I went to college for free in Scotland. Here are 5 things about my experience that Americans may find surprising.

I graduated from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2018 — and my diploma didn't cost a penny.

I studied English, Journalism, and Creative Writing at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow between 2014 and 2018. I took the course for free, and I didn't have to pay for accommodation as I stayed at my parents' home just outside the city during my studies. 

If you're wondering how I got free tuition, it's not because I was on a scholarship. It's because, since 2008, the Scottish government made higher education completely free for students born and raised in Scotland. While Scotland is part of the UK, the country has been able to make certain laws — including on education — without the UK Parliament's approval since 1999.

But despite the free tuition, many students in Scotland still take out loans in order to pay for accommodation and living expenses.

Since student housing isn't paid for by the government, many people opt to live with their parents, like I did. Others will take out a student loan or bursary, which is provided by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

SAAS provides loans and bursaries of up to £6,000, or around $7,640, to unmarried students under the age of 25, according to the organization's fact sheet.

Those who opt to take out a loan don't have to start paying anything back until they earn a salary of £27,660, or around $35,200 per year, according to the website. This is incredibly helpful to students who have to relocate to a new city or who don't have financial support from their family. 

The student housing itself is also different to the US. While many universities in the US offer dorms with shared rooms, there are typically no shared bedrooms in Scotland's student accommodation. Instead, it is common for students to live in an apartment or house with up to four or five other people, with each person having their own bedroom (and in some cases, their own bathroom). 

There are far fewer universities in Scotland than in the US.

When I was applying for universities in Scotland, I was shocked by how few options there were for my chosen course. At the time, Strathclyde was the only university in the country that offered English, journalism, and creative writing in one joint honors course. 

Since Scotland is a small country, we naturally have fewer options when it comes to higher education. There are a total of 19 universities in Scotland, according to the UK's Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, and 17 of the university campuses are located in cities. 

In comparison, the US has 3,982 degree-granting institutions, according to 2020 data from the Digest of Education Statistics published by the National Center for Education Statistics.

While sports is a big part of the college experience in the US, students in the UK tend to be less interested in going to games — and more interested in partying.

In 2016, I took a semester abroad, spending four months at Millersville University of Pennsylvania in the US. 

I had the time of my life, but I definitely experienced culture shock. For instance, I was surprised to find out that Millersville is a dry campus, meaning that even if you are of drinking age — 21 in the US — you are not permitted to consume alcohol on campus.

The legal drinking age in the UK is 18, which is also the same age that most people start college. Therefore, most social activities are held at bars, pubs, or clubs and involve alcohol, dancing, and partying.

This is a complete contrast to my experience at Millersville, where social activities consisted of sports games, including football, basketball, and baseball.

Strathclyde has sports teams, too, but before going to the US, I had never been to a game as the sports culture doesn't exist the same way in Scotland as it does in the States. 

Personally, I found Millersville to be a refreshing change since I've never been into partying culture and much prefer getting to try new experiences. 

In my experience, there's a larger focus on independent learning in Scotland.

While at Strathclyde, I attended lectures and tutorials three days out of the week.

Attendance at lectures wasn't mandatory, and most of the homework was optional. That meant there was a lot of responsibility when it came to time management and workload in an environment that made it all too easy to slack off.

But at Millersville, it was the opposite. I had classes for several hours every day, and homework was assigned and checked every day, too. The work itself wasn't difficult, however the quantity of work was more difficult to keep up with, and there was far less independent study. 

I had an amazing experience at university, and I strongly believe more countries should offer free education.

The average student in the US spends a total of $36,436 per year on tuition, books, supplies, an living expenses, according to research conducted by the Education Data Initiative in June 2023.

Meanwhile, at least 22 countries offer various forms of free college programs, according to the education-accreditation organization Accredited Schools Online. 

I feel incredibly grateful to live in a country where you don't necessarily have to end up in debt to have a college career. In my opinion, free higher education benefits all students, particularly those who have grown up in low-income households and those who otherwise wouldn't have pursued a degree.