Complete Guide to Studying Abroad in Dublin, Ireland

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

If you’re looking for a great place to study abroad, then you absolutely have to choose Dublin. It’s one of the greatest cities in Europe, and studying abroad in Dublin is truly an experience you’ll never forget. There’s so much rich history and culture, and everyone in Dublin is so kind! It’s crazy.

In this post, I break down why you should consider studying abroad in Dublin as well as my study abroad Ireland tips.

---

Why Study in Dublin?

Believe it or not, but I initially chose to study abroad in Dublin because my best friend wanted to go there. I had always wanted to study abroad in London, but Dublin seemed like a safer choice. It’s smaller and the school that I’d be able to study abroad at there had more interesting classes. It’s also a lot more affordable to study abroad in Dublin than it is in London.

I suggest you look into studying abroad in Dublin because it really is such a historically rich city. There’s history around almost every corner. It’s also a lot more of a foodie city than you might initially think.

I also only ever met kind people in Dublin. I joined the club lacrosse team at University College Dublin (UCD) where I studied abroad, and everyone was just so nice. It’s funny because it’s really not like that back home in the USA, especially in the northeast.

Everyone at home is always busy or stressed out. I think that’s because everyone in Dublin works to live while back home everyone lives to work. It really is a cultural difference, but their way of life makes so much more sense to me.

Plus, there are tons of great historical places to visit right within Dublin, some of which you can even stay in. If your friends or family fly to Dublin to visit you, be sure to have them stay at one of the best Ireland castle hotels!

We put together an entire video of when we first left for dublin.

---

Transportation

Transportation in Ireland is super easy to use and you’ll also find that it’s actually a lot more reliable and clean than it is in other cities.

Student Leap Card

If you’re a student with a semester abroad in Dublin (or anywhere in Ireland, for that matter), you 100% need to invest in a Student Leap Card. It’s the transportation card that will work on the bus, Luas, and the Irish Rail. Trust me, you will use it so many times.

To get your leap card, you have to show your student ID and pay a fee of €10. This is just an initial fee to get the card printed. You’ll also need to have a headshot of yourself that you can put on the image. When you go to get your card, you’ll also have to fill out an application. The whole process takes about 10 minutes.

You should be able to get one through your school. I easily was able to get one printed right at University College Dublin during Fresher’s Week. Sometimes, you can also get one printed at another university in the city as long as you show your student ID card for the school you’re studying in Dublin.

Another way to get your card is by purchasing it online.

Here’s the real reason while you’ll want it though – the card automatically caps off at €5 a day and €20 a week. That means you’ll never pay more than either of those prices a day or a week if you regularly use your card. This can save you a lot of money in the long run, and it works all over Ireland.

Bus

The Dublin bus will probably be your best friend. I found myself riding it almost every other day to get downtown. Yes, there are times that you’ll get stuck in traffic, but to be honest, that’s only during rush hour.

It’s a very quick and easy way to get to and from downtown. If you go to University College Dublin (UCD Ireland) as I did, then you’ll definitely live on the 39A bus. It goes right to UCD’s own stop straight to downtown.

A nice thing about the bus is that it will also bring you to surrounding areas of Dublin, making it super easy to take a day trip to a suburb like Howth or Bray.

Luas

The Luas is Dublin’s light rail system. Think of it like a tram!

I never used it much because there isn’t a stop near UCD and it mainly only is set up in the downtown area. However, it is a lot quicker than the bus, so you might find yourself using it every now and then.

Irish Rail

The Irish Rail is the country’s train. You can get all over Ireland by riding it! I found myself using it to easily take day trips to Cork and Belfast while I was in Dublin.

Trains in Ireland are super clean and offer some pretty amazing views. They’re also super comfortable. If you ever book a trip and plan on using the Irish Rail, then you 100% want to reserve your tickets ahead of time. Your Student Leap Card will save you money.

Dublin International Airport

One nice thing about Dublin is that it actually has its own international airport! This makes it super easy to fly around Europe and jet-set off to other countries and cities.

The budget airline RyanAir is also from Ireland, so you’ll always be able to find some good, cheap rates. I recommend checking out Skyscanner to try to find the cheapest rates before you fly. Keep in mind that sometimes these are super early in the morning. I personally found that it was worth it to travel early in the morning to save money! It also gave me that whole first day to explore whatever city I was flying to.

---

Best places to eat

Of course, there are tons of great places to eat in Dublin, but these are just some of my favorites that I constantly frequented!

Queen of Tarts

Queen of Tarts is hands-down my #1 favorite place to eat in Dublin. It’s the cutest little place to get breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even just a cup of coffee or tea. They have top-notch budget-friendly prices and also have the best chai tea I’ve ever had in the whole world.

This is one of the top breakfast spots to eat at when studying abroad in Dublin.

