Program Reviews

First of all, classes were well-taught and professors were accommodating and accessible. My favorite class was the independent research module. With the mentorship of Professor Michael Gilchrist, I analyzed rugby head impacts using finite element analysis. The project was a perfect combination of my interests in engineering, medicine, and sports, and I will be continuing this research for my senior thesis with Professor Gilchrist as my advisor.

Though I was worried about going to a school where I didn’t know anyone, everybody was super welcoming and friendly. I mainly met people through the wide array of societies UCD has to offer. I ended up joining the Newman society, mountaineering society, food society, lacrosse team, and volleyball team (all of which, I highly recommend!). Through society events, I made friends for a lifetime, learned about Irish culture, explored Dublin and Ireland, and had tons of fun!

At UCD, I experienced a new culture, new people, and new academic interests. These experiences ‘broadened my horizons’, cliché as it may be. The friends and memories I made and the knowledge I gained are irreplaceable. My time at UCD has exceeded my expectations, and though it’s only been a couple months since I left, I already look forward to going back.

The semester at UCD was a wonderful experience, and a great way to study abroad as an engineering student. The modules offered to engineering students are unique, and allowed me to go on site visits with my class to different places in Ireland. One of my favorites was a visit to Killiney Beach, which was an enjoyable way to learn about the geology in Ireland. As part of the engineering school, four of six modules I enrolled in were engineering modules. I took classes from different disciplines of engineering, which made for a well-rounded academic semester. This is a fantastic program for anyone looking to make new friends, as there are many societies open for international students to join. Located in close proximity to the city center, as well as other popular sites in Ireland, I had a great time exploring both Dublin and the nature of Ireland.

Choosing to study abroad in Ireland, especially at UCD, was the best decision I have ever made. Making new friends, great memories, and having wonderful opportunities in a place I never thought I would live in was life changing in the best way possible. If I never went abroad, I would have never been exposed to such different lifestyles as well as the opportunity to learn a language like Japanese! I went with an open mind and returned with a brighter plan for my future and experiences that will last a lifetime.

I couldn’t have been happier with my semester at UCD. Dublin is now a magical place for me that I’ll always remember fondly. The folks, city, campus, and outdoors are all wonderfully lovely. There are lots of clubs, lots of interactive professors that genuinely care, and lots of kind students. Futhermore, the area feels incredibly safe. I never once felt threatened by an atmosphere or the demeanor of peers. I would certainly recommend to others. I, myself, hope to go back sometime in the near future.

Prior to coming to Ireland, I did not know much about the country or what to expect out of the academics here. UCD Global and the Business Study Abroad Programme at the Quinn School do an amazing job at helping international students adjust to their new environment. UCD Global offers free trips all over Ireland from nearby Howth to Galway and the staff are super friendly! The Business Study Abroad Programme are upfront at the beginning about how different the academics are going to be and how the grading system works. Since 3 of my 5 classes at UCD counted towards my home school GPA I was worried about the rigour of my courses. The style of teaching in Europe is very very different than that of America, but don't worry! If you get good grades at your home university you will do well here, just bug your professors even if they don't have office hours (because they most likely will only have them once a week if even that) and be prepared to teach yourself because that is just how things work here. If you need anything the Business Study Abroad Programme Advisors are very friendly and helpful.

Some things members of my cohort and I would have wanted to know before coming to UCD are: 1.) UCD is a commuter school so the place is a ghost town on the weekends. This is when you should travel around Ireland and other parts of Europe! 2.) Most food places are closed at 6 pm with the exception of Centra, so keep that in mind 3.) The library closes at like 10 pm so if you are a night owl as many American college students are conditioned to be then this may be tough to adjust to because there is nowhere else to study besides your bedroom after this time (maybe your dorm common space).

I had the best time of my life at the University College Dublin this semester. By far, it was the best semester of my entire college life. The campus is 20 minutes away from the hustle bustle of the city and is the perfect place to unwind yourself and focus towards your goals. UCD itself is very beautiful with a couple of lakes and greenery all around the campus. It is equipped with a modern sports complex which offers free fitness classes and has a great infrastructure.The residence halls fulfilled all my requirements and made my semester long stay very comfortable.
The most interesting part of my journey has been attending classes with such a diverse group of people from different countries. The Quinn School of Business is one of the most reputed business school and attracts students from all across the globe which made me meet a lot of diverse people. Before Quinn, I had never been in a room with so many nationalities. Classes in UCD are great place to listen to the different thought processes of people from all over the globe. One of the most important learning was while working in our group of four nationalities: American, Irish, Indian and French. I would highly recommend students to study abroad with University College Dublin and attend classes at the Quinn School of Business

