Differences that Matter? College in Ireland vs America

Sometimes it’s hard for students to see the differences between college in Ireland vs America. After all, Irish and American universities have a lot in common.

First, many Irish universities sport American-style campuses: large, self-contained villages with student services, housing, sport fields, and classrooms. 

Second, college courses typically take 4 years. That’ll earn you an “honors” degree with a work placement year (not always required). 

But differences abound.

We’re looking at some of the biggest differences you should expect if you’re considering a degree in Ireland. Not sure how to go to college in Ireland in the first place? Find out when term starts, how to apply, how much it costs, and where you can apply. Even check out some schools like the University of Galway or Trinity College Dublin.

Then dig deeper into the culture shocks you’re going to have to roll with.

After talking to Irhs students, Americans doing a full degree, and even study abroad students (they’re the chosen few who have experienced both systems) we made a short list of the biggest cultural divides for college students.

Straightforward Application Process

The application process is more straightforward, with academic credentials required to make the cut. You’ll write a letter detailing your reasons for choosing your university program and your interest, and submit letters of recommendation, but your extra-curriculars and student leadership aren’t a consideration. 

Not everyone is accepted. For example, the University of Galway’s overall acceptance rate hovers around 85% while varying sources cite Trinity College Dublin’s acceptance rate between 17% and 35%. 

But no matter where you apply, starting a lacrosse club while juggling scarves and volunteering at the local shelter won’t come up. That can be freeing for students who are in mid-high school now and want to focus on academics and their own hobbies rather than building a resumé for college admissions.

Dorm Life is Highly International

In Ireland, dorms are often dominated by international students. 

Student housing isn’t a rite of passage, what with everyone’s families living within a 300-mile radius. Irish students can save money (off their already highly subsidized tuition) by living at home, and those who move cities can pop back home multiple times per semester for home-cooked meals. That can mean that there’s less social mingling between Irish students and internationals. Irish students who leave after class and live at home don’t attend evening events, aren’t always at the student pubs, and might not meet as many classmates as would be the norm in an American university.

On city campuses, student houses and private rentals dominate college life. In general, European universities were built within densely populated cities, not on big, sprawling, planned campuses. Their buildings intermingle with the community, and their students live, well, wherever.

Fast forward to today and private housing solutions for students are ubiquitous. They help provide housing where the university doesn’t, or they partner with universities to serve students. The whole system just dilutes the power of dorms to function as de facto social centers on campus.

The Student What?

Maybe you missed the line in the previous section: there’s a student pub.

Students in Ireland run boozy businesses funded by their universities so that students can get drunk cheap, host events, and generally let off some steam. Irish students have no need for fake IDs. Drinking at 18 is part of university life and hanging out in pubs, whether it’s for trivia hour or a dance party, is part of the culture. 

Sadly, Ireland’s lower drinking age hasn’t solved a problem both countries have in common: 84% of Irish college students report binge drinking.

No Socializing through Greek Life or Sports Events

Maybe it’s all those students going home for the weekend.

Whatever the reason, student social life isn’t as centered on dorms here as in a typical US school. Add the lack of fraternities/sororities and football culture in Ireland, and you’ll see that finding friends and a social life often comes from student clubs, called “societies” here, or joining a sports team.

You’ll Know Your Grade After it’s Too Late

The academic flow is more like an avalanche in Ireland.

While some universities have embraced American-style assessments, with assignments throughout the semester, most rely on heavily weighted exams held at the end of term. In fact, some classes are graded based on a single paper. They can take months to grade, too, leaving students anxious about whether they’re flunking out of college or scraping by.

Participation? Oh No

Turns out that moving to Ireland can make you feel extroverted. Shed your shyness in a culture where asking questions and participating in class discussions isn’t a competition. After 6 months, 30% of Irish students haven’t uttered a peep. Participation can involve just listening in Ireland, and students have learned that speaking up isn’t as necessary to their learning process. So sit back and absorb, think, and write. This cultural difference can be positive for students who wish the U.S. was more contemplative and put less pressure on them to demonstrate their skills by speaking up.

One difference is that in Ireland, we have tutorials in most subjects. Those are smaller break-out sessions so once a week you have an extra class where there are only about 10 people, and where you can ask questions and get help more in the department.

Grade Deflation

Some Americans think “grade inflation” is a problem, with college students taking home a disproportionate number of As and Bs on papers they wrote 5 hours before class. In Ireland, the issue is flipped on its head. Students report they’re crestfallen when they work their butts off on a paper that’s outstanding. The professors say it’s outstanding. It scores a 75%. What? 

