Northern Ireland with IFSA- My adventurous life! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I had 8.5 hours of class a week which is nothing compared to the 20+ hours I usually have at home. However, the problem I had with the education system is instead of having lots of grades for multiple tests, homeworks, and papers, they only had maybe one test and one paper or something very similar for the entire semester grade. This means, if you mess up on one of these, you are in trouble. It is really easy to get behind on these papers or studying since they are not due until later and there are so few assignments. I have the problem with needing to feel the pressure of a due date to get the work done, but this is not a good method for the school system in the U.K. I think I ended up doing well in all my classes, but it was a struggle.

On-site administration of your program

I feel that they should have given us a little more direction on our individual university policies and practices, other than that I thought they were wonderful! I loved all the great trips they took us on as well as the orientation and opportunities they offered when we came back. I think they are very organized and an all-around great program.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We were about a 25 minute walk from campus in Elms Village which is campus housing. It was a great way to meet people, most of them were first-year students or international students. You need cookware, bathroom supplies, and bed sheets. The safety is great and it is close to nightlife and has a bar in the complex as well as a convenient store.

There is no meal plan so you have to cook for yourself. There are quite a few cafes on campus and many restaurants around campus and the dorms. Maggie Mays is a cafe close to campus and it is quite cheap and has great Irish cafe food!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved the orientation weekend and the trips IFSA took us on! We went on an adventure weekend, Northern Ireland weekend, and they took us to a rugby game. It was awesome! These trips were some of my most memorable experiences abroad.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

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

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• Dorm

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• International Students
• Local Students

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• Local Students

• Organized
• Helpful
• Fun

• Communication
• Information about university where you are studying