Cork: Information for Parents

Program Director

Renée Harris
Associate Director
Office of International Programs, MH 148
Phone: 410-617-2920
RHarris@loyola.edu

Thank you for your interest in our study abroad programs! The goal of this page is to help you better understand the Cork semester study abroad program and highlight distinguishing features and components that will interest you as a parent. More detailed and updated information are given to your son or daughter in information sessions, academic reviews, workshops, and pre-departure orientations. Once you read this information, we strongly encourage you to discuss this with your son/daughter first. Please know all information is given to the students, and we ask students to share all of this with you.

Sending students abroad is a partnership that includes students, parents, university personnel, and our overseas partners. We realize that you will have questions, and if our website or your son/daughter cannot answer those questions, we will be happy to discuss the study abroad process and program information with you. However, due to the FERPA federal regulation (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act), we will not be able to discuss specific information regarding your son/daughter; however, if your son/daughter is willing to sign a waiver form indicating the specific information to be shared with you, we will be more than happy to discuss specific matters regarding your son/daughter.

We hope you find this information helpful in assisting your son/daughter to accomplish his or her goal of learning, living, and serving abroad. We look forward to working with you and your son/daughter.

Background

Students study at the University College Cork. The University was founded in 1845 and is a part of the National University in Ireland. UCC is Ireland’s premier research university. There are approximately 14,500 students who pursue undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. Over 1,500 international students from 67 countries and all five continents study in UCC. In 2005, 2008, and 2011, University College in Cork was selected as the University of the Year in Ireland. It is a large research university with over 16,000 students and over 1,500 international students. Over the past 10 years, the University College Cork has expanded beyond the gated, rectangular campus to include many buildings which houses academic departments and classrooms in the area of Cork. Students could take courses on the main campus or in buildings owned/rented by the University off campus.

Fall Semester or Spring Semester: Two Different Experiences

This is a fall or spring program for students interested in studying abroad in Cork, Ireland. The fall and spring program are very different. Students should attend information sessions to see which semester will offer them the most in regards to courses, benefits and activities.

Students who study in the fall will participate in a program called early start. It is a month long, pre-term course primarily for American students. Students can choose from one of six early starts to study to learn about Ireland from the perspective of business, music, literature, history, folklore, or archaeology. Once the month-long course ends, students register for courses to complete their full-time load of 30 Irish credits. The early starts provide limited excursions and trips and Loyola provides special dinners and cultural outings.

Students who study in the spring will register for a full-time load of 30 Irish credits, with a month-long break to prepare for finals. During this break, Loyola will provide students with a 3-4 day trip to Rome, special dinners and cultural outings.

Application Requirements

Students must submit a completed, online application by Dec. 1, of their sophomore year. Students will need their advisor’s electronic permission, and if applicable, their coach’s approval and signature to study abroad. All students must declare their major and any intended minors before they submit their study abroad application on-line. Students will be turned down for the Cork program if they have not declared a major. We strongly recommend that students submit any paperwork that involves declaring a major and/or minor or any change of major or minor far in advance of the Dec. 1, deadline, since the above forms have to go to several different departments before it is officially declared.

Criteria for Acceptance

Students must apply to be considered for admission. Typically, sophomores with a cumulative GPA of a 3.00 or higher can be considered for the Cork program. Students with a solid 2.800 (without rounding up) can apply, but all admission into this program is based on the competitive pool of the applicants for that given year. Students accepted into the Cork program must maintain a cumulative GPA of a 2.800 or higher during their last semester before going abroad. In addition, students must be able to find enough courses that will work in their declared degree program and not have a history of serious disciplinary problems or continued small incidents on campus before and after acceptance.

Academics

Students will experience a European-style educational system, very different from Loyola. Students will be expected to enroll in anywhere from four to six courses worth thirty Irish credits for a semester, which is a full-time load at UCC. This is the equivalent of fifteen Loyola credits or five courses. Registration will take once the student arrives abroad; there is no pre-registration. It is recommended that students prepare in advance for their time abroad by having as many course options as possible. Students with double majors or students with majors and minors may have difficulty finding enough course options for abroad. If students still choose to study abroad under these circumstances, parents need to be aware their son or daughter may have to take summer courses and/or sixth courses to keep them on track for graduation.

As part of the process, we ask students to meet with their major advisor or department chair to discuss their study abroad plans. This is extremely helpful, because students can get recommendations on how to schedule major or minor courses at Loyola based on what is may be offered abroad, or indicate any potential problems missed by the student.

Students take a variety of courses, from Irish Folklore to Political Ethics, and within a variety of classroom styles (lectures, discussion groups, seminars). Most courses only have one examination to assess a student’s knowledge of the material, which the final grade of the course will be based solely upon. Students need to keep up their readings and prepare accordingly throughout the semester, and not wait to cram their studying at the end of the term. Some courses will be assessed on a project/mid-term, and/or a final examination.

