Belfast is by far the most popular city for studying abroad in Northern Ireland. This metropolis offers everything study abroad students look for, including a developed downtown, easy and interconnected public transportation, and spot on the top 10 list of safest cities in the United Kingdom. In recent years Belfast has undergone a bit of a transformation, so throughout the city, on fences, office buildings, walls, and signs, students will notice incredible murals depicting the political and social instability of the recent past. The bright colors give vibrancy to neighborhoods with mostly bland colored buildings. The range of topics illustrated and artist’s work in the murals of Belfast are worthy of being viewed as if they are part of a museum.

Most students who study abroad in Belfast attend Queen’s University Belfast, and many study abroad programs offer international students the opportunity to attend the university. It has a beautiful campus with historic buildings and lots of green space. Queen’s University Belfast also offers over 300 areas of study. The University of Ulster also has a campus near to the city of Belfast, and is a university which focuses on the fields of art and design. 

The second most popular location for study abroad in Northern Ireland is the city of Derry, which is Northern Ireland’s second largest city as well. Also called Londonderry, Derry is a student-friendly city that offers excellent options for nightlife, shopping, pubs, and restaurants. The main university in Derry is the Magee campus of the University of Ulster.

Outside of Belfast and Derry, there are fewer study abroad programs available in Northern Ireland, and those that are tend to attract a smaller number of students because they are more specialized. One such city is Armagh, a breathtakingly quaint town known as “the city of saints and scholars," it is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.