An “A” here is anything over 70 or 80%. A 60 to 80% can be a “B.” Still, seeing that 60 staring back at you can be a shock, completely stripping away an American student’s belief in their abilities. Perfectionist achievers back home, take note. You’ll have to adjust your cultural expectations about what constitutes “outstanding” work.

A Narrow Educational Focus in Academics

You’ll get down to academic business in an Irish university from your very first day, focusing on coursework in just your area of focus. In fact, you’ll decide what you want to study while you’re applying, since you’ll apply to a course program (major and department) as opposed to a whole university. As a result, you won’t be able to change your mind about what you’re studying without applying to a new program and being accepted.

The benefit of applying to your “course” directly is that you’ll start taking interesting classes right away, with no need to struggle with classes you will never use (but have to pay for). For example, if you’re done with math forever, that’s ok. I remember a horrific numerical literacy requirement that my advisor once told me was perfectly filled with computer science 101. Turns out that course was about fiddling with spreadsheets until you cry. That’s not an issue in Ireland.

The only thing about having a set course is that you don’t choose your schedule. If you want to work, you’ll have to find a job that’s flexible and can accommodate you when your schedule comes out or changes. Another thing to remember is that our timetables can be very spread out. We can have a class at 9:00 am and then no class until 5:00 pm, so if you don’t live on campus you’re just kind of stuck. Sometimes you get lucky and you might only have a 4-day week. So the schedule changes some weeks.

Class Time? Who Needs It?

Another interesting difference: the classes themselves are bite-sized. While in-class time varies in Ireland with your course, some humanities students can have as little as 6 total hours of classroom time per week. The average falls somewhere between 9 and 12, so anticipate a lot of free time to study outside of lectures. Students in the sciences report that with labs and tutorials, they spend more time in class, which aligns with the American style of roughly 3 hours per week for a 3-credit hour class (15 total for full-time students).

Most of my traveling was done Fridays through Mondays because I wouldn’t have classes on those days.

Affordable? True! but not always by Much

International study sites often point to cost savings of universities in Ireland vis à vis their American counterparts. Irish universities can be cheaper, but that’s not always the case. 

Let’s say you want to study the very “affordable” journalism course at Technological University Dublin. Your international student tuition of €13,500 is roughly $14,729 Add $137 for a visa and private health insurance, then add in your living costs. And don’t forget international travel.

Technological University Dublin breaks down the costs for international students, estimating living expenses at €13,305 annually ($14,518).

After 4 years, that’s a grand total of $116,988.

Let’s say you want to the University of Texas Austin as an in-state student. Your tuition is as low as $10,858 (depending on the program). That’s a total of $43,432. UT estimates living expenses of $19,896 per year for students who don’t live at home.

The grand total after four years is more than Technological University Dublin: it’s $123,008. But we haven’t yet added high-season plane rides and the actual cost of health insurance.

UT costs are calculated for in-state students. That makes the cost between universities look comparable. But if you’re coming from another state, you’re better off In Ireland. At UT, your tuition just jumped to $40,582 per year (a total of $162,328 in tuition fees alone if you can manage to graduate in 4 years).

What About College in Ireland vs the UK?

“Since Brexit,” one Italian international student in Ireland told us, “universities in the UK have become cost-prohibitive for Europeans.” That has meant the European Union’s international students, especially those looking for an English-language education, have been heading in droves to Ireland in recent years.

Demand is high and American students who are paying international fees in either country may find it harder to secure a spot with their top choice in Ireland. They’ll also find more compatriots in the UK, since EU applications have halved there, paving the way for more international acceptances for non-EU students.

Students who are lucky enough to secure a spot in Ireland find a more international experience, with more Europeans in their classrooms and contributing to the course discussion. Demographically, which countries make up the international students in each place has shifted. Looking to study something about the European continent in a classroom full of EU students from abroad? Ireland has jumped ahead of the UK.

International Students Can Find their Best Spot at the End of the Rainbow

If you want to study in Ireland as an undergraduate, you’ll want to get used to all the ways education in Ireland differs for US students.  Colleges and universities aren’t totally alien on the Emerald Isle. After all, they’re four-year programs where you’ll find exams, students who live on campus, American high school students, and nerdy lecturers who really know their stuff.

However, universities in Ireland do come with the culture shock of studying in a different country. Know the differences and you’ll be better positioned to stride into first year with the confidence of, well, an American.