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National University of Ireland, Galway

National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, GALWAY, IRELAND
4.05 / 5 based on 108 reviews.
Description:
National University of Ireland Galway (Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh) was founded as one of the three original colleges of the Queen's University, established under the provisions of the Act 8 and 9 Victoria in 1845. The College opened for students in October 1849. Since the 1960s the University has experienced significant and continuous growth, both in its stock of buildings, facilities and physical resources and also in the numbers of its students and staff. Its student body during the 1997/98 academic year is over 7000, with academically strong programmes of teaching and research throughout its seven Faculties.


Reviews
International Partners
Programmes
Accreditations
93% of students recommend
108 reviews
Housing
4.0/5
 All experiences (108)
Student life
4.6/5
 5 stars (30)
Academic
4.0/5
 4 stars (60)
Languages
4.4/5
 3 stars (18)
Expenses
3.2/5
 2 stars (0)
Overall
4.5/5
 1 star (0)
“Try as hard as possible to find Irish roommates upon arrival -- otherwise it is very easy to stick with only Americans.” Read Review
hnichola, United States

National University of Ireland, Galway review by hnichola

Review by hnichola, Middlebury College, Middlebury, United States
Literature, Independent
HOUSING    
Personal assessment
Cost
KEY:
Couldn't have asked for more.
Pretty good.
Could've been better, but didn't lessen the overall experience.
Disappointing.
Facilities
Location
Cleanliness
Space
Type of housing: Apartment/House
Arranged by: Independently - My choice
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why? I loved the independence of living in an apartment, though in the future I would try to look for accommodation further in advance of my arrival so that I could have had a better chance of finding Irish roommates.
Personal comments:
I heard very bad things about the University accommodations, which is why I steered clear of there.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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STUDENT LIFE    
Personal social experience
Activities
KEY:
Amazing! Hardly had time to study.
Plenty to do when I had the time.
So-so.
Did not get involved.
Nightlife
Travel
Overall
Describe host city: Student life dominates the city
Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Activities, Nightlife: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal comments:
The Roisin Dubh (pub) had great atmosphere and music. I also loved Taps and the King's Head
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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ACADEMIC       3.5 / 5
My academic experiences
Quality of courses
KEY:
Fantastic.
Pretty good.
Could've been a bit better.
Disappointing.
Variety of courses
Availability/access to resources
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with other international students
Interaction with local students
Course recommendations:
Most of the classes are large lectures, and I would recommend taking seminars whenever possible. Avoid at all costs "Women in Contemporary Irish Society"!



My opinion of the university assessment
Exams at end of course
KEY:
Liked it.
It was alright.
A bit annoying.
Didn't like it.
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course.
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
Overall
Personal comments:
The system is such that it demands a great deal of independent motivation (unlike colleges in the US) -- to get the most out of classes, one should read as much as possible.

This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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Language difficulties
Social
KEY:
No problems.
I coped pretty well.
Sometimes it was difficult.
It was a constant struggle.
Educational
Administrative / Institutional
Overall
Language of instruction: English
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Personal comments:
Ireland is an English-speaking country, so I had no problems. I had a lot of fun learning Irish (Gaelic).
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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EXPENSES    
The accessibility of student needs
Second-hand text books
KEY:
Very easy.
Minimal effort.
Accessible but required effort.
Almost impossible.
Second-hand household items
Computers / Internet
Administrative
Money from home
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
Personal savings
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits:
I spent less on food and accommodation because it was less expensive in Galway than the room/board fee at my college. The nightlife was more expensive because there was more to do in Galway than Middlebury VT and I went out more. While in Europe I wanted to travel as much as possible, so clearly I spent more than I would have in the US. I spent a lot on calling home.
Travel, Nightlife, Overall, Telephone: was more expensive than at home.
Food, Housing: was less expensive than at home.
Personal comments:
none
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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OVERALL    
Important to choosing this university...
Academic reasons
KEY:
Very Important.
Important.
Not really important.
Unimportant.
Culture
Costs
Activities
Campus life
Party / people
Weather / Location
I wish I had known...
I wish I had understood that incorporatiing oneself into another culture is difficult when one is a student -- more so than if one is working.
In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!



During my experience abroad, I ...
Became familiar with another culture
KEY:
Happened all the time.
Happened quite a lot.
Happened a bit.
Didn't happen.
Traveled
Improved language skills
Met people from other countries
Became more independent
Partied a lot
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies/career
Personal recommendation:
It's one of the best in Ireland. It's large but very friendly.



FINAL COMMENTS

Try as hard as possible to find Irish roommates upon arrival -- otherwise it is very easy to stick with only Americans.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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