mostly coursework and critical reviews of it for my course, I think Ethical Hacking has a bit more theory work and essays but their is still plenty of practical work.
In first year I lived off about £600 per month but I know people that lived on less fine so yeah at 1k you should be sorted.
Opal didn't exist in my first year :P but I've been in and know folk that have - they're moderately strict when it comes to parties but the flats are generally good quality and, of course, as Opal is contracted by Abertay you have more avenues of complaint should something not be so good.
Scots, in general, are very friendly and even more so at Uni, even the Scottish students are for the most part moving from a different city so it's new territory for them too. As far as I'm aware there is very little racism at Abertay - it would be arrogant for me to say there was none but I haven't encountered any and we have strict disciplinary processes for such activity - in the wider community you're no more likely to be beaten up than anyone else, as long as you don't cause trouble you should be fine.
Abertay's Campus is small - there is no denying that but it has everything you need in abundance with a newly built multi-million £ library and the Ethical Hacking labs are definitely up-to-date, whilst the equally new and pricey student centre caters to almost any leisure need - the top floor has a cinema, art gallery and café selling cheap, hand made food. Next floor down is our Sports Bar with Darts, Pool etc., next floor the Lounge Bar where you can get quicker food and cocktails, the ground floor we have a little local shop for snacks and essentials and a coffee shop finally in the basement we have a small nightclub which you'll see plenty of in Freshers Week.
The campus is also literally a minutes walk from the city centre for anything I've missed.