IES Abroad Dublin Direct Enrollment – Trinity College Dublin

Since returning to the U.S., looking back on my time in Ireland feels like remembering another life. It was an absolutely whirlwind of 4 months, filled to the brim with experiences I may never live again but I will be eternally grateful for. Study abroad is this bizarre period in which it’s so easy to get caught up in the fantasy of it all – oh, I’ll spend my birthday in Paris or take a quick weekend in Madrid to try real paella and then meet some friends of a friend in Edinburgh? Easy. Book a RyanAir flight and do it. It will teach you invaluable skills like how to adapt as well as a deep appreciation for how special all of these places are.

I chose to study in Dublin, Ireland because ever since my family took a trip to the Emerald Isle when I was 9 years old, it’s been a mystical place that I was sure I’d return to. And it’s true, the people are some of the best and most friendly you’ll ever encounter, you’ll learn to appreciate great beer, and you’ll leave practically able to quote Yeats to any passerby. But, as with any life-upending experiences, it is a mixture of highs and lows. Be ready for rain, and lots of it. Dublin can sometimes feel small and grey but there are so many adorable cafes and museums tucked within its winding streets, you’ll never be short of a new place to explore.

However cliché and pretentious it may sound, study abroad does change you. It gives you a perspective of yourself and your life that would be almost impossible to understand by staying still. Whatever your experience abroad, I can almost promise you’ll come out the other end infected with what they call the “travel bug” and soon be itching to get back on a plane and keep exploring.

I studied abroad with IES in Dublin, Ireland, through Direct Enrollment at Trinity College Dublin spring semester and it was a great experience. IES staff helped me through the application process, pre-departure, preparation and during the entire semester from doctors appointments to recommendations on restaurants. The optional trips offered through IES were fantastic and a great bonding experience to get to know other IES students in all of their offered programs in Dublin. The classes at Trinity were very rigorous and scheduling was a nightmare (as Irish students have one focus where as you may have a major and minor so it is tough to not get an overlapping schedule) but staff was there to help the whole way through! Most classes were assessed on the final exam/paper and not on continuous assessment which was very different to my home college but also helped me take responsibility for my studies.
Through Direct Enrollment, I was able to take classes with local and other international students and fully immerse myself in the college community. I joined the ultimate frisbee team and was able to travel all over Ireland and play against almost all of the Irish teams. I also created lifelong friends. Because of this abroad experiences with IES, I see more opportunities in my future and plan to visit Ireland again. I would highly recommend this program to anyone even slightly interested, contact the IES staff with any questions you have!

Where to begin?! I was lucky enough to study abroad as a Directly Enrolled student at Trinity College Dublin through IES. I was in the amazing city of Dublin from early January until late May, and I can confidently say that it has been the greatest experience of my life thus far.
Because I was directly enrolled at Trinity College, IES was less involved in my day to day life. They organized my housing, and coordinated my enrollment with Trinity, meaning that I just had to show up! IES met me at the airport, and had an RA waiting at my apartment to meet me when I arrived. Though our housing had some hiccups (heating and plumbing issues) IES was VERY responsive in getting things sorted. These issues were beyond anyone's control, but the Director and staff were very helpful, and apologetic for any inconveniences.

In terms of academics, IES explained how we would register for classes, and offered support throughout the semester. As I said, because we were directly enrolled, IES played a smaller part here. Trinity itself was a bit tricky, and takes a bit of getting used to, but overall it was an incredible experience. You are in courses (modules) with Irish students, and you are learning from Irish professors, so the atmosphere is amazing.

Though our classes were not through IES, we were ALWAYS welcome to study in the IES Center, to print from their computers, or to just drop by for a chat. They planned trips for us, and had coffee meet ups during the semester to make sure everyone was settling in ok.

If I could go back and do it again, I would in a heartbeat. Dublin happens to be the hub for most RyanAir flights, meaning that cheap flights were super accessible (and encouraged!). I made friends that will last me a lifetime, and I strongly suggest that you spend your semester abroad in Dublin.

I was immensely glad I chose to travel to Dublin through IES. The IES coordinated field trips to Northern Ireland and Causey Farm were some of the best experiences I had while I was abroad. Causey Farm was particularly interesting because I talked to a friend from Dublin, and she said she remembered the same trip from primary school! It was awesome to know that we were experiencing the same thing as those who lived in Ireland.
In addition, I was in Paris for travel at the time of the Paris Terror attacks, and I was exceptionally glad to know that IES was watching over me. I recieved a call from the Chicago center and from the staff at the Dublin center within an hour of the beginning of the attacks, ensuring my safety and ready to give advice should I need it. I really appreciated the prompt response and the knowledge that someone knew where I was and was watching out for me.
Trinity College was an amazing experience as well. I loved being directly enrolled, and joining societies was a great way to meet people and engage with the local culture. The academics were an adjustment, as any different system will be, and overall the experience was one of immense value.

