Accommodation

Accommodation for International Students in Ireland

General Information on Finding Accommodation in Ireland
The following information is to give students an idea of what to lookfor when seeking accommodation in Ireland. The information below is only a general guide.

Because there are large numbers of students living in Ireland's larger cities, it is often difficult to find rooms near your place of study at a reasonable price. It is unlikely that you will find suitable accommodation on the day that you arrive. Temporary provision should be made for this, e.g. hosel accommodation.

Initital Accommodation: Hostels in Ireland are generally operated by Independent Holiday Hostels (IHH) or Hostelling International groups such as An Oige. The latter is a membership organisation and international visitors can purchase a guest card for brief stays, The independent hostels are cheaper and tend to be more informal.

An Oige can be contacted at +353 1 8304555/ fax +353 1 8305808 for bookings in advance. A list of the 120 IHH hostels can be obtained from 57 Lower Gardiner St, Dublin 1 or phone +353 1 8364700/ fax +353 1 8364710. Prices vary across the year and also by location but you should expect to pay approximately €8- €10 per night in a private room.

Bed and Breakfasts (or B&Bs) are also very popular in Ireland. These are clean, relatively cheap and well-provided large family homes to be found in every town and city of Ireland. A comfortable bed and more than ample (usually meat-based) breakfasts are the standard fare for B&Bs. Those registered with the Irish Tourist Board- Bord Failte- tend to be of better quality and it is always advisable to book ahead if possible. A comprehensive list of such accommodation can be viewed at their website.

You might consider referring to the 'Accommodation' sections of the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet guidebooks (and online) for more detailed information about initial accommodation.

University residences: The National University of Ireland Dublin (University College Dublin), the National University of Ireland Cork (University College Cork), the National University of Ireland Galway (University College Galway) and the National University of Ireland Maynooth, and the University of Dublin (Trinity College), Dublin City University and the University of Limerick all provide a limited amount of student accommodation in the form of university residences.

All institution-based accommodation is in high demand so it is essential to apply for places as early as possible. Go here for a list of Irish universities and institutes of technology.

Getting information about longer-term accommodation: The Accommodation Officer in your higher education institution can provide advice, as will the Student's Union as well as other students. In addition to these sources of information, accommodation can be found in one of four ways:

1. By contact with landlords

2. Through information from other people leaving accommodation

3. Through information boards in your place of study

4. Through advertisements in the evening newspaper

When using an evening newspaper (see "Flats to let", "House Sharing" sections of the newspapers), you need to get the early edition, usually available at about lunchtime. If you leave it any later, you will find that many of the flats have been already taken.

Accommodation can also be located through Letting Agencies. Before registering with an agency, confrim that they are licensed.

Offices and Information: The Department of the Environment has responsibility for housing. Their website on housing can be found here. Further details and information about renting private accommodation can be obtained from Threshold, an organisation which provides advice and information by trained staff to those with immediate housing problems. For more information, see www.threshold.ie.

Cost & Living Expenses

The main costs that students can expect to incur while studying in Ireland include tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses. These vary considerably depending on the course, the institution and the lifestyle of the student. The figures given below provide a guideline for budgeting. Costs do not remain static, so it is important to double check fees with the Institution(s) you are considering applying to, and to ask their advice on other living costs.

Fees:

Tuition fees vary depending on the institution and the study programme. An example of tuition fees for 2006/2007 for undergraduate, non-E.U. students at a third level institution are as follows:

These figures serve as an approximate guide only, for exact fee details contact the relevant institution directly.

All prices are given in Euro, the currency in use in Ireland. You can check exchange rates on www.onbusiness.ie (go to the currency converter).

Fees for Masters programmes can vary depending upon the type of programme. Taught Masters programmes range from €8,000 to €15,000 (and upwards for some specialised medical programmes).

Living Expenses

Living expenses will differ depending upon the location of the institution, the type of accommodation preferred and on the personal expenditure of the student. To give some idea of the total cost involved, the following approximate figures - at 2006 rates - are given as a guide to overall expenses On average we estimate that a student will spend between €7500 and €12,000 per year depending on location and lifestyle.

All third level institutions will have an accommodation officer or advisor who can provide information for you about accommodation on, or close to your campus. The following options are generally available:

Self catering accommodation includes a large number of options from a room in a shared house to a large private apartment. While self catering accommodation can offer full independence, the prospective student should be aware that there can be significant set-up costs associated with self catering accommodation such as: deposits, connection charges for utilities, bedding and the purchase of household items.

Most universities and a number of other colleges offer on-campus accommodation. This can range from a single, or shared room in a large apartment to a one-bedroomed apartment. Your institution of choice will be able to provide you with full details of the options on offer.

Many international students, particularly in the first year, opt to choose family based accommodation. This means a private room in a family home where two meals (generally breakfast and evening meal), utility costs and laundry services are provided. Again the institution you are applying to will have lists of experienced families in the area who provide approved accommodation for international students.

