Magical time in Northern Ireland Past Review
By A student (PSYCHOLOGY., Shenandoah University) - abroad from 09/09/2013 to 01/03/2014 with
Ulster University - Belfast: Northern Ireland - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned a lot about people in general. It was absolutely worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I only had to do 2 papers for each of my 3 classes and that was the entirety of my school work for the semester. They also had low standards for writing so I got rediculously high grades on assignments that I hadn't tried very hard. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were wonderful. Especially the ladies in the International Office. They always answered my questions and would send me in the right direction if they themselves did not know the answer. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My "flat" was great! I had my own room with my own sink in my room. I shared a kitchen, bathroom, and living room with my flatmates and they were wonderful. |
| * Food: |
I had to cook my own food because they don't have a dining hall, but there are a few restaurants on campus that serve good food at reasonable prices. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated. The iCafe program helped me get to know the other internationals and local students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare is free in the UK and we were registered with a local doctor's office, however, it was in another town. When I was sick, it was difficult to arrange a ride there. I saw the campus nurse, who insisted my strep throat was just a sore throat and prescribed an over-the-counter medication I had never heard of. I was pretty sick during this time, but did not make it to the doctor because they were far enough away that I didn't even feel up to getting a cab there. |
| * Safety: |
Campus security was constantly patrolling and if there was an incident on campus, they made sure everyone was inside and safe. They had a lot of fire drills, so if there was a fire, you would definitely know what to do... Northern Ireland though does have a history of violence and there were a few incidents in Derry and Belfast when I was there, but I never felt as though I was in danger. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* 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) |
Things are more expensive there because their currency is worth more than ours, so I tried to keep the cost down as much as I could. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 or so |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | share cabs! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I'd known that Coleraine was the biggest UU campus. I was intimidated at first, but I grew to love it. However, if I had known what I know now, I would have gone to the Maggee campus because it is in Derry and is gorgeous. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
