Well-balanced, enriching semester! February 10, 2026
By A student (Linguistics, Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/29/2025 to 12/20/2025 with
University College Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It was so worthwhile. I learned more about myself, where I want to be, what I want to be doing, and how I can balance my responsibilities to get all that I can out of every place I am in.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt challenged in my classes and material, but was able to easily keep up with the work and lead a balanced life. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The student support was so fantastic at helping me with all manner of issues that arose. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was lucky enough to get student housing, but most students aren't. The on-campus housing, at least my building, was very expensive and not very good. We had a lot of issues in our apartment |
| * Food: |
I liked the cafe options but cooked for myself 98% of the time. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very, but that is because I joined student orgs and travelled around the island with them. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
This had nothing to do with my program, but it was difficult and expensive to get an appointment. |
| * Safety: |
It is a large (relatively) city, but I felt very safe |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I felt as though I was learning so much, but was so much less stressed than at my home university. I was able to deeply involve myself in the local culture, have time for work, holding a job, exercising, travelling, socializing, and resting. |
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) |
The housing was expensive, but my food and living costs were comfortably very low. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 40-50 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook for yourself, if you go out for food get something with leftovers, cook with friends and share ingredients |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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?
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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 should have done a full year! |
