AIFS Semester and Academic Year Programs in Ireland
The Irish city of Limerick will have you singing its praise in just a few days. Don't believe it? Study abroad in Ireland with AIFS and see for yourself. A popular tourist destination for Americans and Europeans, the third largest city in Ireland is full of vast greenery and friendly, pleasant people. Using your including flight voucher, you may also visit Dublin, London, and another European city!
The University of Limerick offers courses in marketing, engineering, equine science, public administration, and more, so there is never a lack of learning to be had. Open to all college undergraduates, this program requires a 2.9 minimum GPA. Scholarships are available, so apply early. Take this wonderful opportunity to study in Ireland for a semester or even a year!
Reviews
90%Overall
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100%Overall
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My study abroad experience at the University of Limerick through AIFS was a wonderful one that had a large impact on my life. While abroad I fell in love with Ireland and its culture which I learned about both in the classroom and out of it, met people from around the world, and travelled to many new places. I made lasting friendships with a number of people, especially those in the AIFS program with me. After coming home from my semester abroad I took up an Irish Studies minor at my home University and have now returned to the University of Limerick to do my Master's degree.
100%Overall
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I would give almost anything to go back to the four months that I lived in Ireland. The University of Limerick is absolutely beautiful and there was always something new to explore or new people to meet each and every day. The AIFs staff members were very kind and helpful and always willing to answer questions. I met 3 of my very best friends (americans) on this trip and still keep in touch with many of my Irish housemates as well! I am completely in love with Ireland and the people that live there, and you will be too if you study at UL. I went back to visit exactly a year after my return to the states and 2 of my Irish housemates have been here to visit me! GO TO UL with AIFS!
100%Overall
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The campus was absolutely beautiful and the rooms were great! I loved walking to class across the bridge with my new friends and learning about Irish folklore. I am actually now persuing a degree in folklore in a grad school in Ireland partly because of this trip I took in 2009.
My friends and I would play soccer on campus and have a blast each and everyday. We went to Bunratty Folk park and drove to the Cliffs of Moher with our new Irish friends. I am still in touch with them today :)Best trip of my life!
80%Overall
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Ireland is a beautiful country with fun people. Limerick, as a city, does not have a lot to offer. But, there's fun things going on at campus and traveling outside of Limerick and to other countries is fairly easy.
100%Overall
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At first I was very nervous to study abroad. I was coming from a small Christian school and didn't know what to expect. I fell in love with Ireland. Studying abroad really is one of the best experiences of my life. Everything I had been so afraid of ended up turning out to be just fine. I would definitely recommend studying at UL to anyone!
100%Overall
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My 6 months in Limerick were nothing short of extraordinary. Traveling in Ireland and to other European cities was a breeze -- everyone was so helpful and friendly. The AIFS staff coordinated excellent trips and provided all the support that you'd need to study abroad. 10 out of 10!
100%Overall
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My semester at UL was one of the best experiences of my life. Not only did I learn a lot about the culture, but I also learned a lot about myself. I stepped out of my comfort zone and experienced so many new things I never dreamed of.
While there I also made several friends whom to this day I still skype and keep in touch with most of them.
AIFS made my time in Limerick amazing and I've already started saving up to go back.
One thing I would recommend though, is have a lot of back up classes that will transfer back. I had issues with classes not being offered when I arrived. But the staff was helpful and we worked it all out.
100%Overall
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I think the class schedule was great and allowed all of the students to travel on the weekends and get the most out of their time overseas. The way that the classes were structured gave us more of a voice and it was a discussion as opposed to a full lecture. The attitude of the Irish people is very laid back and refreshing compared to how rushed we are in the states. I would go again in a second so if you are considering it just go for it and prepare to have the time of your life.
100%Overall
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I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested in visiting Ireland. There was a great balance of academics and traveling. I really feel like I experienced the full Irish culture.
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Alumni Interviews
Interview with Caroline Turner, AIFS alumna in Limerick
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with AIFS at the University of Limerick?
