Student Life in Ireland

Student Life in Ireland

Ireland is ready to welcome you for a wonderful university education. Are you ready to experience the Ireland first-hand?

“Oh Ireland my first and only love

Where Christ and Caesar are hand in glove!”

The lines quoted above are by James Joyce, famous for his seminal work - “Ulysses”. The lines describe Ireland to a certain extent; the Irish are intensely religious and fiercely patriotic. The island nation has a long history of wars and conflict; dating back to the 8th century when the fierce Nordic warrior tribes began plundering the island. Ireland’s 800 years of rule under the British monarchy was a period of intrigue, strife, famine, progress and intellectual development as some of the most famous works in English Literature were written. Irish luminaries of the written word include masters like George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde and James Joyce.

The recent changes in visa procedures in the UK and the USA; which basically tightened the rules pertaining to student work-permits and life after education abroad; have increased Ireland’s popularity among Indian students looking to study abroad.

Why Study in Ireland?

Medium of instruction is English
Internationally recognised courses
Close proximity to London and rest of Europe
Strong Indian expatriate community
Option to apply for a UK-work-permit on completion of studies
A great place for nature-lovers with some amazing cliffs, lakes and beaches

Quick Facts about Ireland:

Major cities - Dublin, Belfast, Cork City and Galway City

Area - 70, 300 sq km

Currency - Pound Sterling and the Euro

Population - 4.2 million

Religion - Multi-faith predominantly Catholic

Languages - English, Gaelic, French

Weather - ‘four seasons a day’ - highly unpredictable; extremely cold winters and pleasant summer and spring.

Irish Culture:

One finds a resonance of India’s ‘Athithi Devoh Bhavah’ - ‘A Guest is equal to God’principle in Ireland’s ‘Tá Fáilte Romhat’ or ‘You are very welcome’ way of life. The people are friendly and have a view about everything; ranging from sport and weather to American politics and the Vatican. People take a genuine interest in others and love helping anyone who faces a problem.

Top Ten Institutions in Ireland:

There are more than 30 universities in Ireland. The top 10 institutions in Ireland as per 4icuare:

1.Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

2.University College Cork

3.University College Dublin

4.Dublin City University

5.University of Limerick

6.National University of Ireland, Galway

7.Dublin Institute of Technology

8.National University of Ireland, Maynooth

9.Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

10.Cork Institute of Technology

Read more about the ‘Top Ten Institutions in Ireland’.

Living Costs:

Post-2008 the economic downturn that affected most European countries and the USA; the Irish economy has faced issues but the country has shown remarkable progress to turn around its weaknesses, bolster tourism and open foreign investment opportunities to make the Irish economy stronger. Typically, as a student, a major portion of your budget would be spent on food and accommodation. Unless, you have a guardian living in the city where you are studying; it is best to opt for University-accommodation as it provides you with quick access to your classes and also comes with a meal-pass or catered-food options.

The average costs for various products and services listed below will give you a keen idea on how much money you would typically spend during the course of your studies in Ireland.

Single bed-room apartment within the city - 700 to 750 Euros a month.
Single bed-room apartment outside city-limits - 575 to 625 Euros a month.
Three-course meal for two in a mid-range restaurant - 50 Euros.
A movie in a cinema-hall - Roughly 10 Euros.
A litre of milk - 1.15 Euros.

Amazing Ireland:

Ireland is a beautiful country, with a stunning combination of cliffs, lakes, beaches and hills. These are the natural wonders, there are some beautiful castles and churches as well that would interest history-lovers, architecture enthusiasts and the devout in equal measure.

Some popular places of tourist interest are described in minor detail below:

The Rock of Cashel is a hill, enclosed by limestone outcrops, primarily an ancient fortress-town. The town has an old round tower a 13th century Gothic cathedral and many other remnants of a glorious and prosperous past.

Kilkenny Castle traces its origins to a wooden structure tower built in 1172. This structure was replaced by a proper stone-castle comprising four towers in 1192; a testimony to their architecture is that three of those original towers still survive. The castle is maintained as a heritage tourist spot by the government now.

Christ Church Cathedral is amongst Ireland’s most beautiful places of worship and dates to the year 1030 and is located atop a hill in Dublin. The buttresses of the church structure are visually stunning!

The National Museum of Ireland is Ireland’s has the biggest collection of paintings, sculptures, natural history specimens and other items of interest that are unique to the glorious history and traditions of Ireland. The best thing about the Museum is that entry is free.

Embassy Details in Ireland

Embassy of India

6 Leeson Park, Dublin 6, Ireland

Tel.: 01-4970843, 4966792

Fax: 353-1-4978074

Office Timings

Chancery - 09.00-17.30 hrs

Embassy of Bangladesh

The Bangladeshi Embassy in London functions as the embassy office for entry into Ireland as well.

Embassy of Bangladesh,

28 QueensGate

London SW7 5JA.