Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is financial aid available?
2. Who can apply?
3. When does the course actually begin, and end?
4. Why don't you offer a group flight?
5. Where will we stay?
6. How do I apply?
7. What else is there to do in Edinburgh?
8. Are there deadlines?
9. How many plays will we see, and how much will they cost?
10. How will I get around?
11. What is the cost of the course, and what does it cover?
12. Can you describe the actual course?
13. Who are the Professors?
14. What if I get sick or need medical attention in Edinburgh?
15. Can graduate students and post-grads apply?
16. What is the After-Festival?
17. When do I have to decide?

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   Is financial aid available?

   YES! Since the amount of financial aid varies each year, depending on our resources, please contact the director directly (jspencer@english.umass.edu) for information. You must fill out the financial aid questionnaire on the International Programs website in order to be eligible for aid. Scholarships range from $250.00 to $600.00. Your financial aid package from the University (or your own school) can usually be applied toward summer courses--if you need additional credits to use it, you may sign up for an additional independent study course with the instructor. 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 a no credit option, although the costs remain the same).

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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 JULY 5. These assignments must be completed before your trip. You will arrive on Tuesday, August 7th and depart before 10am on Monday, August 20nd. (Most flights to the UK are overnight, which means you will leave the US on August 6). Final performance projects are due by Sept. 20.

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   Why don't you offer a group flight?

   We have students purchase their own tickets in order to 1) keep the program cost down, 2) to accommodate students who may be in Europe before or after the program, or who are departing from their home town outside Boston, 3) to keep the airfare down (group flights are not cheaper.) We WILL help you find good flight options, however. No matter what flight you arrive on, you will be met at the airport by the program staff.

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   Where will we stay?

   You will share a large apartment with other students in the West End of Edinburgh, within walking distance of everything and close to the faculty apartment. The apartment has linens, a kitchen, television, washing machine, ironing board, etc.

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   How do I apply?

   You must apply on the UMASS International Programs website--a link is provided here. There you will begin an account and fill in the application under "Questionnaires." Once accepted, you can proceed to provide the additional documents asked for on the website, and you will need to turn in your $650.00 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot in the course. 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.

   In order to secure your spot in the course. That check, made out to The University of Massachusetts, should be sent directly to International Programs, noting that it is for the Edinburgh program. Their address is 455 Hills South, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003.

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

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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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   Are there deadlines?

   The priority deadline is Jan. 15 for automatic consideration in the program. If we have over 14 students at this time, we would enlarge the program to accommodate those interested. After Jan. 15, students are accepted on a space-available basis until the course is filled. The deadline for financial aid consideration is March 1.

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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, 2 for 1, and free 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. You must pay for all performances that are not designated to be seen with the group. Students will conference with the instructors before booking any their additional tickets. Last year, students saw an average of 30 plays over two weeks.

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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)--expect to pay an average of $15.00-20.00 per taxi to most places in the city. 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?

    Course fees have been held to $2,800 for 4 years (down from the original cost of $3,400.) 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 tuition. 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. You are responsible for airfare (which can range from $800-1200.) and your own meals (you can cook in your kitchen and grocery foods are similar in cost to the US) and your additional show tickets ($200.00 approximately).

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    Can you describe the actual course?

    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 be introduced to different kinds of alternative theatres and dramatic vocabulary. You will also read and respond to some articles on political theatre. Once in Edinburgh, you will complete a total of 7 journals using a list of topics to focus your thinking. They are submitted online as well, and you get feedback on them while in Edinburgh. The final project can be performative or written, and will be designed in consultation with the professors.

    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 attend informal writing workshops with TAs, and informal conferences with Professors. The work of the course is appropriate for a four-hour honors course, but there is plenty of time to enjoy yourself while in Edinburgh!!

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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. In 2012, we will also be joined by Daniel Sack, a post-doctoral 5 College Fellow in Performance Studies who is an expert in contemporary theatre 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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    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. An auditing option is for those not wanting any course credit (available only for post-grads).

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    What is the After-Festival?

    Each year, the program brings to campus a production that students saw during a previous trip to Edinburgh. Our first year, we brought Tim Crouch and Hannah Ringham to campus for performances of Tim's award-winning "England" and "An Oak Tree." In Fall 2011, we brought Cynthia Hopkins, the author of "Accidental Nostalgia" which premiered in Edinburgh, to campus for her most recent solo show "Truth: A Tragedy." In the spring, we brought Peggy Shaw, whose performance of "Must: The Inside Story" was written in collaboration with the UK Clod Ensemble and also appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe. In January 2012, we will host Matthew Zajac, for performances of his internationally acclaimed "The Tailor of Inverness." Students participating in the program help choose performers for subsequent After-festival artistic residencies at UMASS.

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    When do I have to decide?

    AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! In 2012, the course will be limited to 14 students and should fill up very quickly (we had over 20 students last year). Spots will go fast, and we can only expand the opportunity beyond 14 if we have that number of students by the priority deadline for Jan. 15.