Caroline: Ireland has always been a fascination to me. I wanted to know about the people, their lifestyles and why they had so much pride to be Irish. I had heard that my ancestors were Irish and came over to Ellis Island. I could not think of a better place to study Irish folklore, Irish Literature, because I am an English major, and my heritage. AIFS offered all the classes I wanted and an opportunity to live on campus and feel what it is like to be a student at the University of Limerick. I had always wanted to study abroad and I think affiliate programs connected to your college are great ways to get involved and meet new people.
GO: What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Caroline: My experience was unique and I think anyone who goes to Ireland will have their own unique adventures. Within my group I met three people from Texas and two Irish students and we all quickly became friends. Someone even asked me if we had known each other from before! Everyday my new friends and I would walk to classes and then explore Limerick and other cities in Ireland.
We travelled to the Cliffs of Moher, Tralee, Bunratty, Dublin, Galway, the Burren, Lahinch and many other breathtaking places. I remember learning two Irish dances, but playing soccer with my friends on campus is what sticks to mind the most. It was interesting to experience the town of Limerick and see its shopping malls, movie theaters and restaurants and how they compare to the United States. I would not change a thing about my experience because I made lifelong friends that I am still in close contact with and found out about myself in the process.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Caroline: This short three week summer trip impacted my future greatly. I am hoping to pursue a degree in Irish folklore, Education and Irish language at a graduate school in the Republic of Ireland. I am traveling back to Ireland this summer to look at schools and I've never been so excited to return somewhere in my life. I've kept up contacts with my friends that live in Limerick and we are planning to see each other again after three years. This trip helped me learn that I can travel places by myself and this gave me a lot of confidence. If I had not experienced this trip with AIFS my life would be very different.
Interview with Angela Case, AIFS alum in Ireland
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with AIFS at the University of Limerick?
Angela: I knew I wanted to study abroad in Ireland from the beginning. So I just had to narrow it down to where. I chose AIFS because in reading through the packet I liked the idea of having a group there that would meet and travel together. I loved that AIFS handled the housing too. (I had too many horror stories of people having issues with housing). AIFS also allowed the option of including the plane ticket which, although I didn't use, it was nice to know what day others would be arriving.
GO: What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Angela: The People. Everyone's experience is going to be different, but the people you meet is what makes it special. The landscape was also amazing. I live in Oklahoma, a landscape that consists of plains and more plains. It was so nice to see a change in scenery. Here [in Oklahoma], public transportation is kind of non existent, so it was nice to be able to just hop on a bus and be at a castle, in another city, or just along the countryside whenever I wanted.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Angela: After spending a semester abroad, I can now see myself living abroad after graduation. My limits have expanded immensely. On a more personal level I am now much more open to new things. I also find myself immensely less judgmental. Studying abroad definitely changed me, but it changed me in a good way.
Further Info
About AIFS Study Abroad
Founded in 1964, AIFS prides itself as an industry leader in providing summer, semester, and academic year study abroad programs. AIFS sends nearly 5,000 undergraduates every month to study abroad in one of 23 AIFS international campuses.
Programs are available in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, as well as multi-country programs. AIFS offers Gap Year programs, along with internships and volunteer opportunities abroad. With locations throughout the world, AIFS College Study Abroad is able to offers high-quality, college-level courses in subject areas as diverse as Islamic Studies, French Cinema, business and engineering.
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Studying abroad at the University of Limerick was one of the highlights of my college career. I had so much fun learning about the Irish culture and traveling around the truly breathtaking Irish countryside. Limerick is a great location; you can easily get to Shannon Airport if you want to visit continental Europe, and weekend or sometimes even day trips to numerous Irish locations (Galway, Cork, Waterford, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Ring of Kerry just to name a few) are easy thanks to the great bus system.
I really enjoyed my classes, and my professors were understanding of the fact that I was a foreign student who wasn't used to the school system of a large European university. I was allowed to take classes from various disciplines, something the Irish students couldn't do. I ended up taking science and English literature classes that I could count for my double minors (English and natural science) at my home college. If you have time in your schedule, try to take one of the Irish culture classes. I took Irish folklore, and I learned so much about how Irish mythology has shaped the mindset of the the Irish people and affected their history.
I could go on forever about the wonderful things I saw and did in Ireland. It was a challenging experience that definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone, and I am a more independent and confident person because of it. Everyone should study abroad, and if you are thinking of Ireland, Limerick is a great place to go!