Posted by Greetings from University College Dublin, the most sought-after destination for international students and Ireland’s premier global university. Of the approximately 34,000 students enrolled at university college Dublin, 29% are international students.
Only three miles south of Dublin’s bustling city center and Ireland’s major business hubs, university college Dublin main campus offers state-of-the-art learning and living facilities.
It is ranked in the top 1% of higher education institutes worldwide and is situated in one of the world’s safest and friendliest cities. With plenty of academic and recreational resources, as well as on-campus housing options, university college Dublin is a stunning self-contained campus.
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University College Dublin Engineering vs American
Studying mechanical engineering at university college Dublin was a fun experience for me. The classes didn’t seem that much more difficult than my engineering classes in America, in my opinion. The most difficult adjustment compared to the US was the academic independence from accountability. Academic evaluation is not continuous, as homework is not assigned each week.
Grades in the class are mostly decided by a significant midterm exam or evaluation and a final I made a weekly attempt to enroll in a dance class offered by the dance society, and I was largely successful. The classes were enjoyable and very relaxed.
It was also a lot of fun for me to participate in a biweekly 5v5 pickup soccer match that was hosted by the student residences.
The low cost of international travel within Europe when compared to travel from the US is one of the reasons I wanted to study abroad at university college Dublin. I spent weekends traveling to Germany, France, Scotland, England, and Spain.
I also traveled to a few coastal towns, Belfast, Cork, and Galway, among other Irish cities. I found it absolutely absurd that you could fly to another country for only 20 euros.
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I participated in UCD’s Arcadia Abroad program to study overseas. If at all possible, I would advise going through the program as they handled several of the bothersome administrative tasks for me, such as housing applications, which some of my roommates who did not study through Arcadia had trouble with.
Before classes started, I was introduced to a group of American students from Arcadia through some group bonding activities. It was a really great way to meet people who were in similar situations and to bring some familiarity from home to such a foreign experience.
Even though I was given one of the worst housing assignments on campus, I was still astonished by the selection. We had fully equipped suite-style rooms with a full kitchen and living area (unfortunately without an oven). We had our own private bathrooms, which was a really wonderful bonus that I wasn’t aware of until I arrived at my room.
Amazing experience, rough around the edges
Although Dublin is a great city for many things, such as its views, pubs, and charm, there are some drawbacks for students. Like myself and a few of my friends, there’s a very good chance you won’t receive housing from university college Dublin.
To find some of the most offensive accommodation listings, you will instead need to regularly check websites like daft.ie and the student accommodation pad. With a 20-minute bike commute (in Ireland’s wet weather too) and a journey that takes more than an hour via Dublin’s utterly ridiculous public transportation system, I ultimately paid more than most campus housing costs.
If you’re anything like me, getting hit by a van on your way to class might even result in a protracted tour of the Irish healthcare system. For a simple concussion, you may have to spend up to nine hours in the emergency department (ED), but at least the cost is significantly less than in the US (hospital visits are free with a GP referral!).
Though university college Dublin falls short in terms of accommodations, there are plenty of positive aspects about the school. Academically, I have never felt more at ease studying in the US than I do during even the busiest weeks here; there is far more time to devote to learning the material than there is to gamified busy work.
I thought I learned just as much in my harder classes—like thermodynamics and heat transfer—as in my home university, albeit at a much lower level of difficulty.
However, because final exams account for so much of your grade, there are some culture shocks associated with them. I wish my home university would adopt UCD’s fantastic club and society system (attend freshers week and sign up for as many societies as you can!).
There are lots of resources on campus, and the library is fantastic—despite the fact that it’s usually too crowded to find a comfortable place to study with friends.
What would you change if you had to do this over again?
Since you’ll be wet most of the time—especially if you ride a bike—I would invest in much more waterproof gear.
Advantages
- Excellent educational system
- amiable coworkers and peers
- Outstanding groups and events
Cons
- Accommodation issues
- Rainy
- Living expenses
Engineering overseas at university college Dublin
The engineering study abroad program at UCD is fantastic. They have a far larger engineering program and a far wider range of classes offered than my home university, GW. As an engineering major, studying overseas may seem challenging, but university college Dublin makes it very simple to enroll in classes that transfer to your home institution.
Additionally, they offer a comprehensive study abroad program that includes free trips for you to visit Ireland and network with other Erasmus and study abroad students.
Accessing other locations was also comparatively effortless. During my time at UCD, I had the good fortune to have the opportunity to visit Paris, London, Amsterdam, Prague, and Rome. The main drawback is that it can be challenging to meet Irish students because the majority of local students do not live on campus.
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What guidance would you give upcoming participants in this program?
Make an effort to attend every university college Dublin event at the start of the semester! Meeting other students can be greatly facilitated by it.
Advantages
- Traditions
- Whereabouts
- secure campus
Cons
- On weekends, almost everything on campus is closed.
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University College Dublin Engineering Student
I am really enjoying my semester at university college Dublin overseas. My home university, Northeastern, is where I study business and environmental science, but the classes I ultimately took at university college Dublin put me in the engineering program.
The academic staff at my home university was really helpful during the planning process, and learning about the subjects I’m studying from an Irish and European perspective has been eye-opening.
Ireland’s closeness to Europe makes it an ideal destination for weekend getaways, and I was grateful for the reasonably priced trips I took to Switzerland and Scotland. I heartily urge anyone who is interested to spend a semester abroad at UCD!
What guidance would you give upcoming participants in this program?
Take it slow! It can be tempting to say “yes” to everything when studying abroad, which can lead to burnout. In addition to meeting new people and trying new things, remember to take good care of your health, get plenty of sleep, and focus on your studies! Remember that the educational system here is more self-paced and places a higher priority on final exams than it does in the United States.
Advantages
- Journey
- Traditions
- Adaptability
Cons
- chilly
- Darkness
- Damp
Studying overseas as a Civil Engineering major at university college Dublin
I studied in the School of Civil Engineering at university college Dublin for a semester. The setup of the courses was very different from how things are done in the United States, but the classes were still decent! Lecture halls were frequently only half full, professors were generally less available, and exams accounted for a much larger portion of the final course grade.
At university college Dublin, it was difficult to establish friends with Irish students, and even when I did, I only ever saw them in class because I lived in an on-campus residence hall and they commuted to school. It wasn’t even all I had hoped for, even joining societies. The academic experience at UCD was mediocre at best, in my opinion.
But my experience was fantastic outside of the classroom! I enjoyed going for long walks and runs through the nearby neighborhoods and was glad to be away from the bustle of the city center. The location was lovely and extremely safe.
A thirty-minute bus ride provided easy access to the city center as well. There were tons of amazing activities, restaurants, and, of course, fantastic bars and clubs to explore. I actually made the most friends and encountered the most people here!
My main recommendation to a student at university college Dublin is to be more gregarious than you may think, to explore Dublin’s downtown area without being hindered by UCD’s location, and, if possible, to visit other Irish and European cities!
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