Picture yourself walking the art-filled streets of Dublin, listening to buskers fill the air with music, tucking into a bowl of warm Irish stew, exploring markets and mingling with friends at Griffith College where 77 different nationalities are represented. With a bit of preparation, this can become your reality. CAPA’s team of study abroad experts and travel enthusiasts are excited to help you on your way, making sure first that you know how to study abroad! With a checklist in hand, going from considering what your life could look like in Ireland to finding yourself exploring Europe's "Silicon Valley" will seem much more achievable. 

First, there will be some admin: application forms, applying for a passport, chatting with your advisor and considering an internship, among other things. You’ll want to plan a budget to make sure you have enough euros to last the duration of your study abroad adventure. Think about scholarships and any other finance options available. Once you’re accepted, it’s time to think about what to pack. Hop over and look at our blog for solid budgeting tips from our finance team, a list of helpful apps, packing tips, and other inspirational Dublin stories.

Though history and tech may seem like opposites in many ways, Dublin is a place where they come together and thrive. Can we count the number of tech giants with offices in this innovative city? Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Apple, Twitter, Airbnb, Paypal, eBay, Amazon…the list could go on and on. And that doesn’t even touch on the booming tech start-up scene. But the old Dublin is still a huge draw to the city, with stunning Georgian architecture (those colorful doors!), Gothic cathedrals, ancient castles, and ruined monastic settlements that hold so many stories. History still touches the city in other ways too, where music and literature especially have always been strong traditions.

Beyond these things, there is a thriving youth culture and vibrant nightlife, a population that’s growing more diverse, serene places to connect with nature (including the coast), and a food culture that’s exploded in recent years. The locals are some of the friendliest people we’ve met, and you’ll have the opportunity to intern and study alongside them. If you’re itching for adventure beyond Dublin’s streets, the rest of the country and the rest of Europe are also very accessible.

When you study abroad in Dublin, you’ll quickly discover that the food is highly influenced by its multicultural communities. You’ll find everything from Pad Thai and Indian curries to avocado toast and vegan superfood salads. You can also still find plenty of traditional Irish food. Tuck into a full Irish breakfast of bacon, potatoes, and cabbage on a Saturday morning, warm up with an Irish stew, or dig in to a plate of fish and chips – it’s just as popular as ever. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can still find crubeens and tripe (pig’s trotters and stomach) which were popular long ago as peasant’s food. For dessert, there’s apple tart, spotted dick, or gourmet hipster-style doughnuts to indulge in. Wash it all down with a good strong Irish Breakfast tea or a Flat White.

CAPA Dublin staff will be more than happy to share restaurant recommendations including places that cater to special diets. You’ll find plenty from CAPA alumni on our blog too, along with some tips for grocery shopping and cooking as a student and advice on which markets to visit for the best produce and trucks with the tastiest street food.

Dublin is a city built on history and brimming with culture, a champion of creativity, imagination and innovation. It’s the historical home to celebrated playwright George Bernard Shaw and writers James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and Bram Stoker. Many contemporary authors also write behind Dublin’s colorful Georgian doors. It has even been named an UNESCO City of Literature. Some of the world’s most celebrated musicians have lived here too. Live music is popular in venues throughout the city and the youthful population contributes to a lively nightlife.

During the day, take time to explore the city’s creative quarter near the Powerscourt Townhouse where you’ll stumble on design shops and boutiques. Watch a Gaelic game of hurling at the national stadium Croke Park. Stroll along the coast or walk through Phoenix Park, the largest urban park in Europe. Picnic in one of the city’s charming squares, kayak on the River Liffey, or visit Dublin Zoo, one of the oldest in the world. Dig deeper and discover the underground art scene that’s long been a part of Dublin’s culture. See a slice of history at Trinity Library which houses the Book of Kells, or hide away in old Marsh’s Library, founded in 1701.

There are many different types of scholarships, grants and finance options to explore that can help you reach your goal of studying abroad in Dublin. CAPA’s pre-departure staff will be able to guide you in the right direction so you can decide which opportunities are best suited to your personal situation and find out how to apply.

We do our best make study abroad accessible to everyone and to provide funding to those who need it. Need-based options include CAPA’s own need-based scholarship, the FEA-CAPA Access Scholarship, a grant from one of the colleges or universities who are affiliated with CAPA, and third-party options such as the Gilman Scholarship. CAPA also offers a blogger/vlogger grant that select students receive in exchange for creating content for our blog about their study abroad experience, a diversity advocate grant, an accommodations fund for students with disabilities and an HBCU grant for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. There are also many other study abroad scholarships available that are not direct CAPA initiatives. Research early as they usually require you to apply up to a year in advance. You may also be eligible to for financial aid.

Set yourself apart from your peers by interning abroad for credit in the vibrant city of Dublin! You’ll develop new skills, learn how to effectively articulate these to grad schools and hiring managers, and positively impact your future career in a country that boasts the highest population of young people in Europe. You’ll collaborate with and learn from Dubliners in this European startup hub, expand your professional network overseas, gain an international perspective on your field and an appreciation for diverse working cultures and practices in a global city.

CAPA’s internship program is well-established with a network of over 2,000 internship sites across the globe in private and nonprofit sectors. We work hard to place you somewhere that fits your academic major, personal interests and abilities. CAPA Dublin students intern in industries as diverse as marketing, graphic design, finance, IT, criminal justice, law and film! Internship placements are included in the cost of the CAPA Dublin program, so don’t miss out on a fantastic opportunity! Chat with an admissions advisor to learn more about the placement process and be sure to read about other CAPA Dublin students’ internship experiences on our blog.

Studying abroad in Dublin doesn’t mean sacrificing quality, credits or academic integrity. CAPA courses and faculty-led programs are rigorous; we run them in strict adherence to the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practice. You’ll play an active role in your own development while you’re abroad, working toward what we call our Student Learning and Development Outcomes (or SLDOs). From personal and professional development to urban environments, our five SLDOs will guide everything you do as a CAPA student. You’ll have plenty of time for fun and exploration too, and those things are also incorporated into (and a very important part of!) the CAPA Dublin experience. One example is our My Global City social events and cultural activities, including celebrating the “dark side” at the Bram Stoker festival and a medieval castle tour. We also take your experience in Ireland from international to global, with collaborative projects that involve working directly with CAPA students in other cities around the world through our innovative globally networked technology.

See our blog to read our Thoughts on Education Abroad column and take a deep dive into specific areas of academic focus from the perspective of past CAPA Dublin students and faculty.