Study Abroad Programs in Maynooth, Ireland

When I decided I wanted to go abroad, I was nervous about a lot of things. First off, I was scared that when I went abroad I would have to settle for a location I did not want to be in because I needed my credits to transfer over. Luckily AIFS had a program in a wonderful city with a bunch of classes that would transfer back to my home university super well. When I chose this program, I was overjoyed but nervous about living in a homestay. When I got there I was happily surprised to find that my host family was amazing and provided me with an experience I would not have been able to have if I had been in a dorm/apt. The people that I met in the program were some of the coolest people I have ever known and am happy to call them my friends to this day. If you are looking for a great program in Paris where you have the freedom to meet new people, travel, and find yourself in a new place, I would 100% recommend this to you!

My semester abroad in Granada, Spain was absolutely unforgettable. I decided to stay with a host family and I lived in their home with another student in the same program. Living with a roommate, we became really close friends. My host family was so kind and welcoming, they included us in everything they did. I learned so much Spanish culture and tradition from spending time with the family. The school was called Center of Modern Languages and I had a mixture of Spanish and Business classes. I loved speaking Spanish in class and getting to know other students. AIFS provided a level placement test at the beginning of the semester so that everyone found courses that were appropriate for their knowledge of Spanish. The classes were very fun and I enjoyed going to class. The AIFS program excursions were some of the best experiences/trips that I went on. I was blown away by the Morocco trip as well as the Seville/Córdoba/Gibraltar weekend. The trips were well planned, affordable, and allowed for free time to explore with friends. I made so many connections with locals, got to experience once in a lifetime activities like riding camels next to the ocean, and tried amazing foods. The program application process was hassle-free and the program advisors in Granada are so helpful. I would often visit their office and just chat with them or ask their advice on where to visit on the weekend. They organized cooking classes, art classes, sporting events, and cultural activities like a flamenco show. Granada is such a wonderful city. It is very walkable and the people are very friendly. There are endless tapas bars in the city where you get free food with each drink purchase. I made friends with lots of locals and other students from across the US. I attended exchange club meetings where you get drinks and tapas, and you chat in whatever language you are trying to learn with people from around the world. AIFS did a wonderful job providing opportunities for all of the students in the program to get to know each other. I made a close-knit group of friends and we spent so much time together. I am so thankful for having met them thanks to AIFS. We even visited each other once we arrived back in the US! I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to experience Spain on a more personal scale compared to bigger cities. I think Granada is the most beautiful city, and the Alhambra is a must-see!

From beginning to end, my time with AIFS in Maynooth was literally AMAZING. I met some people that I’m still friends with, had food I’ve never had before, and got to experience a new way of life. It was so, so, SO relaxing. There were it’s tough moments for sure, but God blessed me even (or especially) in those moments in that I learned how to grow and be an adult and make my own decisions in those moments. It was so gorgeous and I loved shopping in downtown Dublin, trying foods in Maynooth, and learning to catch their (beautiful and clean and safe) buses! It’s been 6 months now and I miss it so much!!!

Loved every second of it! Traveled to numerous countries, academics weren’t the hardest so I was able to have freedom when it came to exploring! Maynooth was a beautiful town, loved the shopping center. Everything was walkable and Ireland has excellent transportation.

Although study abroad was required for my major, the urge to go to another country has always been present. Doing my study abroad for the summer at Maynooth was the best experience of my life and something I can never stop talking about. Everywhere I went people were so friendly and I met some of my best friends while I was there. I always recommend people to go to Maynooth or study abroad in general!

The excursion planned by the school to the Cliffs of Mother was just like any other day in Ireland— WET. My newfound friends and I embraced this, dancing in the rain and taking wonderful photos of the beauty that was the Cliffs. I felt like a little kid again, jumping in puddles and laughing with these people I never would have met otherwise. We pretended we were Kings and Queens of the world, scaling some of the rocks off of the paths of the cliffs and exclaiming that the rain hitting our faces was the best feeling ever. I’ve never liked the rain, hated it even. But in that moment, I embraced the feeling of my hair sticking to my face and my cheeks hurting from smiling too hard. I still think about this moment, months later, when I’m asked about my fondest memory studying abroad. I would have never expected missing the rain of Ireland, but here I am, missing it regardless. Missing my friends, who I still keep in contact with today.