Nando’s

Okay, I know that Nando’s is a chain all around the UK, but it’s so delicious. You have to try it at least once. Their chicken is amazing and I’m obsessed with their Perinaise. I still order it from Amazon monthly and get it shipped to me since we can’t really buy it anywhere in the US.

Quay’s

Quay’s was my go-to pub in Dublin. It was right in the Temple Bar area, but wasn’t as touristy as the Temple Bar Pub. It was also always a lot less busy. If you ever eat here, you 100% have to order the cajun chicken sandwich. You just have to.

Temple Bar Pub

I’m sorry, but this really wouldn’t be a complete list without having the Temple Bar Pub on here. I know it’s touristy, but I think you have to experience it at least once. I suggest going during lunchtime, because it’s way less busy than it is at night. They also have an extensive sandwich menu and so many amazing beverages.

Definitely stop by the Temple Bar Pub when studying abroad in Dublin!

---

Best day trips from the city

Dublin serves as the perfect home base for trips around Ireland! This is because all of the train lines meet right in Dublin city. Here are a few of the best day trips from the city.

Psst… if you have more time, you could also consider a two-week Ireland road trip!

Galway

Galway is the arts and culture city of Ireland! It makes for a perfect day trip from Dublin and it’s only about 2.5 hours from Dublin. You could get there by car or bus. While you’re there, be sure to stop by the 2 castles that are still standing in the secret. If you can’t find them, here’s a tip: one of them was converted into a Costa Coffee and the other is a bank!

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are the top touristy destination in all of Ireland, and it’s for good reason. The Cliffs of Moher (which are one of the best cliffs in Ireland) are so beautiful and they really make you appreciate nature and the natural beauty of Ireland itself. Countless movies were filmed here too, like The Princess Bride and parts of the Harry Potter series. You can easily visit the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin. The easiest way to visit the Cliffs of Moher is to book a day trip with a tour like Paddywagon Tours or Finn McCools tours.

Killarney

Killarney was my favorite town that I visited in Ireland. It’s on Ireland’s west coast and it feels like the quintessential Ireland town. While you’re in the area, you have to be sure to go to Muckross House and Torc Waterfall. They were two of my favorite sights in the area!

If you have extra time and you’re adventurous, you could also consider going on a multi-day Kerry backpacking trip.

Bray

Bray is a lovely little coastal town just south of Dublin. There’s a beautiful cliff walk here from Greystones to Bray, or you could do it the opposite way. It provides lovely views of the coast and it feels a lot safer than the Howth Cliff Walk. There’s a fence between you and the coast the whole time, so if you don’t like heights, then you’ll be perfectly fine.

Howth

Howth is kind of similar to Bray. It’s just north of Dublin and is also a coastal town, but I loved it even more than Howth. There’s so much to do there. You can take in the views at Howth Harbor, explore Howth Market, or do the Howth Cliff Walk. I recommend all 3! Here’s a complete guide to taking a day trip to Howth from Dublin.

Howth is one of the most underrated day trips to take when studying abroad in Dublin.

Cork

Co. Cork is where the famous Blarney Castle is! If you plan on kissing the Blarney Stone, you’ll have to visit Cork. Cork is actually the second-biggest city in the whole country and it honestly feels a lot like Dublin. You can easily get there in about 2.5 hours by using the Irish Rail.

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Did you know you could even take a day trip to another country? Located at the northern tip of Ireland is Northern Ireland, which is a completely different country from the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is actually part of the UK. You can easily take a day trip to Belfast and back. Fun fact: Belfast is where the Titanic was built!

what to do in the city

Of course, there are countless things to do in Dublin, but this is a list of some of my favorite things that I did while in the city. When studying abroad in Dublin, you’ll want to do as much as you can in the city!

Explore St. STephen’s Green

St. Stephen’s Green is the gorgeous central public park in Dublin. You can’t help but see it if you’re ever near Stephen’s Green Shopping Center or Grafton Street. It’s a very peaceful park and there’s an abundance of little park benches that you could sit and read a book or eat on.

Walk Along Grafton Street

I think almost everyone knows about Grafton Street now because of Ed Sheeran! It’s the main shopping street in Dublin. However, I don’t necessarily suggest going there to go shopping, but rather to listen to all of the live music.

There are almost always street performers at a few key spots along the street. You’ll love just standing and listening to them, I promise! They’re always so talented.

Have A Pint at Temple Bar

Temple Bar is actually a whole area of Dublin, not just Temple Bar Pub. There’s a lot of pubs in the area to get a pint at, and I suggest doing it at least once. My go-to’s are Quay’s and Old Mill.

Visit the Guinness Storehouse

Though the Guinness Storehouse is probably seen as one of the most touristic places in Dublin, it’s actually worth visiting. I put off visiting until my last week in the city because I was trying to refrain from doing tourist things, but I actually enjoyed it so much. Remember to purchase your tickets ahead of time.