I absolutely loved my study abroad experience in Dublin, Ireland! With a gracious culture reflected in cozy pubs and gentle parks, Dublin became my ideal city; the people are warm and inviting, the cityscape is walk-able and historic, and the coast is remarkably serene. With my student apartment so close the city center, I managed to start most mornings walking through the verdant paths of St. Steven’s Green.
Because of how accessible Dublin and the surrounding countryside is, I felt very connected to the cultural and recreational opportunities that Ireland has to offer; I woke up each morning with a great sense of excitement and delight in pursuing all of the pubs, museums, plays, hikes (Wicklow Mountains!), and historical sights that were within easy reach.
My favorite part about the experience, however, was being directly enrolled into Trinity College and enjoying all of the academic (like the Book of Kells!) and social resources provided by the campus. The program allowed me to immerse myself in the student life at Trinity and befriend not only Irish students, but also international students from various continents studying at the historic college center. Societies, for me, ranging from volunteer to athletic and niche areas in between (Juggling!) were the most rewarding ways to get involved and experience Dublin through unique perspectives; rock climbing around Ireland with the Climbing Club and participating in various tastings and workshops with the Food and Drink Society offered fun opportunities to not necessarily tour around, but rather live in Dublin as a local student.
My IES Abroad Direct Enrollment experience, overall, was infused with positive memories of feeling integrated into the city and social life of Dublin!

Dublin truly became a second home to me and it really didn't even take that long for me to feel comfortable there. A huge part of this was the amazing staff at IES Abroad Dublin. I cannot say enough times how amazing these people all were. Dublin itself is incredible as well and being able to directly enroll in a university and thus directly immerse myself in Dublin city life was so important towards my comfort in the city. I would suggest direct enrollment to everyone who goes abroad because I think it truly enriched my experience due to the fact that I could meet Irish students and become friends with them as well as have Irish professors. It made my education in Ireland that much better. The trips and activities organized by IES were also incredible. I met so many wonderful people through the programs and learned about the history of Ireland by actually seeing the sites. I truly hope I can return one day.

My semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland at Trinity College Dublin was an invaluable experience, filled with wonderful people, extraordinary places, and vital life lessons. With the help of the staff at IES Abroad Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, and the friends that I made, Dublin became like home to me. The staff was always willing to help with any issues I had and share a conversation over a cup of tea.

As a student directly enrolled in Trinity College Dublin, I was able to join clubs and societies on campus, which helped me get involved and make new friends. I joined the Club Swim Team, and we went to Galway for a weekend for a gala (swim meet)! Additionally, I was able to take classes related to my major, Speech and Hearing Science, which gave me the ability to see my field of study in a different perspective. I was able to build relationships with professors and students from all over the world who are teaching and studying similar subjects. It was very beneficial and has given me the courage and confidence to explore postgraduate and professional opportunities abroad.

When I decided I wanted to study abroad, I knew that I wanted to do more than study. IES's direct enrollment program was great because I was guaranteed to fulfill both my academic requirements and my wish to travel. My main concerns while planning my semester were not where I was going to live or when to book my flights, but rather what I wanted to see and what I wanted to do.
Living and studying in Dublin was wonderful. The college, while it may be a bit behind the times administratively, has world class professors who love their subjects. Class attendance and homework are more optional than in the States, but the library has every book you could possibly find useful for the final papers. The Trinity campus is picture perfect (just ask the line of tourists) and the adjacent Grafton Street provides street entertainers who are a great study break.
But living in Dublin doesn't mean that you're confined to city life. Within a thirty minute commuter train ride are two coastal walking paths, several charming seaside towns, and a castle. On weekends or days when I didn't have homework, I tried to take the train to a different city every time.
Traveling outside of the Dublin to the rest of Ireland is a must. The island is stunning, with plunging cliffs, otherworldly woods, and peaceful mountains. IES offers trips to the north and west of Ireland that are well worth the price. With nice hotel rooms, local meals, and a bus that goes beyond where tourist buses normally go, the trips are a great way to see Ireland. Beyond Ireland, the discount airline Ryanair offers cheap flights (costing 5-15 pints of Guinness if you want a practical measure) to much of Europe. While traveling, I loved seeing as many different cultures as possible while I had the chance and was surprised at how much braver I became after navigating around a country in which I did not speak the language.
Now that I am back, I have no regrets about studying in Dublin. I am much more willing to try new things now and to find out what is going on in my community. Studying abroad forced me to seek out and try new experiences and I am not going to let that habit die. I am also more confident advocating for myself now. I have moved to a foreign country where I didn’t know anybody and know now that I am strong enough to make new friends and a new life, wherever I end up.

When I decided to study abroad, I thought I knew what I was going to get out of being in a new culture. I wanted to learn more and learn from a different perspective. I gained far more than what I expected. I increased my confidence in my ability to adapt to new places as well as my confidence to navigate a new place by myself. I gained a greater appreciation of cultural differences and furthered my understanding of other cultures. Overall, studying abroad helped me grow in ways I didn't know I needed to.

Day to day life in Dublin involved catching up with friends at classes at Trinity, a university that is actually older than the United States, heading out for pints at night, and then waking up the next day to study or explore. Dublin has all of the perks of being a big city, with a small city vibe. There were nights when I actually ran into people I had met on other nights out, that's how small the city is. I usually walked everywhere, although there were buses, which I very rarely used. The night life had a super chill vibe, very casual unless you went to the clubs on Harcourt St., which are fun in their own right, but definitely not an every night experience. The academics at Trinity, while confusing to get registered for, were well worth the registration chaos. They were interesting and engaging (for the most part) and had Professors that were experts in their fields. The academic life was not as challenging as my school in the U.S., but wasn't easy. It left time to travel, which I did amply, as Ryanair, the budget airline, is based in Dublin, so travelling places was extremely cheap. All in all I had an absolutely incredible semester, and a lot of it was the program I was on. I had great experiences with all of the IES staff from the moment I applied to even the summer after I left.

Studying for a semester at Trinity College Dublin was an amazing, life changing experience. IES did a great job at preparing me before I arrived in Dublin. Adjusting to the city was an easy process, and through the help of IES I was able to navigate Trinity's confusing academic system. I am so happy I had the opportunity to spend a semester in Dublin and explore Ireland!

IES Dublin rocks! The staff is so nice and accommodating. The housing was great. Trinity is very cool, historic school with plenty to get involved with. The age of the school means some processes are inefficient. I made amazing friends in my group. We managed to immerse ourselves in the culture well. The Irish people are so welcoming and friendly so it's easy!

I went abroad with the hope of making new friends, Irish and American, and IES direct enrollment at Trinity provided the perfect environment for that. The housing IES placed us in was really impressive and comfortable with extremely sweet Resident Assistants. There were different excursions to go on around Ireland that helped build a close-knit community among us visiting students, and the staff that led the excursions were awesome and knowledgeable. I loved the informal and supportive interactions I always had with the IES Dublin staff. As for the academics, Trinity was the perfect school for me. My professors were enthusiastic and brilliant, and the direct enrollment allowed us to easily meet Irish students and make some friends along the way. The rain took some getting used to, but I think most of us embraced it after a few weeks. Dublin a beautiful city but not in the way that places like Paris or Florence are, most of the richness is within the people and the culture--seek it out!

I was a student at Trinity for the 2014 Hilary Term, and I was really impressed by the housing IES secured for my peers and me. Not only was it spacious enough to comfortably house four, it was also only a 5 minute walk to campus. The program leaders made sure to check in with us on a regular basis and our RAs made sure to plan fun and authentic outings for us at least once a month (my favorite was going to see a Gaelic Football match at Croke Park). Trinity has a strong academic program that is largely pushed by student initiative (my department, Theology, did not have continuous assessment like its American counterpart), which I appreciated because it allowed me the freedom to work homework around my travel schedule. Also, because I was directly enrolled in the college, I had the opportunity to make a lot of Irish friends, which was my favorite part of my time abroad.

After a good amount of consideration, I decided to apply in the fall of my third year of college for a semester in Ireland. I chose IES because of their direct enrollment program at Trinity College Dublin, and am so glad that I did! Trinity is famous for its academic excellence and history, both of which were important to me. I wanted to really make the most of my time abroad, adding to my academic credentials as well as having the time of my life. IES made this possible, placing me in convenient and comfortable housing, introducing all of the program members to one another, and helping us adjust to life and class-work in a new country. Between the IES staff and the program-members, we formed a close-knit, supportive, and adventurous community. We were all encouraged to take full advantage of this adventure, travelling all over the country, including on program-run field trips, and learning about all of the exciting opportunities available in Dublin itself. I fell in love with that city, and with all of Ireland, and really have to thank IES for making my study abroad experience so wonderful.