Berlin is a really wonderful and historic city to live in. My German is basically nonexistent and I still felt like I was able to get around fine. The AIFs staff are very supportive, and the organized actives were well structured and thought out. If you weren’t interested in some or all of the activities, you didn’t have to participate and there was plenty of time to do your own thing around Berlin or travel throughout Europe. I didn’t particularly enjoy my academic experience at Humboldt, there were a few good classes but also a few really awful ones. So, if I could do it again I would probably do the AIFS program with Freie Universität academic program.

Choosing to do a Summer abroad in Ireland was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was kind of scared going to a new country by myself, but the program helped me every step of the way! From Zoom meetings, checklists, and detailed itineraries, I felt safe the entire time. Getting to live in a new culture is truly life changing. Between studying, tours, and excusions, I never hard time to miss home. The program not only immerses you in the culture, but encourages you to go out and explore on your own. This program gave me the courage to explore and continue to travel and I would recommend to anyone with an adventurous spirit to partake.

Before I agreed to study abroad, I didn’t even think I was going to go through with it. My best friend and I had spoken about it numerous times before but it never got past the “what if” stage. That was until one night when we were searching for a school that our two separate schools met at which would allow us to go to college together for a semester. Maynooth happened to be the only one so after 0.2 seconds of thinking we said you only live once and clicked submit to our applications. The process after getting accepted was daunting, but AIFS made it so easy to navigate and not stressful at all. The living accommodation in Maynooth was super nice, the outings AIFS created immersed me into the culture, and the ability to travel to other places while I was there was too easy to be tempted with. From the pub culture, to the architecture, to the friendly atmosphere of the whole country, the entire study abroad semester was easily the best thing I have ever experienced in my entire life. During my time at Maynooth, and in Ireland in general, I not only fell in love with the country and its rich culture, but I also found life long friends that I will know and love for the rest of my life. This study abroad program has fueled and lit my passion and want for traveling, and I am forever so thankful that it did.

My colleague and I have had the pleasure of accompanying 21 amazing humans on a 3 month journey that will most certainly change them for the rest of their lives. Thank you to AIFS for sharing Rome with us and attending to every detail that made this an experience that will live with us eternally. The AIFS Rome center staff were excellent in providing impactful excursions, extra-curricular courses, and ensuring that all of us were well informed and provided for in every part of our journey.

I had a lovely time here, although it was not without flaws. The amenities were not great especially considering how much we paid to be here. The company guilt tripped and body shamed us. But I made innumerable new friends and had experiences that I will cherish forever.

Very nice experience, learned a lot. People I’ve met here are now friends I will still be in contact with. The internship was where I learned new skills and networked with people within the fashion industry and got inspired by being here abroad

I definitely had a really exciting and wonderful trip. There were a few aspects like traveling and staying at more cities besides just Salzburg would have been a lot more fun. But the tours and field trips were absolutely incredible and the people who showed us around were amazing! Loved to see the history and beauty all over

From arrival to departure, AIFS made my study abroad experience a 11/10. Great staff through and through allowed for a complete cultural assimilation in the time I spent there. It was the experience of a lifetime that I would recommend to everyone.

I studied abroad in Maynooth Ireland and I had a wonderful experience. My program director Cliodhna truly made the experience stress free and memorable. The living situation was good and the location was amazing. It was close to Dublin so you still got experience the big city. Maynooth its self is small but there are a ton of restaurants and shops to explore.

