Erasmus Experience in Dublin, Ireland by Victor

Why did you choose to go to Dublin, Ireland?

Because I had already been there and I loved it.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

My scholarship was four months long and I received 800€ for the four months, more or less.

What is the student lifestyle like in Dublin?

Partying every single day. Although I had an "Erasmus lifestyle" more than a "student lifestyle", I think Dublin is great if you want to have fun. The courses are easy, but most of the teachers don't care much about you and this can be a good thing (you can pass the course because the give you high grades even when you didn't do much work) or a bad thing (if they don't make it any easier to you).

Anyway, you can have lot of fun and parties and still having time to study and get high grades.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Dublin to other students?

Yes, I definitely would. It is a great city for students.

What is the food like?

Bad. There is a lot of burger and pizza places, and the good restaurants are expensive.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Dublin?

No, my University provided it for me.

How much does it cost to live in Dublin?

It's a expensive city, but here's some tips:

• 1. Don't use the railway, bus or taxis. Walk. The city isn't big.
• 2. Aldi and Lidl are the cheaper places to buy food and drinks. Tesco isn't bad too. For clothes, Penny's; and for everything else there's a lot of 1€ shops.
• 3. Most of the pubs and restaurants have special offers some days. Ask for them.
• 4. Dicey's on Tuesday is the best place. Everything costs 2. 50 euro. Make sure you arrive there at 6pm to wait in the queue so you can get inside before 7pm. This way you save 5€. And you can stay inside until 3am drinking, dancing, even smoking in the garden they have! The have special offers for the rest of the days too, but on Tuesdays is the perfect place to be.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available in the University?

It is really easy to communicate with everyone there, although it can be hard to understand the people who have a strong Irish accent. And yes, there are language courses for foreign students.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Dublin from your city?

By plane.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Dublin?

If it is Tueday, Dicey's. If it is other night, The Mezz, The Turk's Head. And on Mondays, look for Karnival Mondayz!

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Dublin?

Eddie Rocket's has the best burgers.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Specially the parks.

Is there any other advice that you could give to future students who are going to Dublin?

Have fun, it's a city where you can do a lot of things. And don't forget about all the other places around Dublin (Howth, Bray, Greystone) and in Ireland (Galway, Cobh... ), where you can enjoy the nature and the small towns.