Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is financial aid available?
2. Who can apply?
3. When does the course actually begin, and end?
4. How do I get there?
5. Where will we stay?
6. What else is there to do in Edinburgh?
7. How many plays will we see, and how much will they cost?
8. How will I get around?
9. What is the cost of the course, and what does it cover?
10. What does the course involve?
11. Who are the Professors?
12. What if I get sick or need medical attention in Edinburgh?
13. How do I apply?
14. Are there deadlines?
15. Can graduate students and post-grads apply?

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   Is financial aid available?

   UMASS Commonwealth College students are elgible for $1,000.00 scholarships. You may apply for these (before March 1) by visiting their website or calling Commonwealth College directly. UMASS students may also apply for $500.00 scholarships through International Programs. A $200. discount is available for "early bird" enrollment before Dec. 31. At this time, financial aid is only available to UMASS students. Your financial aid package from the University (or your own school) can usually be applied toward summer courses. Students from outside UMASS should contact their own international programs office and their departments for funding opportunities.

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   Who can apply?

   ANYONE currently registered and in good standing at an accredited college or University may apply, including Freshmen. Credits generally transfer through International Programs agreements with other colleges. (Community members or post-graduates interested in sharing this experience with students are also welcome to apply. For more informtaion please select the "Everyone Else" link on the landing page.)

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   When does the course actually begin, and end?

   Course materials and assignments will be online and available for you to begin in July. These assignments must be completed before your trip. You will arrive on Tuesday, August 9th and depart before 10am on Monday, August 22nd. (Most flights to the UK are overnight, which means you will leave the US on August 8). Final projects are due by Sept. 15.

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   How do I get there?

   The program will book a group flight for those students wishing to travel together to Edinburgh. Some students may wish to travel in the UK before or after the program and will book their own flights. Others may want to buy their own tickets, which is fine.

   If you are already abroad, look for discount airlines like Ryan Air, Easy Jet, or BMI. If you book early, the train is also reasonable.

   To keep costs down, students book their own tickets to arrive on August 9. You will be met at the airport (unless arrangements are made beforehand.) PLEASE PACK LIGHTLY--you can wash clothes in your apartment. (Note: You are NOT allowed more than one carry-on for any flight to or from the UK). We will take the airport bus to the center of town, and walk to our rooms (about 4 blocks away). Be prepared to carry your bag to the top floor (three flights of stairs). There is no elevator.

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   Where will we stay?

   You will share one of two apartments in central Edinburgh with the teaching assistants and other students. The program has rented three large apartments: the two student apartments are both off George Street, while the professors will be living on Torpichon St. where group discussions and receptions will be held. The apartment has linens, a kitchen, television, washing machine, ironing board, and hair dryers. There will be at least three students in each bedroom.

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   What else is there to do in Edinburgh?

   Edinburgh is an incredibly interesting historical city, with a medieval castle and a new Scottish Parliament Building; the Queen has a Castle at the end of the Royal mile; you can climb Arthur’s Seat for a wonderful view of the city. The program pays for an Edinburgh City Tour as well as an all-day trip to the Scottish Highlands. There are also several specialized--and often free--walking tours, not to mention several "ghost tours." There are museums and art exhibitions, old-fashioned pubs, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and with a short bus ride, the Firth of Forth coast. Hours can be spent just watching the free festival action on High Street.

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   How many plays will we see, and how much will they cost?

   We will see at least 12 plays as a group, most of them during the first week. The group plays are paid by the program, and several will be at the Traverse, the city's first-rate repertory theatre dedicated to new work. Student tickets range from $8.00 to $20.00 each, and you can find many discounted and 2 for 1 offers. It is indeed possible to see 4-6 plays a day with good planning. But we encourage a more thoughtful, less exhausting, approach to the Fringe, with a minimum of 20 play performances (including free ones). You must pay for all performances that are not designated to be seen with the group. Students will conference with the instructors before booking their tickets for the second week.

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   How will I get around?

