Preparation and application process:
In the summer of 2018, I got very detailed information about the possibilities of a semester abroad in Dublin . Since June 2018 I have been in contact with your website. My consultant at the time really took me by the hand from the start and went through the application conditions and documents with me as intensively as I wanted . Since I was relatively tied to semester times, as I had to apply for my master’s degree in May 2019, the Dublin Business School crystallized quickly emerged as the perfect university for me. Firstly, the semester times were very early in contrast to other universities and, secondly, I was very convinced of the positive reports on your website. Therefore I want to give you today with my report, my personal impression of four intense months.
The only uncertainty for me in the application process was proof of English skills. Of course, the DBS completes a TOEFL test as evidence, which is very expensive on the one hand, and requires a certain amount of preparation time on the other. Here the DBS was really very open and accommodating. Therefore, I was allowed to complete a language certificate from my home university, which was many times cheaper than the TOEFL, but tested the same skills. During this time, when it was not yet clear which language certificates the DBS would accept, your website, as you will hear all the more later, was a great support. They took up all communication with DBS and made the application process much easier for me!
When I submitted my application two weeks later, the acceptance came relatively quickly at the end of 2018.
Accommodation and arrival:
What one should definitely not hide about Dublin are the expensive housing prices. It is not comparable, even for students from Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt etc., as there is really too little living space available in Dublin. But I can reassure you: everyone has really found a place to stay. Since I didn’t want to go to the student dormitory (where 90 percent of the people I had met actually lived), I moved into a private shared apartment. Here I paid € 450 per month, which is really little compared to the usual € 800-1200 per month in the student dormitory. However, over the four months in Dublin I shared a room with a Brazilian, an Italian and a Mexican. Since we were all very considerate, that was a great decision in retrospect – but of course not something for everyone!
The city is really easy to get to from the airport. After arriving, I took line 16, which takes three quarters of an hour to get to the city center for a very inexpensive € 2.30. Alternatively, there are shuttles (7 €) or taxis (approx. 20 €) which are of course a little faster. In general, however, you should know that buses only stop when you put out your hand, otherwise you may just be left standing.
As an absolute must-have, I have to take out the Leap Card. This is a card that you can apply for with your student ID. With it you get all trips in the bus and Luas (tram) cheaper. Another advantage is that you can take the bus for less than € 5 per day and less than € 20 during the week. If this limit is exceeded, every further trip is free for the respective period. The Leap-Card can be topped up easily online or in almost every supermarket.
Oh yes, of course it was raining when I arrived.
Dublin Business School
Although the Dublin Business School has relatively small buildings, around 9,000 students study at the private university. The main buildings are Aungier Street and Castle House. These are also super central and are located on Camden Street, which one or the other goes to later for a pub during their semester abroad. At the introductory event, the student IDs and photos were taken for us. Then there was a little lecture. On that first day I met the first people with whom we went to the first pubs in the evening. Really everyone I met has been totally open and enterprising.
My courses were Project Management , Business Finance , Data Management , Operating Systems & Algorithms / Data Structures . I have to say that the business administration courses (first two) were much more theory-related than my IT courses. I also heard from friends who had chosen web development or digital marketing how much they had learned despite a lack of IT affinity. I can therefore recommend anyone who is open to IT topics to take one or two IT courses at DBS, as the lecturers are also very competent.
The lessons are very school-like due to the privatization of the university. The lecturers therefore really take their time when you’re on the hunt. It is just as fair to say that the exam is at the end of the year. Compared to Germany, the level at DBS is really easier. Our courses have really received very good grades (which in Ireland starts at 65 percent).
Activities in Dublin
First of all, I can definitely recommend you to take part in the activities of the DBS , whether it is hiking, bowling, sports or the like. The DBS Student Union always publishes new events on their Facebook page, so you can always stay up to date and meet new people. Otherwise I played in the DBS soccer team, which is really not a bad level. The DBS was even a cup winner this semester, where they prevail against much larger colleges from Cork, Galway or Dublin (Trinity College). The team is super cool and offers the opportunity to get to know a few Dubliners because there are a lot of Irish on the team.
A main focus should of course be placed on Dublin’s wonderful pub & club scene . Here I don’t want to tell you much, apart from a few names, because I think everyone should experience their own incredible nights here. In any case, we not only had fun in the countless locations on St. Patrick’s Day, as well as on the weekend. If you don’t like partying, you should still check out Bad Bobs, Everleigh (free entry Monday-Wednesday), Diceys, Flannery’s, Copper’s, Opium, Academy and Tramshed. Please also in the exact order!
Destinations
There are many destinations within easy reach thanks to the world-class Dublin Airport. My travel destinations during the semester included an Ireland coast trip, Northern Ireland and a larger island trip . I can really recommend Iceland to you, which is also a very impressive country. In Ireland, of course, I think you should n’t miss the Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Fire and Galway . Friends were still in Copenhagen, Scotland, England, Fuerteventura (surf trip from DBS) and Wales. There’s a lot to discover, so pick what you find most interesting.
My conclusion
What should be mentioned at this point is that you will meet incredibly nice Irish people during your time . When you go to a pub, there is practically no way around not meeting Irish people. They are very open and interested, which is why two hours and five Guinness can easily go by when you start talking at the counter. I can only recommend a semester abroad at DBS, get involved in Irish culture and you will have an unforgettable time!