Useful links

www.daft.ie

www.findahome.ie

www.myhome2let.ie

www.unison.ie

English Language

In the case of all applications, either through the CAO or directly to the college, evidence must be provided of competence in the English language. The list below indicates the minimum standards in English language which should be met. In certain circumstances, results in examinations other than those outlined below may be accepted as proof of competence. However, the results obtained in such other examinations must indicate competency to one of the standards outlined below:

Health & Welfare System

Ireland's health system is run by regional health boards which are all centrally controlled by the Department of Health and Children. Free medical care is available for those on low incomes and hospital services are available for reasonables costs for those on higher incomes. Visits to a General Practitioner costs about €45.00.

A student health service is provided in third level institutions. It is free of charge and completely confidential. It is staffed by doctors, nurses and counsellors who are equipped to deal with various medical problems however, this service does not provide 24 hour cover.

Students are strongly advised to arrange insurance for private medical care as this ensures choice of hospital, doctor and hospital accommodation in the event of illness. It is possible to obtain private medical insurance from the Voluntary Health Insurance Board (VHI) or from BUPA Ireland to cover private medical care:

The Voluntary Health Insurance Board
V.H.I House
70, South Mall Cork.
Tel: +353 21 277188
Website: http://www.vhi.ie

Or

BUPA Ireland
12 Fitzwilliam Square
Dublin 2.
Tel: +353 1 6627662
Website: http://www.bupa.ie

Counselling services and study skills workshops are also provided on-campus for all students. In addition, all third-level institutions have 'International Student Offices' whose personnel are equipped to deal with the issues faced by overseas students.

From 1st June 2004 the E111 and a number of other 'E' forms (i.e. E128) have been replaced by a new European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC must be obtained in the home country before departure. (www.epha.org/a/1333)

Useful links

• Accommodation Finder Terminal www.daft.ie
• Accommodation Finder for students and young profesionals www.collegecribs.ie
• Accommodation Adverts within Ireland www.letbynet.com
• Reservation Service for Hotel & Apartments www.reservationsnetwork.ie
• Hotel & B&B Accommodation www.ireland-ac.com
• Help with Shipping Excess Baggage www.yourexcessbaggage.com

(you should note that it is usually not possible to reserve long term accommodation in advance, as owners of properties will not hold rooms without payment of rent.)

Travel
For a small country, Ireland offers an enormous diversity of landscapes: from long sandy beaches to rugged coastline; from bogland plains to the dramatic cliffs of the West coast, with much more in between! The environment provides endless opportunities for outdoor leisure pursuits including water sports, hill walking and rock climbing. Many colleges also have their own on-campus sports complex with facilities such as swimming pools, running tracks, squash courts and gyms.

Cities, towns and villages in Ireland also afford boundless opportunities for relaxation and recreation including pubs, clubs, restaurants, museums, art galleries, craft exhibitions, indoor sports facilities and music and arts festivals. Festivals are held throughout the year all over the country - a wonderful opportunity to sample some Irish culture whilst getting to know different parts of the island.

Because of its size, travel within Ireland is relatively easy. CIE (Coras Iompair Eireann) - the national transport service- operates trains, buses and coaches throughout the country. Irish Rail (Ianrod Eireann) operates the nationwide rail services, the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) and other suburban rail services. Private coach and bus services are also available.

The United Kingdom and other parts of Europe are also easily accessible by both air and sea. The main airports in the country are in Dublin, Shannon, Cork and Belfast, but there are also a number of regional airports. All of these offer regular services to and from London (one hour's-flying time) and many offer direct flights to other main European capitals and to the United States. Ferry services operate from several ports on the East and South coasts to England, Scotland, Wales and France.

Students holding an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can generally avail of discounts on public transport. For further details contact:

USIT NOW
19-21 Aston Quay
Dublin 2
Tel:+353-1-6778117
Fax:+353-1-6778908
www.usitnow.ie/countries/ireland/index.html

Useful Links:

www.goireland.com General Information Website
www.travelireland.ie Website of Bord Failte, the Irish Tourist Board
www.aerlingus.ie Website of National Airline, Aer Lingus
www.ryan.com Website of Irish Airline Ryan Air
www.usit.ie Student Travel Website
www.cie.ie Website of Coras Iompair Eireann Ireland's national transport company.
www.irishrail.ie Website for National Train Information
www.buseireann.ie Website for National Bus Information
www.dublinbus.ie Website for Dublin Bus Information
www.dublincity.ie Website of Dublin City Council (history, events and Dublin news)
www.indublin.ie Dublin Event Guide
www.corkcorp.ie Website of Cork Corporation (History.events and Cork news)
www.cometocork.com Information on Cork
www.waterfordcity.ie Website of Waterford Corporation (history and events)
www.waterfordtourism.org Tourism information for Waterford
www.galway.ie Website of Galway County Council (history, events and news)
www.galway1.ie Search engine on information on Galway


Source: International Education Board Ireland http://www.educationireland.ie/