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LIMERICK - UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK Program Level: Undergraduate Number of Weeks/Term: 15 |
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- Background
- Location Information
- Program Dates
- Host Institution
- Academic Information
- Academic Disciplines
- Credit Transfer Information
- Eligibility Requirements
- Program Costs
- Housing and Meals
- Insurance
- Extracurricular Activities
- Climate
- VISA & Passport Information
- Your Next Steps
- Experiences of Former Students
- Contact Details
BACKGROUND
Georgia Tech (GT) has developed a number of overseas programs around the globe. These programs provide students with the opportunity to complete a portion of their academic programs in top-notch foreign universities that are partnered with GT. As a result of immersion in a foreign academic and cultural environment, students have the maximum opportunity to learn to operate effectively in an atmosphere that is wholly different from that of GT and the U.S.
LOCATION INFORMATION
Ireland
Ireland is situated in the Atlantic Ocean and separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea. Half the size of Arkansas, it occupies the entire island except for the six counties that make up Northern Ireland. Ireland resembles a basin - a central plain rimmed with mountains, except in the Dublin region. The mountains are low, with the highest peak, Carrantuohill in County Kerry, rising to 3,415 ft (1,041 m). The principal river is the Shannon, which begins in the north-central area, flows south and southwest for about 240 mi (386 km), and empties into the Atlantic.
By the Act of Union (1801), Great Britain and Ireland became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. A steady decline in the Irish economy followed in the next decades. The population had reached 8.25 million when the great potato famine of 1846-1848 took many lives and drove more than 2 million people to immigrate to North America. Modern Ireland now enjoys more immigration than emigration. Formerly an agriculture-based economy, the "Celtic Tiger" has become a leader in high-tech industries. In some recent years its economy has grown as much as 10%. Thanks in large part to the boom of the "Celtic Tiger" economy in the 1990s, the Ireland of the 21st century is a vibrant, culturally rich and ethnically diverse country with an entirely youthful and optimistic outlook - over half the population is under 30!
Limerick
With a population of 80,000, Limerick is the third largest city in Ireland behind Dublin and Cork. Limerick is located on the eastern side of the island and is easily accessible via the Shannon International Airport. The city is renowned as a center of excellence for technology. It's home to the National Technology Park of Ireland and to many international electronics and other high technology firms. For sporting enthusiasts, Limerick offers a wide range of sports from Gaelic games such as hurling and football to Limerick's favorite sport, rugby.
PROGRAM DATES
Fall Term: early September - mid December
Spring Term: late January - late May
Academic Year: early September- late May
NOTE: Students can participate in this program for the fall, spring, or for a full academic year.
YEAR PROGRAM STARTED:
2007
HOST INSTITUTION ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The University of Limerick was established in 1972 and is recognized as a pioneer among the seven universities in the Republic of Ireland. It's an independent, internationally focused university with over 10,500 students and 1,200 staff members. It is a young, energetic, and enterprising university with a proud record of innovation in education and excellence in research and scholarship. UL believes in combining academic excellence with relevance to economic, social and cultural needs. They are also an international center of excellence in sport, music and the arts. Its campus, next to the river Shannon, is regarded as Ireland's most beautiful university campus. There are six colleges: Kemmy Business School, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Humanities, College of Informatics & Electronics, and the College of Science.
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
Subject Areas Available:
- Accounting
- Aerospace Engineering
- Architecture
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- History, Technology, and Society
- International Affairs
- Literature, Communication, and Culture
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Modern Languages
- Music
- Psychology
- Public Policy
- Sociology
Language Information
All courses are taught in English.
Course Information
For detailed course information: click here
Timetables for courses are released near the beginning of each semester. Top
CREDIT TRANSFER INFORMATION
Credit for courses taken as part of GT exchange programs is added as transfer credit on the GT transcript. Since it is important to know which kind of credit students will earn abroad as soon as possible, GT requires that courses be pre-approved for transfer. With a Foreign Credit Approval Form (available from OIE) in hand, and the credit transfer system information (listed below), students should submit course descriptions to the appropriate academic unit to request their approval. If taking Math classes, for example, then the student should go to the GT School of Mathematics to get permission for the courses to transfer to GT. If approved, the GT School of Mathematics signs the Foreign Credit Approval Form showing how the courses will transfer so that students will know which type of credit they should expect to receive.
