Program Reviews

I studied abroad at UL in the spring of 2019. My second week of the program, my grandmother (my best friend) passed away from a sudden heart attack. I wanted to go back home immediately but I decided to stay and it is hands down the best decision I have ever made, second only to my decision to attend college in the first place. I knew it was going to be difficult to be away from my family, friends, and home university for a semester, but my grandmother's passing made it even harder to be away from the familiar and comforting.

I will never forget the willingness the Study Abroad staff showed to support me before and after my grandmother's passing. There were countless afternoon conversations over tea, walks around campus, and helpful nudges in the right direction in the weeks following my arrival in Ireland. I truly do not think I would have stayed if it hadn't been for them.

My flatmates and the other friends I had already made in my first week of the program were also a major reason why I decided to stay. They are also the reason that my time was so enjoyable, even when it was hard. Without hesitation, they scooped me up and reminded me what it felt like to be happy again. I will never forget the nights spent at home watching bad movies, the takeout we ate by the river, and every single Friday night at Stables.

Above all, my time at UL gave me relationships that I will have for the rest of my life. The friends I made in Limerick are friends I still have today. We talk or video chat at least once a month despite all of the different timezones! I truly could not have asked for a better experience and I am grateful each and every day that I went to Ireland and most of all, that I decided to stay. Thank you, UL!

I loved my experience at UL, and mostly because I found myself surrounded by wonderful people, from my course, my on-campus apartment, and different societies. No matter what you're studying, I would recommend trying to get involved in societies to meet people!! My personal favourite was the outdoor pursuits club, which goes on hikes and climbs around Ireland on the weekends (as well as offers weekly climbing wall sessions).

To keep it brief, I studied at both Trinity in Dublin and the University of Limerick (UL) and preferred UL for several reasons, as follows:

- More authentic Irish feel vs big city feel. You're a bus ride away from Limerick city centre so you cannot walk there, but UL is a gorgeous campus and almost feels American in the sense that it has a lot of amenities on campus such as a pizza place, SPAR, pub, bank, etc. Also great campus for sports/gym use and walks around the grounds. In Dublin, it is very easy to lose the Irish culture and feel, but Limerick is more rural and felt more authentic to me - also get a different variety of accents (and county colours... but I'll let you figure that one out yourself :))
- I found it easier to integrate into Irish culture & society and meet/befriend Irish people but also had wide community of international friends on weekends since most Irish students go home
- The on-campus pub Stables is so FUN. (also, the chicken fillet rolls are to die for!!!)
- The international team is much more supportive at UL - they plan events and make it easy to get involved and make you feel heard and included in campus life (I felt none of this at Trinity).
- Limerick provides access to most major Irish cities and is a cute city in itself, but it is harder to access mainstream Europe because the closest airport is Shannon and Dublin is a bigger airport. This is only relevant if you'd prefer to travel Europe - for me I wanted to travel Ireland and I found Limerick was better for that than say, Dublin, in many ways because it's closer to spots like the Ring of Kerry and Cliffs of Moher, which people usually love (though my favourite was always Killaloe!!)
- Admin and wait times are slower in Ireland than in the states just in general - no matter the university - but immigration and the like tends to be easier in Limerick than in Dublin just because it is smaller and the International team is able to help you.

University of limerick is actually a great place to meet new people. The atmosphere of the school is something that you only get to experience once in a lifetime. The friends that you make at the school last for years to come. As far as it goes with teachers as long as you are not taking technical or scientific courses the teachers are amazing. That is not seeing that the technical and scientific courses the teachers are mean It just means you have to work harder for your grade. When it comes to the study abroad office they are amazing. They will help you with anything and everything that you need. As far as the other students that are at the school it all depends on you. You can make this experience amazing by being outgoing and meeting new people, or you can make it miserable experience and try to avoid people left and right. As far as getting around in Ireland be sure to get a bus pass it is the best though not always on time it is the best way to get around. Getting a bike is good but you have to make sure you get a nice juicy lock so that it does not get stolen. Let’s not be scared of this because those things happen everywhere in the world. But the only advice I can give to those that are going to the university of limerick is to be outgoing be interactive and get out of your comfort zone. Make sure you were one of the students that does well going in there with electives, and takes full advantage of everything they have to offer. I know 16 weeks or so is a long time for some people but it’s not enough to actually see it all.