I knew very little about Dublin when I decided to study abroad at UCD, but I had heard great things about the school and I thought it would be an interesting challenge to go to a place I knew so little about. Before I arrived, I was nervous about picking an unfamiliar place, but it couldn’t have worked out better. UCD and Dublin vastly exceeded my expectations, and now I can’t imagine having gone anywhere else. The campus is so beautiful and my classes were awesome, and I felt supported and welcomed into the community almost instantly. I got to take a wide range of interesting and unique classes, and although the teaching style is very different than what I was used to, I always felt like I had plenty of support and I definitely learned a lot from all my professors! My classes were engaging and challenging, but I also had plenty of time to explore Ireland and a few other countries!
I couldn’t believe how fun and fulfilling the semester was. I've learned so much in the past few months, inside that classroom and out. Throughout my time at UCD, I felt encouraged to focus on my classes, but also make time to have new experiences outside of the classroom. I also took a class called "Ireland Uncovered" which was a great introduction to the history and culture of Ireland, and it was a great way to learn about the country and make some new friends. I also took dance classes with the dance society, which was another great way to meet new people. I have made so many friends from all over the world, and have learned so much from all of them!
Dublin is a great city to study abroad in - there's so much to do and it's a very student friendly city. From pubs, to museums, to shows, to gorgeous scenery, there's something for everyone and so much to explore! I'm so glad that I got to come to UCD for a semester and I am already looking forward to coming back!

My time at UCD is definitely one of the most rewarding times of my life. Apart from the engineering courses, I also took German electives from ALC and Irish culture course. During the first semester, I work closely with associate professor P. F. Curran on my graduate project. I’m so happy to apply my knowledge of control theory into practice and have the privilege to learn the cutting edge control algorithm developed here in UCD to control the fuel tanks of ESA’s Ariana rockets. My invaluable experience here also helped me to receive an admission from Duke University’s graduate school. I’d say my experience at UCD absolutely adds to that.

My favorite music band is Westlife and that’s the reason why I choose to study in Ireland. After I arrived here, I’m so impressed by the history and culture of this emerald isle. The national museum of archeology is my favorite place to visit. I also love the breathtaking scenery at the cliffs of Moher. I’m also learning how to play the Irish tin whistle. Hopefully I can play a complete song before I leave here. In one word, a semester/ year at UCD is worth it without doubt.

My semester in Ireland as a chemical engineering student has been filled with new faces, new classes, and new experiences. As I look back at the semester, I remember all the times spent studying, laughing, and enjoying myself with friends. UCD does a great job of integrating academics with fun extracurricular activities for its students, like having Yoga and Pilates classes, but also having events like Mario Kart Tournaments. Not only does UCD provide fun activities, but the staff are also so helpful to the international students in helping them to choose the right classes, hosting events to bring international students together, and even sometimes having extra pots and pans for the apartments! UCD is located about a fifteen minute bus ride from the Dublin City Centre, which has a rich culture and history. It was so fun to explore the city, visit some pubs, watch some Gaelic Football Games at Croke Park, visit the Guiness storehouse, and see all the beautiful Christmas lights in the city. Not only did I enjoy myself at UCD and in Dublin, but I was also incredibly fortunate to be able to travel all around Ireland and Europe throughout the semester. I got to explore Spain, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Scotland, and not to mention traveling all over Ireland, seeing the Cliffs of Moher, Killarney National Park, the Aran Islands, and Giant's Causeway! My semester at UCD has been filled with so many memories that I will treasure for a lifetime!

I was very disappointed with my semester at UCD. Only come here if you're coming with friends and you're dying to see Ireland. I was looking for a different college experience abroad, and to be engrossed in the culture. However, just being on the campus felt like living in an isolated ghost town. I wish I had known this was a commuter school. The 'societies' are just small cliques of students, they don't do much outreach and seemed to have very few events. The International Society aimed at study abroad students had no trips after early October and tickets for their other trips were hard to come by. Though it would depend on program, in my opinion the professors were subpar and definitely don't cater to Americans. There's n assignments besides midterms and finals, so it's easy to lose focus. You'll be way behind the curve when you get back to the US, especially if you go to a rigorous school. I put some recommendations below to improve the program. Basically, they need to cater to all study abroad students-not just people who are using UCD as a base to travel the rest of Europe. The big thing going for UCD is that it's close to Dublin (though the campus is in the suburbs and feels like you could be anywhere). Dublin is a great city, and I enjoyed being in it, but that alone can't carry the school or the 4 month semester. If you don't have a group of friends and the money to travel Europe with, stay home or find a different program.