Commuting Daily commuting using the city's extensive public transportation system is a reality for all who live in or near Dublin. Housing is in Dublin City Center; nearby major transportation stops. Housing is about a 45-minute walk or a 25-minute bus or LUAS ride to the IES Abroad Center depending on the locations of your classes, internships, or other daily responsibilities. Public Transportation Once you have learned to embrace the differences inherent in the Irish system, you will be well on your way to mastering the art of getting around on public transport within Dublin and Ireland! A...

Dublin weather varies all year round. It can be cold and rainy in late fall and early spring. Rainwear is a must and umbrellas are always useful. Permanent press clothing will have innumerable advantages, particularly when traveling. You will find that the usual campus clothing in the United States is quite acceptable in Dublin, although we recommend wearing jeans rather than sweatpants.

Electricity in Ireland operates at 240 volts (as opposed to 110 volts in the United States), which means you may need a transformer (USD$30 - USD$40) and an adapter in order to use electrical items purchased in the United States. DO NOT bring items such as hair dryers or straighteners, as these items will blow a fuse and can, instead, be purchased inexpensively in Dublin. Remember that an adapter does not transform the voltage. It only changes the shape of the plug. We urge you to conduct some research on adaptors, converters, and transformers for Ireland to find out what you need before you...

Mail Students are able to receive letter-sized mail to their assigned housing address. If you are shipping a debit or credit card, we recommend that you disguise it as regular mail (i.e., put it in a birthday card or use a cardboard FedEx or UPS envelope). IES Abroad cannot accept any packages on your behalf before you arrive in London, or after you leave London. We urge family and friends not to ship any packages to you while you are abroad. However, if necessary, packages should be sent to your housing address after you have confirmed with your housing provider that you can receive packages...

Student Union Located in the University building in Northampton Square, the Students’ Union at City, University of London is an important resource for international students. The Union is home to City’s more than 40 clubs and societies, the University magazine, and a range of student services including the Student Advice Centre, which provides confidential advice on financial, housing, and legal issues. The University building also houses the university library, computer labs, and lecture halls. Faith City’s chaplaincy service seeks to cater to students of all faiths. The local community...

All costs below are shown in GBP ( £ ). Food & Drink Groceries per week, if you cook every meal at home 60-80 Breakfast at a restaurant 10-15 Lunch at a restaurant 15-20 Dinner at a restaurant 20-30 Soft drink 2-3 Coffee 3-5 Housing Linens (if not included in housing option) 20-30 Toiletries per week 3-10 Laundry per week 3-6 (wash), 2-4 (dry) Social Activity & Entertainment Movie 12-18 Theater performance 5-85 (lower captures Globe standing tickets) Museum entry fee Free (most museums; some exhibitions within the museums may carry charges) Fitness club membership per week 10-30 (included with...

Currency The currency of the United Kingdom is the pound sterling (£). The pound functions similarly to the US dollar in that it is subdivided into 100 units (pence). All money up to and including £2 is in coin. A common slang term you will probably hear in place of pound is quid. We recommend bringing a chip-and-PIN credit card which is common in Europe. You can read more about this type of card on the US News & World Report website. Handling Money Abroad Using cash in the UK is increasingly hard to use and some establishments are expressly cashless. You do not need to convert any USD to...

Commuting Daily commuting using the city's extensive public transportation system is a reality for all who live in or near London. Commuting time may take up to 45 minutes to the IES Abroad Center depending on the locations of your classes, internships, or other daily responsibilities. Public Transportation Oyster Photocard For travel to classes and around London you will need to use public transportation. The Oyster card is a ‘smartcard’ to which you can add a weekly or monthly ticket or top up with ‘pay as you go’ credit. It can be used on the tube, trams, buses, Docklands Light Railway...

The climate of London is usually temperate, neither excessively hot nor extremely cold. The weather is, however, changeable, damp, and often rainy. While each room has its own thermostat, you will find that the British are accustomed to considerably lower indoor temperatures during the winter than you may be. Therefore, sweaters, warm clothes, flannel pajamas, and a heavy outer coat as well as hat, gloves, and scarf are very practical items. Rainwear is a must during the entire year and umbrellas are always useful. Don’t forget to bring comfortable walking shoes! If you plan to visit the...