Travel

Students should read immigration rules carefully as they have changed and become stricter in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic.  

Note that when traveling to Northern Ireland, students from the U.S. must fly directly into Belfast or into another airport in the United Kingdom (e.g. London, Manchester or Glasgow). They must not fly via the Republic of Ireland (Dublin or Shannon), as they will not be cleared through immigration.

General Information

Northern Ireland (Irish: Tuaisceart Éireann) is a part of the United Kingdom and is located in the northeast corner of the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland shares an open border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland. As of 2021, Northern Ireland’s population was 1,903,175, (about the same as the city of Philadelphia) making up around 3% of the UK’s total population.

Belfast is the capital city with a population of about 270,000 people, of whom 60,000 are enrolled in one of the universities located in the city.

There are good transport links into, out of, and around Belfast. Locally, Translink buses and trains provide multiple options for exploring the city and surrounding countryside. Uber and Lyft provide additional options. Belfast has two airports, Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport, that can connect you to many cities throughout Europe including Amsterdam, Edinburg, London, Paris, Rome, and Krakow. There is also an airport in County Derry, and there are excellent sea links to the UK and Europe.

Money Matters

The currency in Belfast is the British Pound (sterling) (GBP), with one hundred pence (p) to each pound. Notes are issued with values of GBP50, GBP20, GBP10 & GBP5; coins with values of GBP2, GBP1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, & 1p. For more detailed information about the British Pound and the conversion of U.S. dollars, visit the UK’s currency website.

Culture

Northern Ireland has a mix of strong, diverse cultures and a rich history. There are many museums and heritage centers throughout the country, including the renowned Ulster Museum near Queens University. The country has played host to the British Open golf tournament and was the setting for the popular HBO series, Game of Thrones. History buffs will also recall that the Belfast shipyard was where the HMS Titanic was built and launched in 1911. The Titanic Quarter houses the Titanic Museum, several upscale hotels, and the SSE Arena, home of the Belfast Giants pro hockey club.

Northern Ireland is also famous for its artists, poets, and thespians. Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney was born in Northern Ireland, as was C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), Liam Neeson, and Kenneth Branagh, to name a few. You will find many opportunities to get involved, from attending theatre productions, to visiting art exhibitions, to attending music festivals. Londonderry was named the “City of Culture for 2013.”