Abroad Universities Information

The University of Cambridge, informally called as Cambridge University or Cambridge, is one of the famous universities in the world. It is the second oldest University in England and is considered as the fourth oldest in the world.

The legend has it that The University of Cambridge was founded in the year 1209. During that time, there were scholars who were escaping Oxford due to a fight they had with the locals. In 1231, King Henry III gave them a teaching monopoly.

The University of Cambridge produces famous writers, scientists, and politicians in Britain. The University has 31 college institutions. The first College is named Peterhouse and was founded in the year 1284 by the Bishop of Ely Hugh Balsham. During the 14th and 15th centuries, many other colleges were also founded. These colleges acted as independent institutions that are separated from Cambridge itself. These colleges have the autonomy to decide who to admit, have the responsibility when it comes to the welfare of their students, and over small group teaching.

In 1869, the first college institution for women was created the Girton College. Three years later, another college institution for women was founded  the Newnham College. At first, only male students were admitted to Cambridge. In 1882, attempts were made to make women as full members of The University of Cambridge however, this failed. It was only in 1947, that women were made full members of Cambridge.

More than a century later, The Cambridge University is still considered one of the best universities in the world. It continues to produce famous students in the field of politics, science, and the arts.

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the fifth largest universities in the country, and currently nearly fifty thousand students attend the university, which is home to the U.T. Longhorns. Most of the students live in the U. T. campus area, which encompasses an area from Interstate 35, which runs along the eastern perimeter, to Lamar Boulevard, which circles the western edge of the campus, including numerous fraternity and sorority houses. The campus also extends to Martin Luther King to the south and the campus itself is just a mile or so north of the State Capitol Building and the Capitol complex. The northern edge is roughly around 27th Street, and among these fours borders are some of the most interesting sights in the Austin area.

There are many nice apartment buildings, condominium projects and single as well as multiple family dwellings in the campus area, with prices affordable enough for new students and nice enough for faculty, grad students and the more affluent. There are many "commune style" homes in the area, which require the residents to share the chores, bills, meals and other expenditures and are very affordable due to the shared financial input of the inhabitants, but don't offer quite as much privacy as a traditional apartment complex. However, these residences do offer more of a home like atmosphere, which appeals to the newer students. Many of the commune-style homes, apartments, condos, sororities and fraternities are situated within a block or two of "the Drag", which is how the students refer to Guadalupe Street, the major thoroughfare through the campus area. North of the University of Texas is the neighborhood of Hyde Park which some students can on occasion find a house to rent. But since Hyde Park has become a more desirable neighborhood over the last 10 years rents can be expensive. If students go a little farther north they find the North Loop neighborhood where rents are a little more affordable.

The east side of "the drag" skirts the western edge of campus proper, which includes the U.T. Tower, student union, various education halls, and the West Mall, where campus related political gatherings are held outdoors. Many students can be found reading, walking to and from class, or eating on the steps and benches which are strategically located in the west campus area, or at many of the food kiosks and stands, which feature ethnic fast foods of all kinds, especially many oriental and Indian foods.

Students of all nationalities attend U.T., and all of them can find regional cuisine in the area, even on the campus itself, with the Texas Union offering a wide selection of meals, drinks and snacks. The other side of "the drag" encircles an area which is full of shopping boutiques, churches, student centers, restaurants, bookstores and one of the largest assortments of street vendors in the Austin area. The street vendors sell a little bit of everything, but seem to specialize in silver jewelry and Indian clothing, as well as hats, shirts, other clothing items, music, posters and memorabilia. These items are usually quite inexpensive, and a vast selection of styles, colors, and regional favorites can be found in the numerous stalls full of merchandise which line the west side of Guadalupe Street. There are also ice cream shops, pinball parlors, and many clubs, some of which offer live music.