When choosing your school there are three thing that is the most important when deciding:
1. Budget
2. Where in Ireland
3. Type of English Course
Budget
There is a huge range of prices in Ireland, ragging from very cheap to high end prices. One thing that never fails is to remember if looks too good to be true, it probably is. Price is one of the indicators of the quality of the school.
The price for a good quality school is between 150 to 200 per week depending on the length of your course.
Where in Ireland
Big city or small town?
Dublin
First of all, even though Dublin is an European capital city and the biggest city in Ireland, it still has a welcoming charm and cozy feeling. Cost of living is more expensive but it offers the best nightlife and most opportunities for part time work. Because there's over 100,000 students in Dublin, there are plenty of bars, restaurants, nightclubs and stores catering for the student budget.
Galway
Galway is the 4th largest city in Ireland and has a population of 700k people so it's size allows you to walk everywhere. It is without a doubt one of the best cities in the country for its charm and the warmth of its people, this is why almost a quarter of the population are students. Accommodation is perfect for students, as are the bars and restaurants.
The best thing about Galway is without doubt the scenery. It's border with the Atlantic Sea and this offers views that are not found anywhere else. So it's great for hiking and having an weekend break.
But, there is more to it, right?
Unfortunately, you might not find all the the useful information like accreditation, quality rank or school environment on the school's website so you can reach out to all the schools you're interested in.
In most cases, schools work with agencies that have visited them and know what type of student is happier there and you can use their experience and their personal connections with the schools to make sure you have the information you need to make the right choice.
To help you in your journey, I have prepared a guide to Schools in Dublin, Galway and Cork.
