 2019. At Murdoch University, I
am studying Crime Science / Forensic Biology and Toxicology.
The key factors for myself choosing to study at Aberystwyth were...
I wanted to go somewhere in the UK because that was where I grew up. Aberystwyth just looked like such a beautiful little town and the university has won awards for its teaching.
A little about Aberystwyth University...
Full time in the UK consists of three
modules instead of 4 units. I was doing ‘Police, Policing and Society’,
‘Psychology and Crime’, and ‘Psychological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour’.
Other than that, the teaching of the course was very similar to Murdoch.
A little about the city I lived in, Aberystwyth…
Aberystwyth is a tiny university town with
everything you need within about a 5 minute walk. The university itself is at
the top of a big hill and takes about 15 minutes to walk there from town,
which is where I was living. My favourite place to eat and drink was Rummers
Bar. It has great food and a great atmosphere.
The best parts of my experience…
The people I met were by far the
best part. I joined the dodgeball club and we went on themed pub crawls every
Tuesday. I also got to travel to different parts of England and Wales to play
in dodgeball competitions.
Some of the challenges about studying abroad…
Culture shock wasn’t really an
issue as it was very similar to Australia and I grew up in the UK. I did get a
bit homesick but I made lots of good friends which helped a lot.
A little about my accommodation whilst studying abroad…
While there was the option of
living on campus through the university’s accommodation, I ended up living in
town in a share house, which I found through a real estate agency. My room wasn’t particularly nice but it was in a great location in town.
Funding my exchange experience…
I funded my trip with just
personal savings, however I did win a $500 voucher with STA travel which helped
pay for my flights.
Whilst on exchange, I travelled to…
Before I arrived in Aberystwyth, I did a big Europe trip. I went to Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Germany, Budapest, France, and Czech Republic. While in Aberystwyth, I did a lot less travelling because it is a very remote town so it's not easy or cheap to travel from there. I did manage to visit a few places in England, Wales and Scotland.
Advice I would give to someone considering studying abroad…
I’d say definitely do it and fully immerse yourself in the experience. Join clubs and societies and get out of your comfort zone. It is definitely one of the best experiences of my life.
- Liam studied abroad at Aberystwyth University in Wales.
EMAIL: studyabroad@murdoch.edu.au