AIFS was definitely the right choice for me and I think it will be for anyone else seriously considering study abroad. From the moment I signed up for emails (before applying) to now (over a year out from leaving Germany), I have felt so supported and have had a lovely experience. The included trips and activities were definitely my favorite parts (the street art tour and cooking class especially!) and I’m still in contact with our Resident Director, Nele :)

I studied abroad at Maynooth University during the spring semester of 2019. I chose Ireland because I wanted to explore the country my grandparents grew up in and to meet my relatives that still live there. I chose Maynooth because of it's proximity to Dublin and I am so glad I did! It was so easy to get into town and explore Dublin! There are buses and a train that leaves right from Maynooth and takes you right into town. There's also a shuttle that leaves from Maynooth that takes you directly to the airport. As part of the AIFS program, I got a LeapCard, which was essentially a public transportation pass. It came preloaded with 100 euros and was super easy to refill as necessary. The initial amount lasted until about halfway through the semester, but I also went into town a lot! For the campus itself, Maynooth is STUNNING. There are two halves to the campus, North and South. The North Campus was made up of the majority of the class buildings, the gym, the dining hall, and the dorms. It was constructed fairly recently and the campus had a very modern feel. The South Campus is much older, but not like an American old. The South Campus has that authentic Irish feel. The buildings are beautiful and are updated on the inside to keep up to 21st century standards. There is a massive old church that looks like it's right out of Harry Potter, a gorgeous backfield area that has walking paths, a cemetery on campus (so fun to explore!), and an old castle just off of the campus grounds that students can go in and visit. Both halves of campus connect to the town of Maynooth, which was so homey and welcoming. There are two grocery stores within a five-minute walk of campus, multiple barbershops and food options, and the town has walking paths and trails all over it! One goes through the golf course, which many people utilize, and another follows the train, which is situated along a canal, and the trail leads almost all the way into Dublin. While there are recommended courses on the AIFS website, I was able to take any course I wanted at Maynooth, with approval from the head of the department. Maynooth is a big international school, so there were lots of courses offered for just international students, which included students from all over Europe. Maynooth offers an Irish Cultural Heritage Certificate in which one takes four classes and revies this certificate. There is one required history course and the rest of the courses offered covered Irish history, Irish literature and folklore, and the Irish language. These classes all included field trips to Irish monuments that international students otherwise wouldn't see, such as Newgrange and Clonmacnoise. My favorite out of these courses was the Irish language course. I was able to have a (basic) conversation in Irish with my grandparents when I came home! The AIFS program included trips to different locations in Ireland, such as Cork, Galway, Belfast, and a traditional Irish farm. A two night stay in Dublin is also included as your first two nights in Ireland and that experience is a great way to see Dublin for the first time. There's a guided tour of the city and the resident director, Cliodhna, showed us the best time. She was absolutely incredible as an RD. She was always available on campus and went on all the AIFS trips with us. She truly went above and beyond in her position and the semester would not have been the same without her. The AIFS trips were an incredible way to see the country. Overall, my semester in Ireland was incredible due to the location and provider I chose. I would not have learned as much as a did about Ireland or had seen as much of the country as I did if I had not chosen Maynooth University. I would not have had such an enjoyable and wholesome semester and experience if I had not chosen AIFS as my provider. I made lasting memories and friendships due to both of my choices and I would highly recommend that anyone interested in studying abroad in Ireland do the same!

Everyone needs to go abroad. It is awesome experiencing so many cultures. Professors while abroad are very helpful and care about their students. I really enjoyed getting to know my professors and learning not only class content but also from their real life experiences. Traveling on the weekends was obviously my favorite part of this experience. I was able to visit a bunch of different countries. Wish I could stay longer.

By getting outside of my comfort zone as much as possible, I was able to experience parts of the world while figuring out new things about myself! Staying in a home stay is completely worth it because you get to practice your Spanish and meet incredibly interesting locals!

Living in Spain was such a great experience! From the food to culture and things to do, Spain has it all. I´m definitely going to miss my time here and all the great people I met. Studying abroad helped me grow so much as a person, and I won´t ever forget this experience.