IES Abroad Dublin

Going on Summer abroad in Dublin through IES had to be the best decision I've ever made. The school, the staff, and especially the friends I've made over the 45 days all made a great experience that much better. The housing was the perfect distance to and from most paces in Dublin, as well as just being really new and nice to live in. The people are kind and not afraid to have a god laugh over a pint. I never felt rushed to do my school work and visit everything there was to see on the island. Quality education and teachers, quality program and friends for life. I loved every moment. 10/10 would do it over and over again!

Studying abroad in Dublin with IES was honestly one of the best decisions I have ever made. Dublin was incredible, and IES as a program was phenomenal. From the moment I applied to now, months after my return, IES has been in touch with me and always been there if I needed something. They were very helpful in my search for scholarships, and they are part of the reason I could afford to go on the trip.
This was my first time overseas and I was extremely nervous, but IES calmed my nerves quite a bit by making me as prepared as possible for any situations that may arise. I had a wealth of information about what my housing would be like, what to expect with my program, and who to contact if I needed help. The staff met me at the airport and helped me find a ride back to our housing arrangements.
The housing arrangement for my program was at Binary Hub, an apartment in the Liberties. Binary Hub was wonderful, the staff were very helpful, and I lived very comfortably for my six week program! I also became close friends with my suitemates and we did a lot of our cooking at home.
Dublin was the best city I've ever been to. IES did a great job of acquainting us with the city and the culture during orientation, but we were still given plenty of free time and freedom in general. We were given student guides who were available 24/7 to help us with anything we needed, and all of the IES staff was always friendly and within reach. They truly care about their students and were always looking out for our health and well-being. At one point during my trip, I was seeking physical therapy for my back, and the staff were so attentive to my problem and found me arrangements almost immediately. We had classes Monday-Thursday, and I spent many weekends traveling, something IES Abroad staff encouraged and gave us advice about frequently. We had an online trip-tracker which allowed us to tell our program when we were traveling outside of Dublin, how we were getting there, and where we were staying, that way IES could keep track of us and contact us in case of an emergency.
Overall, the program was an experience I will never forget and will forever be grateful for. I met so many amazing friends while I was there, from my program and from Dublin in general. I highly recommend IES Abroad to anyone who is considering studying abroad, and though I'm biased, I believe the Dublin program is by far the best they have to offer!

I studied abroad for a summer in Dublin with IES Abroad and couldn't have loved it any more than I did. I've wanted to do it all again since the second I got home. The IES staff, from the U.S. offices in Chicago to the Dublin site, was helpful from the second I was interested in the program. IES got me over to the Emerald Isle despite my fears and any other obstacles that came up and then made sure I had the time of my life. I learned so much in a short period of time through my classes(Irish Literature and History really enriched my experience), trips and events planned by IES (Gaelic Games, Northern Ireland weekend, and Irish music and dance nights), and exploring with the friends I made in my program. Dublin is a fantastic place to live and study and IES made sure we had all the support needed to accomplish everything we wanted to while abroad. I knew I could count on the staff while I was abroad and even to this day. I highly recommend exploring the wide variety of IES programs, specifically the Dublin programs. I can't wait to go back to Ireland and I hope to reconnect with some of the awesome IES staff members when I do!

Never having been to Europe before, I was nervous about what I would encounter. I had no idea what to expect and worried about everything from the flight, the classes, the living situation, and even where I would buy my groceries. From the minute I stepped off the plane, the IES abroad staff made everything really easy. They toured us around the city and were always there to provide support and answer any of our questions. I took two classes while in Dublin. One was called Irish Communal Identity where we studied the history of Dublin through human interaction and relations with surrounding countries. My other class was Celtic Mythology where we learned the history of celtic legends and did in depth research about these stories. With regards to the living situation, I lived with four girls who I grew extremely close with. We were all from different schools and still keep in touch; one is even coming to my school to visit me in a few months. Spending six weeks in Ireland was truly an eye opening experience. It was easy to make friends and I found people who shared my same love for exploration and adventure. The memories and friendships I created in Dublin are ones that I will always cherish and never forget. I would tell future students to embrace every moment of being abroad. It went by so quickly and I would love to go back even to just hangout with those same people again. I feel a lot more confident after this experience. I talked to people of different culture and even made friends with some people who I found very different than myself.

From getting lost on my first night in the city of Dublin to reluctantly packing my bags on my last night, studying abroad in Dublin was an unforgettable adventure. The field trips were amazing, as was exploring the city and surrounding areas. The city is quite walkable, and the public transit is pretty reliable for the places that are too far to walk to. Everything was wonderful, but the warmth and kindness of the staff and instructors and the quality of the learning and field trips really made studying with IES Abroad memorable. I cannot recommend this program enough!

I am a person that had always wanted to travel and study abroad, but I am also the person that was so homesick I couldn't eat for 3 days after going to college. So making the final decision to go abroad was scary for me but one of the best ones I had ever made.

As I was packing the night before and having a total breakdown about leaving family, friends, a city, and school that I love for 4 months; I look back and know for a fact that 4 months was not nearly enough time.

I completely fell in love with everything about Ireland. The people, the culture, the landscape, EVERYTHING; but the best part about the trip was how much I grew as a person. The most amazing feeling in the world is having the confidence that you can do anything, and that is what IES gave to me. I totally feel that I can take on the world.

I know that I would not have had the incredible experience that I had without IES. IES does the perfect amount of giving you your freedom while being there for you if you need anything. The IES staff on your program truly care about you and treat you like equals. They are just like your friends that you go to when you have questions because they know the area better than you do. I had my confidence that I could take on this experience but it was comforting knowing that there were people there for me if I needed them. I cannot speak more highly of this program and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

My semester with IES was one that I will never forget. I had such an incredible time getting to explore a new country and with the guidance of the IES my adventure was even more meaningful. IES does an excellent job of balancing your life as a student and your life as a world-traveler. As an Irish Studies student I was given the opportunity to study Irish history and culture in depth. I was so excited to learn that this was an option on my program as one of my main reasons for wanting to travel to Ireland was to learn more about my family history. We went on countless field trips to museum and galleries. The best field trip was when we spent the day exploring the northern part of the country as we were studying the complex history of the area. The staff at IES are always planning ways to get you out of the classroom and into real life experiences. Many of my favorite memories of my time abroad was on trips planned by the thoughtful IES staff.
You still have classwork that needs to be done but the staff are not only there to help you academically but to support your adventures. I can’t count how many times my professors at IES helped me to plan a trip or even recommendations of things to do in my host country. From the minute I got off the plane I could feel the support of the IES staff as they met us at the airport, directed us where to go and met up with us as soon as we got settled. I know I was nervous to move to a new place but after a few days of adjusting it truly felt like home!

I loved Dublin, with it's Gothic Architecture and small City feel all combined in a larger City. I was obviously expecting more of a bustling city similar to Chicago or New York, but Dublin suited me well. It was the perfect place to write and reflect on my experiences. My experience expanded my horizons and views on the world, especially on my home country, the United States. I met alot of new people, American and Irish, and it allowed me to build stronger friendships when I returned to the United States. I rate my experience on the highest level.