For detailed credit transfer instructions click here
For the Foreign Credit Approval Form click here
CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM
This information is intended for undergraduates students only. Graduate students must speak with their academic unit to to determine the acceptance of transfer credits.
Limerick uses the following credit transfer system:
1 Limerick credit = 1.04 GT credit
GRADING SYSTEM
Limerick uses the following grading system listed below:
Limerick Grade = US Grade
A1, A2 (First Honors) = A
B1, B2, B3 (Honors 2.1 & 2.2) = B
C1, C2, C3 (Pass) = C
D1, D2 (Compensating Fail) = D
F (Fail) = F
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:
PROGRAM COSTS
The same matriculation, tuition and other mandatory fees (including transportation, technology, activity, health, and athletic) apply to a term abroad as would normally apply at Georgia Tech. Exchange students must pay tuition and fees to the GT Bursar for each semester they are abroad. No other expenses associated with this program are paid to GT; instead, these expenses are paid on site.
The currency in Ireland is the Euro. Exchange rates fluctuate, so check the newspaper or click here for the most current rates.
DON"T FORGET TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!! See the OIE web site for more info: click here
Following are cost estimates for one semester at Limerick that may help you prepare for your term(s) abroad. All costs are in USD.
In State Tuition $3,035 Out of State Tuition $3,285 GT Mandatory Fees $818 Books and Supplies $290 Administrative and/or Application fees $0 Miscellaneous (includes passport/visa fees, required field trips, local transportation and incidentals) $1,110 Roundtrip Airfare $1,000 Room and Board $4,815 Additional Language Instruction $0 Mandatory Insurance $150 Total $11,218 (in state) $11,468(out of state)
*Out-of-state students pay in state tuition, plus $250 for this exchange program.
*Costs in the preceding chart are estimates for undergraduates based on tuition rates posted by the GT Bursar for "continuing students." Guaranteed tuition rates, graduate tuition rates, and MBA tuition rates vary. Please check the GT Bursar's web site click here to confirm actual tuition rates based on degree, term, or level of study. Actual costs may be higher or lower than those listed above, depending on the exchange rate and personal spending habits/needs.
HOUSING AND MEALS
Housing
UL has five high-quality residential villages on campus. They are all only a few minutes' walk from all University facilities. Each village offers houses/apartments with private study bedrooms, private fully equipped kitchen, lounges, two showers, and toilets. Each has accommodation designed for students with impaired mobility. There are approximately 2,500 rooms available on campus.
The villages also offer multi-channel TV, telephones, refuse collection (refuse sacks and light bulbs are supplied for students), self-service launderette, car parking, nighttime security patrols, full maintenance service, residential managers, and a computer link to the internet from each bedroom via the UL network (at a cost of 130 Euro per annum ($175 USD).
Students also have the possibility of living off campus in shared accommodation that includes self-catering houses and apartments. Most off campus accommodation is located within walking distance of the university campus. A full list of suitable off campus housing is available from the Accommodation Office at UL. The Accommodation Office (Room D-0034) is open Monday - Friday, 11h00-12h30 and 14h30-16h30. You can expect to find accommodation within 1 to 3 days. A number of new designated student villages have all come on stream affording students a wider range of accommodation possibilities. Please contact the Accommodation Office for a list of accommodation available or check the local newspapers, the Limerick Leader and the Limerick Post for information on accommodation available in the Castletroy area for students.
For more information, you can refer to click here and click here. An application for housing is required.
Meals
Students eat well at the University of Limerick. The University offers a wide choice of restaurants offering high quality home cooked food at budget conscious prices, a variety of small restaurants, stylish cafes and restaurants which serve food late into the evening. For more information, you may visit click here. Top
INSURANCE
Students participating in this program will be assessed $150 per semester for mandatory insurance coverage. You will be covered by T.W. Lord and Associates. For detailed information about this insurance plan, click here. This cost is included in the above cost estimates for the program.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
With a population of 11,500, the University of Limerick campus is serviced with retail outlets to cater for the campus community's banking, stationary, and laundry needs among others. With the construction of the University's new student center in 1999 came facilities for existing retail expansion and also the provision of new retail units. The student center offers a variety of essential retail services required by students on a daily basis. It is designed to be the social hub on campus where students meet, relax and participate in many of the activities organized by Clubs and Societies.
The University of Limerick boasts over seventy clubs and societies. Clubs and Societies are based in the Student Center and continually they are becoming more and more a professional entity.
