Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Much love to the dub Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/04/2016 to 12/23/2016 with

Arcadia: Dublin - University College Dublin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live independently in someone else's culture. I learned a lot of my own personal limits as well as a rich history and culture of a new place with so much character and heart that I'm lucky to be able to consider a second home now.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The academic structure of UCD is very different than that of my home university. While my professors were smart and talented, and I learned a lot of new information, I was not stretched to think as critically as I am about the topics I was studying.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Nice and adequate on campus apartments

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I fell in love with Dublin and the people I met there. I'd go back in a minute.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Straight up, studying abroad is expensive personally. However, I spent more money than my typical student budget at home because I had saved up and was prepared to spend a little more freely on things as well as pay for travel expenses on my own personal weekend adventures.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~100 Euro
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Be prepared. Know where you're going, use the internet!! Most restaurants and cafes have reviews or online menus so you can be very aware of what to expect. Also deciding what to spend money on while abroad is a big one. I chose to spend most of my money on eating in local restaurants and coffee shops as well as traveling, but skipped out on a lot of general shopping. Also COOK at least a few times a week.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Dublin in general as a place
  • The Arcadia staff being a great resource when I needed them
  • The friends I made
* What could be improved?
  • Realistically letting us know how far UCD was away from Dublin city center
  • Maybe a mid-semester check in with a staffer
  • Clearer instructions about finances
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How different the academic structure was going to be

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.