If you’re interested in learning more about my experience and what it’s like to go, check out my post on the Ultimate Guide to the Guinness Storehouse.

Visiting the Guinness Storehouse is one of the best things to do while studying abroad in Dublin.

Shop at Stephen’s Green Shopping Center

Stephen’s Green Shopping Center is honestly the most beautiful shopping center that I’ve ever been to. The inside is all pastel green and white and there’s a giant clock. Sure, it’s just a shopping center, but whenever I needed something I went out of my way to see if I could get it at one of the shops here.

---

Where to Get the Best Birds-Eye View of Dublin

I think in order to put a city in perspective, you really need to see it from above. In fact, I have a history of seeing cities that I’ve visited from above!

I’ll let you in on a little secret: the best view of Dublin is actually from the Gravity Bar at the top of the Guinness Storehouse. To get the view, you do have to purchase tickets to the Guinness Storehouse experience, but you get a free pint at the top in the Gravity Bar with your panoramic view of the city!

---

What it’s Like to Study Abroad at University College Dublin

To be honest, I went to a really small school in Boston, so I was up for a change when I enrolled at UCD.

University College Dublin is actually a huge school – there are over 25,000 students. The experience there was unbelievably great though. I loved all of my professors and found the large class sizes to be a big change from my normal size of classes at home. I’m used to classes with 8-14 people, while at UCD I usually had over 50!

The amount of time spent in class is also a huge difference as an American. I’m used to having at least 3-4 hours of class time for each of my classes, but it’s so different at UCD. I was enrolled in 6 classes and only had a total of 9 hours of class a week. Attendance was mandatory for some of the classes but not others.

Oftentimes, the entire grade for a course is solely based on a mid-term and a final or an essay. One of my classes was literally 100% based on just one single essay at the end. That was a huge change for me, but I found that I enjoyed it more. I didn’t have to worry about a bunch of little homework assignments that wouldn’t have mattered much in the long run.

Keep in mind that grading is a lot tougher in Ireland. I had some Irish friends at UCD tell me that they were used to getting 70’s on papers and exams a lot and that it was a good grade to get. The grading scale is a bit different, so anything from an 80 to a 100 is actually an A, and a 60 to an 80 is a B, and this continues on. All I had to get in a class to pass was a 40, which was crazy for me! In American universities, we need at least a 70 to pass.

If you also study abroad at UCD, I recommend that you join at least 1 club. I am a dual-sport varsity DIII athlete at home, and I play both field hockey and lacrosse. I studied abroad in the spring and therefore missed my junior season of collegiate lax, so I decided to join the club lax team. It was the best decision of my life! Everyone is so fun to play with and you get to travel with the team to different locations around Ireland.

Joining a club while you’re abroad gives you an automatic way to make friends in the country you’re studying abroad in. The Irish are so welcoming, so they’ll definitely want to be your friend and learn more about you!

If you’re wondering where to study abroad in Dublin, consider UCD!

Interested in seeing what a dorm looks like at UCD? We stayed in Glenomena, and put together a video on it.

---

Student discounts

There is an abundance of places around the city that you can get a student discount at. I recommend always showing your Student ID when you go somewhere. You never know, you might get a student discount this way.

Using Your Student Leap Card

The Student Leap Card actually also gives you some automatic discounts. They change from year to year, so just check on the back of your card to see a full list of all the places you can get discounts at!

Studying abroad in Dublin is truly an experience of a lifetime. If you’re thinking about it, go for it! It’ll be a whirlwind, but the people are so kind and there is so much to do. You won’t regret it!

Frequently Asked Questions About Studying Abroad in Dublin

What’s Dublin like?

Well, Dublin is a very historic city with a lot of culture. It is also the capital of Ireland, so it is a very busy city. To me, it was comparable to Boston; I was a student in university at Boston when I studied abroad in Dublin.

What it’s like to study abroad?

It’s unlike anything you’ve imagined. You can delve into new cultures, travel for cheap, meet new people, and truly have the most unforgettable experience.

How to travel around Europe while studying abroad?

Use online search engines for cheap flights, like Skyscanner, to find amazing flight deals. Also, try to use train every once in a while; it can be more affordable. Plan your study abroad schedule so you can have long weekends, as most flight deals aren’t on Saturdays or Sundays.

Why study abroad in Ireland?

There are many reasons why you might want to study abroad in Ireland. The country is known for its stunning scenery, friendly people, and rich culture. And with English as the primary language spoken in Ireland, it’s a great place to study for international students.

What is it like in Ireland?

The Emerald Isle is a land of stunning natural beauty, with rolling green hills, dramatic coastline and friendly people. Ireland is also renowned for its rich history and culture, with ancient castles, traditional music and lively festivals.

Whether you’re looking to relax in the countryside or explore a vibrant city, there’s something for everyone in Ireland.

Save this post for later!