Limerick, Ireland
AIFS: Limerick, Ireland
Next Offered: Every Fall and Spring Semester
Application Deadlines: March 14 (for fall semester abroad), and October 15 (for spring semester abroad)
County Limerick is quiet farming land dotted with ruins of hundreds of castles. The beautiful Shannon River winds through the city of Limerick and the University campus. It is Ireland's third-largest city and the capital of the Midwest region. Limerick boasts the Belltable Arts Center, Old English Town and its Irish counterpart across the river, as well as the riverside walk past King John's Castle. Within a day's excursion are the counties of Galway, Clare, Cork, Tipperary and Kerry. This opportunity is offered through the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS).
Academic Program
The University of Limerick is one of Ireland’s (and Europe’s) newest universities. Its park-like campus is three miles from the city on the banks of the Shannon River. Academically linked with 230 other universities, it has adopted many ideas from American universities and has benefited from American benefactors through its foundation. International students are fully integrated into the student body, taking the same lecture courses and tutorials with the same assessments as Irish students.
Although study abroad students are treated like typical Irish students, they have an advantage: greater freedom of choice in selecting their program of study. They may choose from a wide range of courses in all areas and register across faculties and departments—business, education, engineering, humanities, science, and computer science (informatics and electronics).
Currently enrolled students may not opt for the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option for any courses. Transcript is issued by AIFS.
Acceptance in courses is subject only to academic prerequisites, scheduling constraints and limits on enrollment. You must have approval from your Dominican advisor or relevant department in order to get credit in the major/minor/core requirement.
Dominican University Area Requirements (pdf)
Visit the AIFS in Limerick web site.
Application
Students must first complete the online application above. All applications are reviewed by the program director and the Office for Global Learning. Once approved to apply, students then complete another application with AIFS. We recommend that all applicants complete their applications early. This is especially important for students who need special accommodations.
Cost and Financial Aid
Estimated Costs
- Semester programs cost the same as Dominican University tuition and fees, plus a $1000 Study Abroad fee and an estimated housing fee of $3,100.
- Limerick charges include 12–15 credits, an $800 meal allowance, excursions (if allowed), and international medical insurance.
- Students purchase their own flights ($500–$2600) or select a flight package with AIFS.
- A non-refundable application fee $95 is paid directly to AIFS
- Upon acceptance, students will pay a $750 non-refundable deposit to Dominican University
- Additional meals $2,000–$2,500 (estimated)
- Students planning to have independent travel throughout Spain or Europe should consider these costs as well.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
- 100% of your state aid, federal aid, and Dominican scholarships and grants are applicable to a semester abroad, however, the Resident Student Grant does not apply to a semester abroad. Students who received 3rd party external scholarships should consult financial aid on whether or not they apply to a semester abroad.
- Additional loans or the Parent Plus Loan are available to students through the Office of Financial Aid.
- All students should apply to scholarships they are eligible for. If the combined value of Dominican aid and external scholarships exceed the cost of attendance, DU aid will be adjusted.
- All students should apply to Dominican University's Excellence in Experiential Learning Awards (ExcEL) to earn up to $2000 off the cost of the program
- Pell Grant recipients should apply for the Gilman Scholarship
- All students should apply for Fund for Education Abroad Scholarships
- AIFS scholarships for qualified students
- Generation Study Abroad ($1,000)
- Diversity Abroad ($5000)
- Sir Cyril Taylor Scholarship ($1000)
- HACU-AIFS Scholarship (up to 50% off program fees for students of Hispanic heritage)
- Russel and Deborah Taylor Foundation (up to 50% off program fees)
- John S. Linakis Scholarship ($5000)
- AIFS also provides additional discounts for Gilman and Fund for Education Abroad winners, as well as students with family members who have participated in an AIFS program
Requirements and Eligibility
- Only open to Dominican students
- 2.9 Dominican University GPA
- Junior/senior standing
- Students must attend at least one information session and pre-departure orientation
Excursions, Housing and Transportation
Excursions
- Day trip to Western Ireland
- Day trip to Cork
- Two-day trip to Aran Islands
- Three-day trip to Dublin or Belfast
- Three-day stopover in London (AIFS flight package)
- Extra-curricular university activities, such as sports, chorus, theater and dance
Housing
- Estimated housing fee is $3,100
- Student Village townhouses; one or two U.S. students share with six or seven Irish or other international students. Single rooms and shared kitchen, living room and bathroom facilities.
- $800 meal allowance is included; cooking facilities in each housing unit
- Housing during independent travel is not included
Transportation
- Students can arrange their own flights, or purchase the flight package through AIFS.
- The AIFS flight package includes a two-day trip to London before the program begins. Students will then take a group flight to Ireland, and transfer by bus to Limerick.
For more information, please contact:
Joseph Heininger
Limerick Faculty Director