Australian with choice of 3 unis in UK and no idea. HELP pls!

[marvellousmaple]

Asking on behalf of my son who is doing a university exchange semester next year . The 3 uni's that fit in with his law subjects are Reading, Liverpool and Glasgow. I've never been to any of these areas but I said I would ask if anyone here has an idea . Basically he wants to know which would likely be the best thought of upon his return to Australia ; and which would be the most fun. Also anything he should know as 21yo living there for 6 months. I am jealous and have offered to come over in his suitcase but I don't think I'd fit. Thanks !

I mean this in no way of an insult to either the people of Glasgow or Liverpool but can I suggest he might struggle with both accents.

It shouldn't be much of a problem as unis have students from all over but shopping or going tot he pub could be interesting.

I don't have experience of any of these three unis but just on geography Liverpool is near to other cities like Manchester but also not far from the forest of Bowland and the Peak District if he wants to see some countryside and do some sports like climbing, caving, hiking etc.

From Liverpool airport you can get to quite a few places in Europe, and as Europe is so small flights are 1-2 hours.

Will he be here summer or winter? That makes a difference to any outdoor sports (I realise he may not be into sports).

Reading gas easy access to the cotswolds and all the pretty Oxfordshire villages etc

Link for your son of what is available in the Peak District, this would probably be a weekend trip from Liverpool and I would suggest June rather than December.

www.visitpeakdistrict.com/things-to-do/activities

As I say they all sound great. Apart from his studies he is a musician ( trumpeter - mainly jazz) but I'm sure he can find that anywhere in the UK and I doubt he will take one of his trumpets with him . They weigh a lot and he is one of those people who packs a pair of undies a t-shirt and a toothbrush for a weekend away. I pack a bag too big to carry.

For pp - I guess it will be winter , spring and the beginning of summer. He is going travelling around Europe with friends after that for 3 months and then as he just said to me " coming back to real adult life". 😁

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Thank you!

I’m not sure the Scot’s/ English thing will make much difference to an exchange student. In Scotland you do all the compulsory courses in first two years. Exchange students normally came in third year and did honour courses.

Reading isn’t a city it is a town. Has a great football team and is close to London, just minutes on the train.
Reading is my home town but I wouldn’t recommend it as a fun place for a youngster otherwise.
My musician son went to Liverpool uni and loved the vibe, staying on another year. It’s close to Manchester too with all it offers.

As a lawyer I’d say Liverpool out of those three every time. The English Scottish law thing is a very relevant factor.

Things to do in Liverpool itself

cityexplorerliverpool.co.uk/things-to-do-liverpool/

OP What do you like to do? If you are visiting him then what would you like to do?

My Dsis did Law at Reading. She had an amazing time and now earns v v v v well.

Glasgow definitely! If he's into music and outdoorsy stuff. It's great for both. It's not too far for him to have the occasional weekend down in london but honestly he will have plenty to entertain him in Glasgow music wise and in the surrounding areas for adventures, Loch Lomond so nearby, plenty of munros to bag. And university of Glasgow is prestigious so will look good on CV.
I know Liverpool is a lovely city too and has music and is close to great outdoors, but i think it's a bit smaller than Glasgow - feels it anyhow. Glasgow is main hub for bands in Scotland.
I wouldn't go for Reading, it's perfectly nice and a fairly good uni but he may spend all his time on the train to london for entertainment but not actually feel enmeshed in london as he won't be staying there!

Unless he specifically wants to study Scottish law, then it's between Liverpool and Reading.

Both are fine academically.

It's a case of whether he wants a campus university within easy reach of London, or if he wants to be in a city. I expect more people have heard of Liverpool

Glasgow and Liverpool are both great cities. Both have a similar edgy/ outsider vibe I would say.

I applied to Reading university and it was my insurance offer. It's a very different vibe to the other two places - leafy campus, not in a big city, more of a officey, business park atmosphere. I'm glad I got the grades to go to my first choice tbh.

Glasgow!! To reply to previous poster it’s most definitely not out of the way. A brilliant city with great transport links. Edinburgh less than an hour away. Glasgow and Edinburgh both international airports with 1h flight from Heathrow. Great walks and outdoorsy things to do all around. Lots of great hillwalking, scenery and great bars 🙂

Ermmm... the 'rest of the UK' includes Scotland you know! Glasgow has excellent public transport and proximity and ease of reach to tourist hotspots for a young person spending a year in the UK - eg the Highlands, Edinburgh...

The rest of the UK doesn't exclude Scotland!

Yes . He will be third year ( I think according to your system). We have a 5 year course for law as you have to do a double degree.

The University of Reading is set in beautiful grounds. Has an excellent reputation.
I don’t like the town centre so much but it’s close to London and therefore jobs.

I agree - if he’s going back to practise Australian law, the English/Scots law is irrelevant. The exchange year subjects should count towards his electives rather than core law subjects.

As a fellow Aussie I’d choose Glasgow if he’s outdoorsy and avoid Reading (it is exceptionally dull).

Thank you so much everyone . I kind of feel like I know a tiny bit more. And to the pp who asked I will just be happy to be visiting the UK again. Love it. I will try to forward this thread to my DS but I have no idea how to do that so will probs get him to join mumsnet and then search for it. ( he did get his brains from me but so not the computer skills!)
Ta again !

Glasgow law graduate here - on a study abroad program the English/Scottish thing won’t make a difference - I studied abroad too.

Glasgow would be my choice as the law school is very highly rated and the city itself is a great place. The Uni is situated in the west end which is lovely and the law school is in the historic older part of the Uni.

Yes like any city Glasgow has rougher areas but not really near the Uni - the area around the Uni is very affluent.

Liverpool gives easy access to Snowdonia National Park in north Wales which is a treasure if he is outdoorsy.

If your child is gregarious and adventurous as well as independent I would go, Glasgow, then Liverpool. If they are quiet, reserved and conservative I'd say Reading.

Glasgow in January will be pretty cold and dark, worth checking out daylight hours & climate.

I beg to differ on cold. Try Edunburgh! Glasgow is not colder than Liverpool, Manchester etc. Uts in a dheltered west coast location which gets the gulf stream. There are palm trees!It is dark. And wet.

Cold for an Australian but I am sure that's a given!

In June it will be beautifuuly light. And wet.