   Everything is within walking distance from your apartment. A $5.00 daily bus card will get you even further, including to the coast and back. Local taxis are not expensive and may be a good idea if you are out late (or late for a show). The city center is known for its safety, although using good sense in any urban area is a must.

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   What is the cost of the course, and what does it cover?

   The course fee for 2011 is $2,800. The cost covers tuition and fees, lodging for two weeks, 12 theatre tickets, a city tour and the Scottish Highland tour, medical and emergency insurance, two group dinners, and instructional costs. Because accommodations must be booked so far in advance, a non-refundable $650.00 deposit is due when you reserve your spot in the class.

   The cost does not include airfare, meals, and any additional tickets needed for performances attended during the second week. Most students last year spent about about $200.00 on additional tickets. The program does not pay for phone or computer access, although there will be at least one wi-fi plug-in available in the apartment. You can use your wireless computer free in several places throughout the city (including the pub below the apartment). Using the apartment kitchen facilities saves money on meals.

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    What does the course involve?

    You will be assigned two weeks of online readings and short writing assignments before coming to Edinburgh. You will learn different approaches to the study of drama and performance, and you will write about your experiences in 10 directed journal entries (2 pages each) that are due before leaving Edinburgh. Before arriving in Edinburgh, you will think about a viewing focus or project focus for the festival.

    In Edinburgh, you will participate in both formal and informal discussions of the plays with other students, and report to the group on performances viewed outside the group. You will have the opportunity to conference with the instructor and the TAs about your final projects. TAs are also available for help with journal entries, the due dates for which are spaced over two weeks. Final papers or projects are due no later than Sept. 15.

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    Who are the Professors?

    English Professor Jenny Spencer has designed the course, and she will be teaching it with Theatre Professor Harley Erdman and two advanced graduate students. Jenny has been to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival over nine times and is thoroughly familiar with the city and the Fringe operation. Her areas of expertise are British and American drama, political theatre, performance theory, and feminist theory. Professor Erdman is a theatre historian with areas of expertise in dramaturgy, theatre translation, and performance.

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    What if I get sick or need medical attention in Edinburgh?

    For minor illnesses, students can go to the clinic at Boots pharmacy, which operates for limited hours every day. The Royal Infirmary Hospital treats patients in their emergency room, and our University insurances will cover medical expenses there. The insurance also pays for emergency medical evacuation in the unlikely event that you should need it. Edinburgh is also well known for its holistic and herbal approach to medicine--and walk-in appointments (and herbal prescriptions) are available for about $40.00. Bring medicine you know you will need, including antibiotic ointment (which is, for some reason, not available without a prescription in the UK) and bandaids for blisters should you walking shoes fail you.

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    How do I apply?

    You must apply on the UMASS International Programs website--a link is provided here. In this initial application, you are asked for a statement of purpose ((i.e., why you are interested in taking the course and what you think you will get out of it) and to comment on your background (do you have any academic or practical background that might be useful in this course?) You will also be asked for an unofficial transcript that indicates your gradepoint average and for two references that we may contact directly.

    If accepted into the program, you fill open an "account" on the International Program Website, where there are other important forms to fill out. In order to secure your spot in the course, you must send to International Programs a non-refundable $650.00 deposit. out the official application form and send it with your non-refundable deposit of $650.00, made out to the University of Massachusetts.

    If you have further questions, contact International Programs or email jspencer@english.umass.edu.

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    Are there deadlines?

    Applications are now being accepted for the 2011 summer session. The deadline for applications is March 15. The course is capped at 24 students on a first-come, first-served basis. We will keep the course open until it fills. Only a deposit reserves space in the course. ANY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY STUDENT may apply. Due dates for the course assignments will be made available on the course website in July. Please contact the program director if you wish to apply after the deadline. She can put you on a waiting list, or let you know availability.

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    Can graduate students and post-grads apply?

    Graduate students are welcome to take the course for graduate credit through UMASS independent study with the instructor, or with a faculty sponsor from their own institution. The costs are the same as for undergraduates. The course is also open to students who want to do not want to take the course for credit. For more information please visit the "Everyone Else" link on the landing page.