The Emerald Isle Gave Me Everything I Didn't Know I Needed August 05, 2026
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/12/2026 to 05/08/2026 with
USAC Ireland: University College Cork - Undergraduate Courses
I gained so much experience living on my own and providing for myself that I would not have gotten at my home university. I also gained confidence and so many life skills while having the opportunity to leave the country for the first time ever. I think it was worthwhile and I don't think I'll ever forget the experience.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The international office staff were kind, helpful, and quick to respond or make themselves available. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location was nice because it was close to the main campus, but it was very expensive for a limited laundry room that always had broken appliances, small rooms, and no provided utensils. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I liked my classes. I took a lot, but I also had plenty of wiggle room to go on trips, both on my own and with the international office/visiting students office. I also loved Cork- it was just my speed to be able to adventure alone for the first time but also feel safe and comfortable. The professors at UCC were also so kind and different from my home university, but in a good way that allowed the experience to be both enjoyable and educational. |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 80 if just groceries and 120 if other things needed restocking |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shop at Aldi or your Country's equivalent! It is so much more cost effective for the same items. Also spend smaller amounts of money or no money at all during the week and save the weekend for spending so you don't blow your budget. |
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 had known to budget a bit more for traveling and adventuring both in Ireland and just in general. I also wish I'd known more about the kinds of accommodations that were provided and the various options, rather than blindly sorting based on budget. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