Students cannot request to have their final examinations moved to another date. Students are expected to take their examinations on the scheduled dates. The final examination process is a very formal one and will be explained in detail during the on-site orientation. Since we do not have the examination dates in advance, students who finish their exams early can change their return ticket portion only to come back early if they desire. However, students must have completed all of the final examinations and class assignments before changing any airline tickets. Students/parents are responsible for any ticket changes.

Length of Stay

The fall semester begins with the early start program, departing in mid-August, and the university courses commencing in mid-September. The program ends in late December, before Christmas.

The spring semester begins in early January, with a month-long break around Easter. The program ends in late May or early June. Students studying in the spring have been known to depart on New Year’s Day depending on when the university opens.

Housing

Students stay in a non-university owned apartment complex called Leeside Apartments. It is about a 15- 20 minute walk from the university. It is 10 minutes from the city center, where students can find restaurants, churches, pubs, a movie theater, a mall, an English Market, and many other exciting things. Leeside is a shared apartment complex, with a shared kitchen, living room, bathroom, and possibly bedroom. The apartments are intermixed with other graduate or undergraduate international or American students. All apartments are furnished. Bedding is not included.

Meals

Meals are not included on this program. Students cook their own meals in fully furnished kitchens in the apartments. This is one way to cut down on costs abroad. There are supermarkets in the area and an English Market to get fresh produce and meats. Two special dinners for the group will be provided at the beginning and at the end of the semester. Eating out can get expensive. There are inexpensive pubs, local hang-outs where students can buy inexpensive meals. If eating out at restaurants, we advise students to check with the waiter or waitress before ordering if they accept major credit cards. Some places may not accept credit cards, only cash.

Costs and Benefits

Students/parents pay to Loyola the following charges:

Loyola tuition;
Loyola housing charge;
Reduced comprehensive fee;
Program fee; and
Study abroad deposit to hold your place in the program.

Students receive the following benefits on the Cork program:

Tuition fees covered at UCC;
Shared housing at Leeside Apartments;
Limited trips through Early Start Program (fall only) and limited cultural excursions;;
1 - 3 day trip/limited cultural excursions in the spring program
Special dinners;
Round-trip airline ticket from the United States to Ireland and Ireland to the United States;
Official airport pick-up and drop-off;
Orientation on campus and abroad;
3-4 day trip (spring only);
Enrollment in student travel plan;
Guide fees, entrance fees, and motor coach expenses;
Pre-departure orientation; and
Services provided by part-time director on-site.

Items not included in the Loyola charges but should be budgeted for:

*required

*Meals (past students suggest budgeting $1,500–$2,500);
*Passport;
Bedding packages;
*Immigration fee (to enter and stay in Ireland);
cell phones and other communication expenses;
Medical and dental check-ups (immunizations up to date);
*Start-up costs (bedding, cleaning supplies, etc.);
*Health insurance (if you do not have a health plan that is valid abroad);
Travel to and from the departure city/airport (United States);
Personal travel (hostels, hotels, airline or rail tickets, food, etc.); and
Bike rentals (optional and most students do not purchase).

Unexpected items:

(These items do not normally occur but could happen depending on the student and unforeseen circumstances:)

Airline ticket change (student wants to come home early);
A hotel stay abroad for an emergency (snow storm or flight cancellation);
Lost keys or room damage;
Illness (payment of services rendered expected at the time of service); and
Summer school (student is behind in their degree program or a course is not offered abroad).

Money Matters

This is a Loyola sponsored study abroad program. This means that Loyola financial aid (academic scholarships, grants and other controlled sources of aid, with the exception of college work study), may be used to help with educational expenses. Students on athletic scholarships should consult the athletic department to see if this aid can be used abroad. Parents should contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss your financial aid package and how it works with study abroad. Conversations should be made with them before your son/daughter submits the study abroad deposit to Loyola.

Students can easily use both American credit cards (MasterCard and Visa mostly) and American ATM cards to pay for goods and services in Ireland. This is especially useful for visits to the hospital and payments for air travel. Make sure your child contacts their bank and credit card company prior to their departure in order to let them know he/she will be in Ireland for a specific period of time. It is also good to let the banks know if your child traveling outside of Ireland, too, so their card will not be deactivated.

There is a Bank of Ireland located on the campus of UCC. Students can open an account at the Bank of Ireland if they so choose. It is a good idea to check with your bank in the US to see if they have any affiliation with the Bank of Ireland or any other Irish bank. This may cut down on ATM/Debit card user fees. Past students recommend that students take out enough cash to last a few weeks. This cuts down on withdrawing monies every week and thus incurring bank fees.

Students reported spending anywhere from $2800-$9,000 during a semester. These funds are primarily used for travel, meals, and entertainment. The exchange rate and other factors can affect spending amounts.

Documents for Abroad

Currently, the following documents are required to travel and study in Ireland:

Valid, signed passport (with 6 months left after the program end date);
Immigration card (obtained in Ireland);
Letter from health insurance company verifying health coverage that is valid abroad;
Official letter of acceptance from UCC;
Letter of support from Loyola University Maryland; and
No visa – currently, American citizens do not need a student visa–subject to change.

