5 Reasons Why Dublin is a Great Place to Live and Study

Crazy weather, exotic accents (which might be initially difficult to understand) and heavy early morning traffic which never seems to affect lecturers, why do so many students flock to Ireland’s capital annually for the purpose of study? Well for so many reasons.

The benefits of studying and living in Dublin by far exceed the flaws and here are my top five reasons why choosing Ireland would be a wise decision.

The Quality of Education

Ireland, known as the land of saints and scholars, has long established itself high in the global ranks for educational excellence. The academic quality is top-notch and typically, colleges will have a variety of support systems in place to guarantee a smooth learning process for students. In addition, gaining work experience is built into the universities’ learning process, equipping students with skills and knowledge to carry through into real world.

The Social Life (Its great craic!)

When it comes to social experience, Dublin has a unique vibe – which I doubt can be found elsewhere. Of course you are coming abroad for the sole purpose of studying, but it is also a great opportunity to socialise, explore and learn about the unfamiliar. There are lots of festivals all year round from St. Patrick’s Day in March to Christmas, numerous cinemas, restaurants and shopping centres to hang out and the list just goes on. Dublin is also a very safe city so its literally great ‘craic’ – as the Irish say – all the day and night.

Food, Food, Food

My favourite aspect!!!! Regarding food, you are spoilt for choice here in Dublin. The variety is amazing so believe it or not, there is always something new to try and I believe this is only reflective of the multicultural environment. Irish fast food chains such as Supermac’s and Eddie Rockets are definitely worth checking out and if you would like to stick with more familiar restaurants, McDonald’s and KFC got you covered.

Graduate Visa Scheme

Another key benefit of studying in Dublin, or Ireland in general, is the Graduate Visa Scheme. The Irish government introduced this scheme in 2007 and it allows international students graduating from universities in Ireland to remain in the country  for one year after your undergraduate studies (2 years for Masters!) to seek employment.

Personally, I think this is a massive opportunity for students looking to study abroad as you can also avail the benefits of gaining real world work experience in a country which is at the forefront of innovation and research.

And finally….

The Irish!

Before coming to Ireland, I was a bit concerned about facing discrimination, but now I am even more concerned about having too many friends and getting so many invitations each week for one event or the other. In essence, I am saying the Irish are very warm and welcoming and I have had a great time so far in Dublin mostly because of the friendly people and environment.

I’ll leave you with a bonus quote that I love so much by Irish playwright, Bernard Shaw. It goes:

‘’Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself’’

Written by David Ochai

DIFC Student Ambassador
Currently studying Pharmacy at Royal College of Surgeons Ireland