Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best experience of my life! Past Review

By (Stevenson University) - abroad from 09/02/2019 to 12/21/2019 with

API (Academic Programs International): Cork - National University Of Ireland, University College Cork

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained more independence, a love for traveling and immersing myself in different cultures.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Large class sizes for most of my classes. I was not used to this coming from a small school. The majority of my classes only used the final exam as the whole grade so just be prepared for that. There was a lot less class time than in the states which was nice. I had the opportunity to take an Irish step dancing class at UCC which I highly recommend.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Patrick was our program director and always answered my questions and took us on excursions. He really helped us immerse ourselves in the culture!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in the Castlewhite apartments and had my own bedroom and shared a bathroom and kitchen with my flat mates. Had mold in the apartment and was a bit dirty but they will be tearing the complex down in a few months and building a new one so this should not be a problem in the future.

* Food:

Groceries were cheap and always fresh. And lots of good options to eat out in Cork.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Not a touristy city so when I went out to pubs and events I got to meet a lot of locals.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I only had to get medicine once and it was free and taken care of well.

* Safety:

I felt very safe in this city. Sometimes if I wanted to leave the pubs early I would walk home alone at night (a 30 minute walk) and I felt completely safe.

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

By far the best four months of my life. I spent the fall semester studying at UCC in Cork, Ireland and I was so impressed by the program and the school. When I found out I was going to Cork instead of Dublin I'll admit I was a bit disappointed because I had never heard of Cork before but I am so glad it worked out this way. Dublin feels like a large American city whereas Cork has an authentic Irish feel to it, that is not too touristy and everything is walking distance. The campus was absolutely stunning and reminded me of Hogwarts. The apartments I stayed in were a bit dirty but they will be tearing them down in the next few months and creating new apartments so future students won't have to worry about the problems I had with that! Patrick was our API director and he was so incredibly helpful and really got us immersed in the Irish culture. A lot of people had direct exchanges with their school so they didn't have Patrick or the excursions like we did, and I remember those students telling me they wish they were in API! I would highly recommend this program for anyone wanting to study abroad in Ireland.

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)

I spent a lot of money abroad just because I was taking trips around Europe on the weekends. But every week I spent 5 euro on laundry, about 25 euro on groceries, and another 30 euro on drinks or going out for food.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 euro give or take
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? stay in hostels on overnight trips! Sometimes air bnbs are cheaper if you're staying with a lot of people. And going out to the pubs can start to add up so just be prepared. Also Tesco and Lidl have the cheapest groceries.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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?
  • Excursions
  • UCC
  • Cork
* What could be improved?
  • The apartment I was staying in
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It's hard making Irish friends since they tend to stick to their own cliques. Most of my friends were American.

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.