I studied abroad at UL in 2016 and fell in love with campus, the welcoming and exciting energy of UL and life as a Limerick resident. As soon as my semester ended, I had my heart set on going back. I needed to earn a master's degree to work in my field, and when I researched UL's programs I realized that tuition was significantly cheaper than schools in the US and programs tended to last only one year. Not to mention, I could work part time. I got to return to my favorite place in the world and even worked with the international office to support incoming students! At UL, I learned from professors and mentors who really cared about me and made friends that truly became family. I loved the people around me, my Limerick community, and Ireland!

My stay in Ireland was not my first long stay abroad but it was the first time I went for an academic purpose and I have to say that I have not been disappointed. The staff are qualified and good teachers. I do not remember a time I was as intrigued as I was in my lectures at UL. The only course I did struggle with was an Irish language course, which was fun but I could not really work with their structure, as they taught sentences and not the grammar of the language, but that is a personal difficulty I encountered in only that one course. All my other classes were very well structured. I also participated in a practicum module that I would recommend to everyone attending UL because it offers the possibility to get into a community and work with the people living in and around Limerick. I will never forget this experience.
The atmosphere at UL was amazing and I met many friendly people that I am still in touch with and hopefully never loose contact with. It was exciting to meet people from Ireland but also from all over the world. The campus offers the wonderful experience of different nations coming together. Clubs and societies as well as the international department offer many activities to get to know others and make friends.

The campus is beautiful. The professors were intelligent and qualified (and very helpful if you ask!). They are very helpful in giving information and also being there to answer questions. Limerick is a cool small city with a good night life and UL has their own bars on campus so you don't have to go far if you don't want to. Housing was nice and convient to the campus. Overall a great experience! Might even come back and study their in the future for a masters degree.

UL was truly an incredible experience. Not only was the school great, but all of the clubs and activities they offer really help to improve your experience. I joined the international society and had the opportunity to travel all over Ireland on a budget. When I wasn't traveling in Ireland, I took trips with my roommates and friends to other countries throughout Europe. I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in studying abroad.

I loved being at the University of Limerick! In the class I was enrolled in I learned so much about Ireland and its culture and history. The dorms weren't new, but they were still set up with everything we could have wanted. The meal plans allowed us to stay on somewhat of a budget and have fun on campus with friends at the same time. When I was on campus the UL students were not, so campus was quiet, but the cities were great. It was a great way to learn about what other parts of the world are like, but be in a country that isn't too far off from the United States.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! I am so happy that I chose to attend this university for studying abroad. The school worked so hard to make us feel welcome and at home. They were there if we needed anything. They also planned some amazing excursions for us which helped us to see as much of Ireland as we could. I am so grateful to everyone who helped to make this experience possible and I highly recommend attending the University of Limerick!

HI!
I'm Haileigh and I am 20 years old. I just finished studying at the University of Limerick! It was my first time traveling abroad by myself and it was amazing! One of the highlights of my trip was the London stopover because, there was a lot of free time provided for us to explore London. One of the other highlights from my trip was spending the weekend in Dublin with three of my friends I met while in Limerick. It was good to have free time and free range. In Limerick everything closes early, usually at 6 or 7pm so sometimes it was hard to find things to do after class since it ended at 4pm but one of the fun things I recommend is Smyth's bar/ club icon! It is in Limerick city and it is a great time! The bar is downstairs and it is more chill and the club is upstairs. I went a few times with friends and had a great time. I also highly recommend the Healthcare program! It is very laid back and has a more holistic approach. It was not very difficult but I definitely learned a lot! The Professors are amazing as well!