University College Dublin

Enjoy every moment! Ireland has so many amazing places to see, make sure you take advantage of every second there. Also, don't be afraid to put yourself out there and do things out of your comfort zone.

If you can, take moments every so often to reflect on the experience, because you will get so much more out of it that way.

An average day consists of class for a few hours, maybe grabbing a chicken fillet roll from the Centra on campus, then a lot of free time to explore the city, hang out with friends, and travel! There isn't much schoolwork until the end of the semester, so weekends can be spent exploring Dublin or traveling to other cities and countries in Europe.

I think my biggest fear was actually making friends, just because you were in a completely new place in which you don't know anyone. It can be scary, especially since you leave all of your friends and family behind, but what I realized- just like the first week of college freshman year- everyone is in the same boat and looking to make friends. It was so easy, I even met a few friends on my flight over. I became really close with all my friends and I'm so grateful that Ireland brought us together.

The classes were a little different than what I was used to in the states. For instance, we had very few assignments and one final exam that counted for a large majority of our grade, as opposed to multiple tests, homework, and assignments throughout the semester. Moreover, the exams were also majority essay-based responses as opposed to multiple choice.

Finally, the grading scale is a bit different- more subjective. To achieve an A on an assignment requires effort above and beyond, and most professors are selective in awarding A's. Thus, the classes are a bit on the challenging end, but not in terms of workload, in terms of quality on assignments. However, it is nothing to be worried about, everyone I know ended up doing well enough. I'm just mentioning this as something to keep in mind, so you are a bit more prepared for what is to come.

I find it very heartening that the Nursing Study Abroad students we receive are just as dedicated to their future healthcare careers as our Irish students are. It makes me proud to know that the young people we work with will really make a difference in the world after their studies, and we get to be a small part of that. It motivates me to make the Study Abroad experience as smooth as possible for our incoming students and showcase our school as much as a positive and supportive learning hub.

My favorite stories are those where past students come back to visit the friends they have made at UCD and in Dublin for vacation.

I also love to hear about students who perhaps weren't accustomed to traveling before their Study Abroad semester and who are now travelling and experiencing new places whenever they can. I am extremely happy that these students get to do that because their semester showed them how small the world is and how important it is to see as much of it as possible!

If I could go back in time and study abroad during my own college experience, I would do that in a heartbeat! I traveled as an international student after my MA, and it was life changing. However, I also think that taking the leap during my undergrad would have been really impactful as a slightly younger person. Travel is ALWAYS the right choice and should be undertaken at every opportunity!

The UCD staff are completely dedicated to supporting our Study Abroad students and their experience in Dublin, Ireland and Europe. No matter what subject area a student may choose, there is a staff member they can touch base with before they arrive and meet with when they are here to help them navigate their time here. From choosing the right academic modules to helping them figure out how to get to the airport for their next adventure, the UCD staff are there help out in any way we can. Our priority is to deliver a great student experience all round, and that makes me proud.

Teamwork, understanding, and fun! International Education is a great industry to work in. It is ever changing, and we get to meet wonderful faculty and students semester after semester. Working together towards successful programming, understanding, and learning from our students’ experiences and having great fun along the way can only lead to great things!