The University Arena is a new multi-purpose sports facility catering for the expanding national sports responsibilities the University enjoys. This large indoor facility will complete the total package of sports available on campus for all user groups.
The University of Limerick has an active and thriving cultural life. This is reflected by its policy to promote, develop and support the arts either through its own activities or in house support of resident arts groups. The University Concert Hall mounts an annual season of concerts and performances that cater for all musical and dramatic tastes and the Irish World Music Center offers a wide variety of practical and theoretical postgraduate courses. Daghda Dance Company, a seminal force in development of contemporary dance forms in Ireland, is based on campus and the Irish Chamber Orchestra is also resident.
CLIMATE
Ireland has a mild, temperate climate. Summer temperatures generally range from 60ºF/15ºC to 70ºF/20ºC. Spring and autumn are generally 50ºF/10ºC. Winter is between 40ºF/5ºC and 46ºF/8ºC. (Snow is rare, but showers can occur at any time of the year.)
VISA AND PASSPORT INFORMATION
Complete information about how to apply for or renew a U.S. passport is available from the GT Office of International Education or online: click here
A valid U.S. passport is required to visit the island of Ireland. Visitors of all other nationalities should contact their local Irish Embassy/Consulate prior to traveling to the Republic of Ireland and visitors to Northern Ireland should contact their local British Embassy, high Commission or Consular Office.
Currently, United States, Canadian and Japanese passport-holders do not need visas. (You should re-check this information with the Embassy of Ireland before your departure to make sure it is still current). However, they do have to register with the Immigration Officer within one month of arrival. Upon arrival, at any port of entry into Ireland (Cork, Dublin, Shannon, etc.), students will be required to produce a valid passport and their Offer Letter from the University of Limerick. Should a student fail to produce these documents, you will be in breach of Irish Immigration Regulations. The Irish Immigration Officer will have no choice but to refuse you entry into Ireland.
All students admitted by the Irish Immigration Officers upon arrival in Ireland, will have their passports computer swiped and date stamped, endorsing a requirement for them to register with the Immigration Office, within one month. Immigration registration takes place at the Garda Síochána (police) station at Henry Street in Limerick city center during normal office hours, excluding public holidays.
To register with Immigration students will be required to produce documentation, including evidence of financial support and medical insurance. For details, please click here and click here
YOUR NEXT STEPS
To begin the process of participating in this exchange, please do the following:
EXPERIENCES OF FORMER STUDENTS
click here
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Becky Gunter, Semester Study Abroad Advisor
GT Office of International Education
631 Cherry Street
Savant Building, Suite 211
Atlanta, GA 30332-0284
Phone: (404)894-7475 Fax: (404)894-9682
E-mail: becky.gunter@oie.gatech.edu
OIE web site: click here
Host/Program Web Site: click here
Limerick
Ireland
Europe
Semester
15
12
English
For more info, contact OIE.
Can I go abroad while pursuing a GT degree?
GT students have many opportunities to participate in semester/exchange and study abroad programs. In a semester program, you actually take classes with the host universitys students and faculty. (In some cases, this means that you must have excellent knowledge of the local language to participate). Semester program participants usually pay normal GT tuition and fees for each term abroad. Credits can be pre-approved to transfer back to GT so that you do not get behind in your studies. The application deadline for fall and academic year programs is in early February; for spring programs the deadline is in September/October.
In a study abroad program, the courses are taught by GT faculty and you register for regular GT courses. Residents pay normal matriculation fees, but do not pay ancillary fees (athletic, health, etc.). Non-residents only pay resident matriculation plus $250 ($1500 for GTL Summer/$2000 for GTL Spring/Fall) . This is a savings of over $6,000 for out-of-state students who participate in GT study abroad programs as full-time students! Deadlines for summer study abroad programs vary from early January to mid-February.
In most cases, if you are eligible for financial aid or scholarships, you can apply your grants, scholarships, and/or loans toward the expenses associated with participating in all GT programs.
GTs International Plan: More than just study abroad
Your major is participating in this new initiative!
The International Plan is an intensive, degree-long program designed to prepare GT graduates professionally and personally for successful lives in the 21st century. Requirements of the program include international coursework, two terms abroad (any combination of study, research or internship abroad), proficiency in a second language, and a culminating course. Students who complete the program will have a designation on their diploma indicating completion of the degree with global competence: for example, BS in Mechanical Engineering: International Plan. For more information or an application, contact your major advisor or OIE and visit the website: click here