University of Limerick

The MA Songwriting was exactly the program I was looking for when I found it. I was given the tools I needed to develop my skills as a songwriter and the space I needed to develop my voice as an artist. Carl Corcoran was an amazing supervisor who was always available to offer assistance or support. I had the opportunity to perform, to record, and to collaborate across multiple artistic disciplines. The people in my program became close friends who I still talk to and collaborate with, even years after the program has ended.

I went to UL from 2015-2016 on a study abroad from Texas State University to explore Ireland and see the rest of the EU and I genuinely credit the experience to shaping what my world view is today.

I played rugby, surfed, hiked the peaks of multiple counties, and drank and laughed at the largest and smallest pubs in the country while getting to learn and work with one of the most diverse cohorts in all of Ireland. I plan to go back once every few years just to hike and have fun with old friends.

I enjoyed my time there so much, I went back to get my MSc from 2019-2020! My second experience had me living in the city, away from campus for a year and to this day I get remarks on how it has made my resume/CV stand out amongst the crowd.

I studied abroad in Limerick,, Ireland, in Spring 2019 and Fall 2019. Study abroad is undoubtedly a fun experience but what we sometimes forget is that it is also a journey towards becoming a global citizen. This hard-fought journey exposes us to the lights and shadows of this world. My study abroad university, the University of Limerick, Ireland, ranks number 2 for international student happiness. Immersing myself in the diversity of the University, I was able to form a global network spanning from the west to the east.

One of my absolute favorite things was the mixture of roommates I had in the house included in the package price. I had roommates from Sweden, Australia, Nigeria, Dubai, and different parts of the US and India. Small moments of awkwardness were the biggest learning opportunities. This has given me the privilege to travel like a local with friends I made worldwide.

On a less deep note, the myriad of courses available makes it very easy to select courses and stay on track for graduation. Moreover, a lot of Americans were shocked by the minimal pressure of work. Most of the grades are focused on one or two big projects or exams instead of a cumulative approach.

Lastly, the weather in Ireland is always a bittersweet debate with my friends. As a fan of rainy weather, Ireland is my haven. However, I agree that it does make walking to classes and traveling a bit hectic at times but still eventful. Overall, this was indeed a life-changing experience.

I studied abroad at UL in the spring of 2019. My second week of the program, my grandmother (my best friend) passed away from a sudden heart attack. I wanted to go back home immediately but I decided to stay and it is hands down the best decision I have ever made, second only to my decision to attend college in the first place. I knew it was going to be difficult to be away from my family, friends, and home university for a semester, but my grandmother's passing made it even harder to be away from the familiar and comforting.

I will never forget the willingness the Study Abroad staff showed to support me before and after my grandmother's passing. There were countless afternoon conversations over tea, walks around campus, and helpful nudges in the right direction in the weeks following my arrival in Ireland. I truly do not think I would have stayed if it hadn't been for them.

My flatmates and the other friends I had already made in my first week of the program were also a major reason why I decided to stay. They are also the reason that my time was so enjoyable, even when it was hard. Without hesitation, they scooped me up and reminded me what it felt like to be happy again. I will never forget the nights spent at home watching bad movies, the takeout we ate by the river, and every single Friday night at Stables.

Above all, my time at UL gave me relationships that I will have for the rest of my life. The friends I made in Limerick are friends I still have today. We talk or video chat at least once a month despite all of the different timezones! I truly could not have asked for a better experience and I am grateful each and every day that I went to Ireland and most of all, that I decided to stay. Thank you, UL!

I loved my experience at UL, and mostly because I found myself surrounded by wonderful people, from my course, my on-campus apartment, and different societies. No matter what you're studying, I would recommend trying to get involved in societies to meet people!! My personal favourite was the outdoor pursuits club, which goes on hikes and climbs around Ireland on the weekends (as well as offers weekly climbing wall sessions).

To keep it brief, I studied at both Trinity in Dublin and the University of Limerick (UL) and preferred UL for several reasons, as follows:

- More authentic Irish feel vs big city feel. You're a bus ride away from Limerick city centre so you cannot walk there, but UL is a gorgeous campus and almost feels American in the sense that it has a lot of amenities on campus such as a pizza place, SPAR, pub, bank, etc. Also great campus for sports/gym use and walks around the grounds. In Dublin, it is very easy to lose the Irish culture and feel, but Limerick is more rural and felt more authentic to me - also get a different variety of accents (and county colours... but I'll let you figure that one out yourself :))
- I found it easier to integrate into Irish culture & society and meet/befriend Irish people but also had wide community of international friends on weekends since most Irish students go home
- The on-campus pub Stables is so FUN. (also, the chicken fillet rolls are to die for!!!)
- The international team is much more supportive at UL - they plan events and make it easy to get involved and make you feel heard and included in campus life (I felt none of this at Trinity).
- Limerick provides access to most major Irish cities and is a cute city in itself, but it is harder to access mainstream Europe because the closest airport is Shannon and Dublin is a bigger airport. This is only relevant if you'd prefer to travel Europe - for me I wanted to travel Ireland and I found Limerick was better for that than say, Dublin, in many ways because it's closer to spots like the Ring of Kerry and Cliffs of Moher, which people usually love (though my favourite was always Killaloe!!)
- Admin and wait times are slower in Ireland than in the states just in general - no matter the university - but immigration and the like tends to be easier in Limerick than in Dublin just because it is smaller and the International team is able to help you.