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Program Description
API: Study Abroad at the National University of Ireland, Galway
Ratings and Reviews
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Fun times in Galway
100%Overall
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful
API Galway Wonderful Experience
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It was the best experience of my life! I would go back and do it all over again. API was incredible and their excursions were spectacular! They were so friendly but never imposed too much. The housing was perfect and the city of Galway is the most fun ever!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I can't imagine going anywhere else.
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Galway is incredible. The downtown area is so much fun, lots of clubs and pubs for the nighttime and lots of shopping and pretty sights to see during the daytime. The academics weren't even remotely challenging for me, but then again that might have had to do with the program I was in (Archaeology). The thing that was strange about the academics was the setup: no constant quizzes or exams or even homework, just one final exam or final paper - that was the only grade! Ultimately it made finals a little scary, but it all worked out in the end.
The living arrangements (Menlo) aren't super special, the rooms get colddd in the winter and hot water is sometimes hard to come by. BUT the people in Menlo are fantastic. You get to live with Irish students in an apartment style set up, which is a great way to meet people, and everyone in Menlo is really friendly and open - you will meet a ton of people there.
The API program itself is fantastic. The program directors are so helpful, so genuine and so welcoming, and you know they're always there whenever you need them. It's great to have them on your side. And you really get your money's worth with the program. Our excursions were wonderful, especially the weekend in London! We also got to take a cooking class and go to a rugby match! They really went above and beyond for us, and I am so so happy I went with API over any others (who ultimately were more expensive, and gave you less! I know because I met several people from other programs in Menlo and at school). The people in my program really became my family over there, and we still talk all the time.
The only issue I remember having is with the walk to school from Menlo. It's about 20-25 minutes (depending on how fast you walk). It's a really nice enjoyable walk when the weather's nice, but when it's raining and cold, or there is snow on the ground....it just makes working up the motivation to actually go to class a little more difficult. I took several walks in the pouring down rain, sitting in my classes completely soaked, because although I had a rain jacket and an umbrella, the umbrella can't do a whole lot when it's windy. Honestly though, that all just became another memory to laugh about. I would not trade any part of my experience, and I am so, so glad that I chose NUI Galway for my study abroad.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
Best Time of My Life
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I studied abroad Spring 2012 at NUIG with API and I had absolutely the best time of my life. As soon as we landed in Ireland, a group of about 40 Americans, we were picked up and brought over to our housing. I felt very at home immediately, which really got me comfortable with my completely new surroundings. First off, Ireland is such an amazing place in general... but Galway was fantastic. I didn't particularly like my housing (try not to get Menlo apartments if you can, they were quite expensive, far away, and there's so many other places that you can get a much better value). Kevin & Finn, the advisers for NUIG, were fabulous and really helped throughout my trip. While NUIG wasn't the most challenging of courses, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Irish culture and history, genuinely liking almost all of my course at the school. If you can, get yourself an Irish boy/girl to take you around and enjoy the lovely sites. Traveling Ireland was fantastic and API even took us over to Paris for a weekend. I would highly recommend coming abroad with this program, to make the transition much easier. Highly recommend Ireland and Galway in particular, I liked it so much I ended up staying in Galway for 3 months extra during the summer and am already planning my trip back to Ireland.
Well, just to get this out of the way, the academics at NUI Galway were a bit of a joke (for me at least, as an Archaeology major). There was absolutely no homework, no test/quizzes/etc., no papers during the semester, nothing (not that I'm complaining). The only thing my grade was based on was either one exam or one term paper due at the end of the semester. That's a little bit nerve wracking, but it turned out well. I know other people had a slightly more difficult time than I did, like the Engineering major in my group (apparently their Engineering program is good!).
So aside from slight boredom over the academics, I absolutely LOVED Galway. The downtown/social scene is phenomenal and it's such a beautiful city to live in and explore. It's not huge and overwhelming (like I found Dublin to be when I visited) but it is just big enough to be a really fun city to live in.
API itself was phenomenal. I couldn't have asked for a better program to go with. The on site directors were always there for us, whatever we needed and they made sure we all felt like Galway was our home. The group that I went with turned out to be like my family there, and I am still great friends with a lot of them a year and a half later. I definitely felt like I got my money's worth for what I paid for the program because the excursions were so much fun and really well planned.
The living arrangements weren't anything super special, but the social environment in the apartment complex definitely made up for anything lacking. Getting to live with Irish students (2 girls and 1 guy) and having an apartment complex full of both American and Irish students ensured that we were never at a loss for someone to hang out with!
Overall I was so, so happy with API and with everything they did for me. I felt like the API Galway program really goes out of its way to give students an excellent experience.