Torn between Uni in Ireland and QUB?

laoiserick

Already posted this in a different forum... but shure anyways :P


Well how are yis?

I know it's a while away yet but I'm doing my leaving next year and I'm trying to get my information about Uni now while I have a bit of time on my hands.

I want to do either Primary School Teaching or a a joint degree in English and French.

I've done a lot of research on all the Irish Universities but now I've started looking into Queen's University Belfast and it looks like a fantastic place to study.

I really just want to know would I be any better off going to college up the North or would I be as well to go to college in the republic?

And anyone attending QUB... What's it like? Would you reccommend it? Is it friendly? Nightlife... Finance.. accomodation? etc. etc.

Thanks

teenagedream

Apply to both and then you can make up your mind this time next year.

Apply through UCAS when you go back to school. You can start working on your personal statment now. Look around and see is there any other Universities in Belfast or elsewhere you'd like to apply to. Scotland don't have fees for irish students as far as I know. Then you'll probably know by March of next year whether you have any offers or not. Apply on the CAO for what courses you want here. And then wait around this time next year and hopefully everything will have gone well and you can have a few options to choose from.

Also, I have an offer as well from QUB and while I don't think I'll get it, it really does seem like a great place to attend. I know for this year the fees are 3,500. And the fees you pay upon entry into the uni stay the same for every year of your course. And another plus (My mother works with one of the professers son's) accomadation can be found for a low cost and the cost of living is generally lower up there.

RMD

If you can afford the fees / accommodation I'd go with QUB. I really wanted to go away to a Uni in a different city / country after my Leaving but I couldn't afford it and none of the other Irish Unis appealed to me. Queen's is a good university with a good name, Belfast is a very interesting city. If you were in a position to go there, I'd definitely do it.

smeal

Belfast!! I know there are fees but there are really flexible ways of paying it back. There is a scheme where you don't have to pay any fees back until you are earning over €25,000. We got a talk from Queens in 6th year and the woman was saying that after you earn 25,000 they'll take like 20euro from your bank account every month which you'll hardly notice. I've been to the open days for both Queens and Uni of Ulster but Queens is fantastic! Its really friendly and I'm hoping to study International Politics:) I live in the south like but I would often go up and stay with friends in Belfast and the nightlife and everything is brilliant! It is also waaaay cheaper to live/shop/travel about/go out in comparison to places like Dublin:) I think my friend pays £40 a week for her house- whereas I have friends in Dublin paying €90 a week for accomodation. There are waaay better student nights too where maybe drinks would be a pound each but saying that, don't just go to Belfast because of the cheap nights out!! Queens is a very prestigious college and would be more recognised in the U.K and the rest of the world. They also have brilliant after uni facilities where people will help you to find a job as they would have great contacts with the rest of Ireland and the U.K. Im really hoping to get Belfast because personally I dunno if i can afford a student life in Dublin!

cairdre

Hi

I don't see how anyone could justify heading to QUB and paying huge fees (yes they come into the UK incl NI from 2012) when registration fees in the Rep are €2k per year. It sounds great now to say that you will only pay £20 per week back but for how many years, and it that £20 capped surely is rises with your income? Will residents of the Rep qualify for the UK loans system? I would take what you were told at that talk with a 'pinch of salt' remember her job was to market and sell QUB to your class :eek: . I think we may be looking at student traffic heading south next year.

Also have you looked at International University ratings recently where exactly is QUB in relation to TCD or UCD? I think you will find that Irish University degrees are extremely well recognized in the UK.:D

If you have wealthy parents by all means head North? if not you may have to stay nearer home.

overshoot

depending on how ya can afford the fees and that. if its 3500 its probably the same cost wise as the republic over the year by the time you take the 2k registration fee and your more expensive housing and stuff into it

smeal

Hmm, I'm sorry but I'm going to disagree on what you just said..

Surely Dublin expenditures (accommodation, other living expenes and travel) more or less adds up to what you would pay for fees in Belfast anyways. I don't mean to burst your bubble on the whole situation, but the 20 pound a month is the minimum you can pay per month. And yes, southern residents qualify for the loans system. You have the choice whether you would want to pay more. You don't have to have rich parents to go to Belfast, its also unfair to say that only rich parents can afford to send their children to the U.K. If your parents earn below the national average then you will have grants to help you out. Also, no harm in getting a part-time job to help pay for the luxuries of going out.

So LaoiseRick, I wouldn't base your decision around finance alone, after all it's your future.

cairdre

Fees for QUB for 2012 have yet to be decided.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/hefunding/FAQsforStudentsTeachersandParents/#d.en.235093

There will be an annoucement in Sept? It really all depends on what level they set these at as to how affordable it will be.