Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great January 21, 2026

By (Politics, Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/01/2025 to 12/22/2025 with

Arcadia: Dublin - University College Dublin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I found it worthwhile, and I really enjoyed Dublin. It was a very interesting country to go to as a Politics major; I particularly enjoyed a course on Northern Irish Politics.

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.

Classes are not terribly difficult, and there are many fewer assignments than I was used to. There is a full reading week before final exams. Note that the grading scale is very different - a prof called my essay "very good" with no major critiques and I got a B-.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Great for dietary restrictions, especially gluten free.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Hard to see a specialist without an HSE number, but there's a GP practice on campus that books very easily and urgent care is readily available and pretty close by. Flu/covid vaccines are not covered by insurance; each was 15EUR. I broke a bone while abroad and it was difficult to find good outpatient care as a noncitizen (not going to A&E). I could not book with an orthopedist in time before I left; it had to wait until I was back in the US.

* Safety:

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

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $70
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Apply for a student Leap (bus/luas/DART) card immediately; it gives you half off on all Dublin public transit.

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
* 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?
  • Interesting courses
  • Travel opportunities
* What could be improved?
  • Difficult to get health care
  • Integration with campus life
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Expect the academic differences; the housing was not what I expected but it was a great experience. It's very easy to travel; Ryanair is based out of Dublin so there are lots of cheap flights.

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.