Cork: the best place in Ireland to study Past Review
By Katie W (Accounting/Management, Drake University) for
University College Cork: Cork - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
A new understanding of other cultures and a new appreciation for what I have. It's amazing how little we think about the rest of the world outside of the US, I've come to really learn what having a global perspective means. I'm now looking to further my travels to other parts of the world and hope to work overseas someday.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was a lot easier than my home university as far as class load but it was very hard to predict what your grade would be because the person grading was sometimes an outside professor. I prefer the small classes compared to the huge ones at UCC. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They're very helpful if you go into the office but don't expect a quick response from an email. The office that arranged living arrangements for overseas students was very helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
There's an office that sets up housing for international students. They're very helpful and make setting up your own housing painless. Overall Cork is very safe, especially around UCC's campus. I never felt unsafe walking around alone at night whether it was from a friend's flat, the gym, or from the city after going out. The flat was outfitted in the kitchen, you just need your own sheets/blankets and towels (which you can get at Dunnes really cheap). The Spires was a great place to live for both nightlife and class proximity which is why I recommend it so highly. You walk a lot when you're abroad so making sure those distances are manageable is important. |
| * Food: |
I always cooked for myself. With the fruit/veggie stand right across the street and the English Market with every fresh meat and food you can imagine, I was never lacking in good ingredients. Food in general is less processed and has less preservatives so you have to shop more, but the quality is much better than I'm used to in the US. Being allergic to peanuts was a lot easier in Ireland than in the US. Garlic cheese chips and kebabs from Tasty Kebab are great after a night out. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The field trip I've mentioned was one of my favorite weeks in Ireland. Especially since it was a class I never would have taken at home and there were mostly Irish students. St. Patrick's Day in Dublin also can't be beat. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Cork is safe and The Spires was extremely safe. I never got sick so healthcare wasn't an issue. I know someone who was constantly sick and the hospital in Cork was not great in helping her. H1N1 was something they warned you about but I never met anyone with it. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Getting your Garda card is 150 Euros which is over $250 and you're required to do it to stay in the country. Don't lose it or your pay again. Alcohol is expensive. Don't get stuck with fees from low budget airlines, if your bag may not fit or be to heavy, pay the 15 Euros before checking in to check the bag rather than getting stuck with a 40 Euro fee. Always have your UCC id and Garda card when traveling, they get you discounts places (the Louvre and Palace of Versailles in Paris are free w/ them). Always be aware of how much money you have in your account and the exchange rate. Also, make sure to tell your bank and credit card companies that you're going abroad or they may close your account for suspecious activity. Stay in hostels. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | It's a lot cheaper to direct enroll than go through a program but it is a little bit more work. Cork and Ireland are amazing, it's totally worth it. |
