Olga from Kazakhstan shares her experience of studying at university in Scotland

As a Kazakh national, I was always interested in learning about foreign cultures and Britain in particular, with its numerous castles and beautiful landscapes, was highly attractive. When it came to the point of choosing a university, I chose a Scottish one!

The first three years passed by very quickly and out of all three, my first year was the most memorable. The university where I studied recognises that one of the challenges in first year is establishing social connections. That is why a lot of my time in first year was spent on socialising with students from the university and halls of residence. The student union was a great place to meet new people. It was not only a good and cheap place for food and drinks, but also a place for meeting up with friends and numerous university societies.

At home I was taught English, but at first I found it difficult understanding the local people speaking with their broad Scots accent. However when I moved to halls, I was staying with six Scottish girls, so by the end of the year I could differentiate between the accents of Fyfe, Inverness, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

At most British institutions, you will meet people from all over the world. I found studying at a British university a very different experience from studying at school. Not only because it was a big step up from my school education, but also because it was a very different system of work from the Kazakh and US educational systems that I was used to. Surprisingly, the most difficult part was getting into the routine of studying, not the assignments per se.

In my first year, my focus was not only on my studies but also travelling. After the major cities on my agenda were covered, I went to St Andrews as a member of the debating society club. Although very small and concentrated around the university, I found St Andrews very picturesque and would recommend it as a place to visit.

I am very interested in heritage and Scotland certainly has a lot to offer in that field. As a big fan of castles, I quickly explored those nearest to Aberdeen, but my favourite will always remain Edinburgh castle which I visited during the summer. Edinburgh was also hosting the International and Fringe festivals at the same time and I fell in love with the place which like the rest of Scotland is a remarkable blend of heritage and modern architecture. In just two days time I saw eight shows of all varieties and after visiting the place once, you always want to come back.

Now I am in my fourth year and I feel that I have to do the work of three years combined. It is also widely known that studying abroad as a foreigner comes at a steep price, whether it's finance or being away from your family and friends. Although I really miss people from back home, I believe coming to study in Scotland was an unforgettable experience and has equipped me with invaluable skills that will serve me well in the future.

Olga Argodyayeva was at the time of writing in her fourth and final year studying BA (Hons) Management with Human Resource Management at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland