IES Abroad Dublin Direct Enrollment

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!

My semester studying at Gaiety School of Acting was absolutely amazing! Gaiety School of Acting has a wide variety of courses from stage combat to Irish theatre text and everything in between.The tutors are phenomenal. I learned so much during my time abroad. I miss it there so much! It was a great experience.

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Hi there, prospective travelers! This IES Abroad review for "Dublin Direct Enrollment - National Theatre School of Ireland-Gaiety School of Acting" was submitted well before we increased our character limit for reviews. Just wanted to let you all know that we're looking forward to offering you even more reviewer content to help you make the most informed decisions about your next adventure.

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.

As a full year, direct enrollment student at TCD I was put into college housing with other international students. I lived in Rathmines, about fifteen minutes walking distance away from the IES centre, so it was always nearby if I need it, although I only went there a couple of times toward the end of the year. Most of my experience abroad was independent of IES' programming; since I was the only full year, I wasn't as involved with the center as the people who had orientation there. When I did need help, the staff there were great.

Classes at Trinity are very different to classes in America, most of all in terms of grading. It was uncomfortable to adjust to the concept of one assignment determining your entire grade for a course, but it did change the way I approached coursework. The professors at Trinity were amazing and I enjoyed all the courses I took there.

Living in Dublin was incredible; it has all the charms of a historic town and all the perks of a big city. The major difficulty with living there was in the general cost of everything. The exchange rate from the dollar to the euro is bad for the dollar, and Dublin is expensive on top of that. Budgeting is important for living there, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

From the beginning, at the airport, the IES staff was available and helpful. Prior to leaving, they gave a very detailed online orientation to get you the basics of Ireland and how life would be there. Housing was very nice - I was in the DCU program, and we each had our own room with an in-suite bathroom, within a 5 minute walk to campus. From the Trinity students, they live in very nice houses, but share rooms for the most part. The academics are very different from the US academic programs, but they are very clear as to what they expect, and the program will give you plenty of time to travel around both Ireland and Europe. The social life was great, and hand-in-hand, so was the safety. I was never uncomfortable walking back to my apartment at night, as a woman. The IES staff was incredible with organizing dinners for the group and outings to experience Ireland more thoroughly. Additionally, they were always there in case of emergency, and gave great advice. Overall, the experience was fantastic, and I believe that choosing to go with IES helped me fall in love Ireland even more so. I cannot wait to go back, and I cannot stop recommending IES and DCU to other students.

I have nothing but great things to say about my program in Dublin. IES organized housing for the students; I lived with 4 other girls in a comfortable apartment in Ballsbridge (a safe neighborhood with lots to do, 10 minutes from Trinity College Dublin). Aside from the prestige of the university, one of the benefits of Trinity is that it is in the heart of Dublin. Many restaurants, theaters, pubs, and shops are within walking distance from Trinity. In terms of academics, Trinity is very welcoming to international students, especially the history, art, and writing departments. What really made my semester special was meeting locals and international students from all over Europe. I met students through the clubs I joined, which I highly recommend. I joined the hiking club, soccer team, and co-ed choir, activities which I don't have as much time for at my home University. In addition to the school, living in Dublin was an enriching experience. I loved getting to know a new city! The IES staff were always willing to give us suggestions of places to visit in the Dublin area and throughout the country.