University College Dublin - Study Abroad

Spent a semester at UCD Engineering & Architecture. I took an intro Landscape Architecture lecture, a Masters level Nature-Based Solutions studio, a Masters level Urban Resilience lecture, as well as a literature elective (in the English dept). At my home university, I study sustainability and visual arts, so this program was a great chance to bring those disciplines together. Courses were rigorous, but professors supportive and helpful. I really liked the overall focus on sustainability and environmental issues. Good variety in the options available in course selection, including Masters-level modules.
On-campus housing is livable but not great. It's very expensive for what you get, but unfortunately not many alternatives are available due to the city's housing crisis.
Student life is welcoming and friendly, and plenty of nice things to do out in Dublin. UCD is definitely in the suburbs, but an easy 30 min bus ride from city center.

Major: Electrical Engineering, Home Institution: Yale University

I am so happy I decided to study abroad at UCD because I absolutely loved my experience and feel I grew tremendously while being there! Academically, I felt very challenged because I was able enroll in courses otherwise not offered by my university. I explored entirely new topics in power engineering and renewable energy that ultimately helped me broaden my passion for sustainability. I was also able to conduct research in UCD’s Energy Institute which was a very exciting process of learning and discovery. Outside of the classroom, it was always incredibly fun to attend the various social and club events hosted by the student organizations. There were karaoke nights, student performances, rock climbing nights, pub crawls, and so much more. All these events made it easy to make friends from all over the world and to create amazing new memories!

Beyond UCD’s campus I enjoyed going out to observe the natural and stunning beauty of Ireland! This was probably my favorite aspect of being abroad! I would often take small bus or train rides outside of the city to see some of the surrounding nature. I loved spending time on the coast and walking on the cliffs of Howth, the beaches of Balbriggan, and seeing the gardens of Wicklow. Although my experience was cut short as a result of COVID-19, I am still very grateful for the time I had in Ireland and for the people I met there.

I made the decision to spend a year abroad pretty spontaneously and I really did not have a place in specific that I wanted to travel to. After looking at my option Ireland seemed to match my desired climate and happened to have a school that specialized in engineering. Said school was University College Dublin. My decision to spend about two semesters at UCD was probably one of the best decisions that I have made.
Academically while studying at UCD was introduced to several different teaching styles and I was able to meet a wide range of professors. I was also given the opportunity to conduct research under one of the professors for a semester, which was a great opportunity to see the different approaches to research at UCD compared to back at my home university. I found that studying at UCD my overall perspective of the world change and it became a lot broader. This is mainly due to all of the different cultures that I was able to experience since UCD has a large population of international students and Dublin in general is one the largest cities in Ireland. Learning about Irish history, government, and common trends was interesting because I was able to compare it all to my experiences in the U.S. and it is fascinating to see how each country has different customs and beliefs.
UCD has numerous clubs that range from the study of certain cultures to sports. While at UCD I was able to join the Taekwondo club, where I was able to meet a bunch of awesome people while also getting into better shape. Some of the clubs at UCD take trips to different locations across the island for instance, in the Taekwondo club we went to a competition in Galway. Overall the clubs are a great way to relax and explore the things that are going on across campus and throughout the island.
Overall I highly recommend studying abroad if you get the chance and I cannot wait to come back to Ireland to see all of the things that I missed.

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).