Health Insurance and Health Care

We recommend that you contact your health insurance company in advance to check on overseas coverage. Loyola University Maryland will need a letter from your health insurance company verifying your child has valid health care coverage for abroad, and that it includes hospitalization and accident coverage. Your student will need to take the original letter from the insurance company to Ireland to show immigration officials and a copy must be submitted to the office of international programs.

Before going abroad, students should make sure their immunizations are up to date before departing overseas. You can consult the CDC website or Loyola Student’s Health Center to determine what immunizations are required to study in Europe. In some cases, health care providers abroad may make recommendations to students to obtain additional shots after arriving in Ireland, like the Hepatitis C shot. There could be different strands of diseases found abroad than in the United States. In cases like this, it is usually left up to the student and his/her parents/guardian as to whether or not you want your child to receive any additional immunizations abroad.

Shipping medications is not recommended. We suggested that you obtain from your doctor and pharmacist enough medication(s) to last for the duration of the program. In addition, we also recommend bringing the name, dosage, and the breakdown of the medication just in case the student needs to purchase a particular medication(s) while abroad. This information should be noted on a doctor’s stationery or prescription pad.

Keep in mind certain medications considered legal in the United States may be deems illegal abroad. This should be discussed way in advance of departure so that other arrangements can be discussed in the event your son/daughter will not be able to take or obtain a certain medication(s) abroad. In addition, allergy shots and flu shots are not automatically provided to our students.

For allergy shots, students who will need to continue their allergy routine while abroad must get a letter from their doctor with the name and dosage of the allergy serum, and further details on the illness as to why the shots need to be administered abroad. UCC cannot guarantee that the Health Center there will be able to administer the allergy shot, as there may be licensing issues.

On the matter, flu shots are only administered to those people deemed most at risk for health problems, like the elderly or small children, in Ireland. As a result, flu shots are not readily available to all citizens of Ireland for the routine purpose of prevention. Therefore, American students who need to obtain flu shots abroad need a letter from their doctor explaining why it is medically necessary for the students to receive the shot abroad. This must be taken abroad and shown to the doctor at the Health Center at UCC.

Travel to and from Ireland

Group flights are arranged for students traveling to Cork. Student departures have been from either Newark International Airport or JFK International Airport. Two main carriers used are either Aer Lingus from JFK or United from Newark. Students fly from the either Newark or JFK to Shannon International Airport where a motor coach with the director, Mary Breen, will take them to Leeside Apartments in Cork. The ride is about 2 ½-3 hour ride. Once the departure city is determined, information on carry-ons, luggage amount,s and restrictions will be given to the student. Here are the links for Aer Lingus and United Airlines. Information on carry-ons and baggage is subject to change. We encourage students to review the airline carrier’s website information on a monthly basis due to the many changes airlines make.

Due to registration taking place abroad, we do not know in advance when each student’s last final examination will be. If students want to change their return ticket only, they will have to contact Frosch Travel, not the office of international programs, to facilitate the change.

On-Site Support

UCC is a full university with very similar departments and offices like Loyola. There are the Disabilities and Support Services Office, Student Health Office, Student Counselling and Development Office, Support Officer for International Students, and an International Education Office just to name a few on-site support services.

In addition, our part-time director will help students get acclimated to their new surroundings and direct them to the appropriate personnel or office that can assist them with any questions they may have. Visit the UCC website for more information on academic services, practical life and services for students.

When reviewing the above information, please note that certain services and accommodations provided by Loyola may not be available abroad, or services or accommodations provided abroad may not be provided in the same manner or exactly the same way as Loyola. Please encourage your son or daughter to contact our office early in the process to find out more detailed information or to get in contact with the appropriate department at UCC.

Arrival and Contact Information

Students will be picked up by motor coach with the part-time director and taken to their accommodations. The director will let students contact their parents when they first arrive to let you know they have arrived safely abroad. Please understand it may take a few days for students to get established, obtain cell phones (if purchasing them abroad), and recover from jet lag. Also, the director has scheduled welcoming dinners and events during the first couple of days.

Renée Harris–Baltimore
Loyola University Maryland
Office of International Programs
410-617-2910 or 2920;
rharris@loyola.edu
Part-time Director Abroad

Mary Breen–Department of English
University College Cork
O’Rahilly Building
Cork, IRELAND
011-353-866-066441 (cell)
m.breen@ucc.ie

Josephine Corbett
Leeside Apartments
Reception
Bachelors Quay
Cork,IRELAND
011-353-21-427-1175
Josephine@leesideapts.com

International Education Office

Karen McSweeney
Victoria Pearson
University College Cork
Roseleigh
Cork, IRELAND
011-353-21-490-4727 (Karen McSweeney)
011-353-21-490-4734 (Victoria Pearson)
k.mcsweeney@ucc.ie; v.pearson@ucc.ie