Niall O'Donoghue

Belfast is Northern Ireland’s capital city, with a population of over 600,000. Though it has always been a prominent hub for industry and trade in the past, today the city has transformed into one of the UK’s leading student cities known for its buzzing nightlife, great universities, and low cost of living.   Known as the city where the Titanic was built, Belfast has a long history of ups and downs over the years which visitors can explore through the

Cork is the second-largest city in the country, and its residents often claim to live in the ‘true’ capital of Ireland! This popular university town is well-known for its exciting food scene, affordable cost of living and vibrant nightlife.    With the River Lee cutting through it in multiple waterways, Cork is a beautiful city with a historic centre filled with castles, forts, cathedrals and forgotten corners.   Despite a

There are several reasons you might call Galway the jewel of Ireland. Firstly, it sits at the centre of the wild, rugged west coast, which crowns the country and reaches out into the Atlantic Ocean. Second, it’s small – but packed with history, culture, and beauty. Lastly, it crystallises everything there is to love about Ireland, attracting visitors from all over the world who come to enjoy the food, music and people that make the country what it is.  

Palmerston North is a meeting point for many things. It’s located on the boundaries of the Rangitikei and Horowhenua regions. It's also a central point in the KiwiRail network, between Auckland in the north and Wellington in the south. This location at the heart of North Island allows ‘Palmy’ to thrive as a centre for learning, transport, production, and an excellent base for travel around the country.   The city is particularly known for Massey

Auckland is the cultural and economic heart of New Zealand, with its community of over 1.6 million people accounting for almost a third of the country’s population. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the world in terms of quality of life, with the  2017 Mercer Quality of Living Survey  placing it in the top three globally.    The  QS Best Student Cities 2022  report ranks Auckland as the 31st best

Hamilton is the fourth biggest city in New Zealand and the largest inland city in the country. This unique city sits at the heart of North Island and offers its residents unparalleled access to everything the region has to offer.   This hidden gem of a city is often be overlooked due to its neighbour Auckland, just a couple of hours away. It’s a fantastic city for international students, however, and you’ll quickly find that this under-appreciated

Christchurch is the biggest city on the South Island and is known for its strong English heritage. Despite the impact of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, the city remains a thriving hub for education, business, and the arts. If anything, the challenges its population have overcome are further fuel for its world-famous spirit of resilience and determination.   Christchurch continues to push forward with an incredible programme of rebuilding and

Dunedin is a city on the South Island of New Zealand, famous for being student-friendly and a unique, rich Scottish heritage that goes back generations. It’s home to the country’s oldest university, the University of Otago, which is rated amongst the top one per cent worldwide and brings thousands of students together from around the world.   Dunedin is a highly liveable city, blending a classic New Zealand weatherboard house style with stately

As a modern, compact city sitting on a natural harbour between New Zealand’s two islands, Wellington is the political centre of the country and an unbeatable city for overseas study.   Surrounded by forested hills and national parks, Wellington is a city with a vibrant city centre filled with modern and period architecture alike. In its suburbs, colourful houses with a unique Victorian timber style spread out into the leafy hills.  

Winnipeg is climbing the ranks of the best student cities in Canada, and it’s no surprise to see the city and its welcoming residents getting the appreciation they deserve. With a vibrant international food scene, many green spaces and a packed calendar of incredible festivals and events, Winnipeg is a smaller city with a big heart.   Located in the state of Manitoba, the city’s home province is home to one of the best polar bear and whale watching

Québec City is a place unlike any other in North America. As the only walled city on the continent, it offers visitors and residents an incredible insight into French-Canadian history and a great quality of life. This compact city is ideal for walking around due to its endless cobbled streets and hundreds of stone buildings in a historic European style, which together forms the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town. From royal plazas to quiet back-alley bistros, Québec

Calgary is the biggest city by population in the province of Alberta. Some visitors might overlook Calgary, but they’ll be missing out on a beautiful city that’s known for its powerful economic influence and rich urban culture. Calgary is quickly becoming one of the coolest cities in Canada, with a rapidly growing café and coffee culture, dozens of bars and restaurants springing up every year. There are huge entertainment districts, along with sports venues and

Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the second-largest city behind Calgary. It offers visitors access to some of the best natural landscapes and national parks on the continent, as the Rocky Mountains stretch across the land under a blanket of trees and thick winter snow. It’s not just a winter wonderland, however, as Edmonton also enjoys its status as one of the sunniest cities in the country, with up to 18 hours of daylight in the

Once a large industrial town, Newcastle has reinvented itself in the 21st century to become a haven for surfers, students, and artists. It’s the second oldest city in Australia, and its community takes pride in the city’s continued development as a hub for innovative culture and cuisine.   Though it’s far smaller than nearby Sydney, Newcastle has everything you could want in a student city. With historic architecture, hundreds of days of sun a year,

Wollongong is a city that sits between the ocean and mountains, inhabited for thousands of years and given its original name meaning ‘the sound of the sea’ by the Aboriginal Dharwal people. Though known for its industrial production in the 20th and 21st centuries, today Wollongong is a stylish and cosmopolitan city.    The city’s clean, bustling streets give way to white sandy beaches and perfect surf waves, while inland rainforest-covered

Gold Coast is a city on the east coast of Australia known for its golden beaches, silver skyscrapers and the great waves in Surfer’s Paradise, its most famous neighbourhood.   It’s no surprise that it’s become a popular destination for international students. When you aren’t going to class at one of its excellent universities, you might find yourself anywhere from a hip cafe to one of many pumping nightclubs if you’re not surfing!  

Canberra is the capital city of Australia, and the capital of its own state, the Australian Capital Territory. This city has sometimes been overlooked in favour of larger cities due to its relatively small population. However, Canberra is putting itself on the map for the student experience.   With a population of less than half a million, the city punches above its weight with a great reputation for world-class dining, unique cultural experiences,

Sydney is often mistaken for the capital of Australia, and for good reason! This bustling metropolis is the largest city in the country and is home to iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. It has established itself as a hub for commerce and tech innovation and continues to be one of the largest and most important seaports in the South Pacific region.   Sydney’s cultural diversity is the foundation of its cosmopolitan buzz,

As Canada's capital city, it’s no surprise that Ottawa is filled with the best parts of Canadian culture. It’s a magnet for skilled academics, professionals, and students from around the world. The city is highly bilingual due to its location on the borders between English-speaking Ontario and French-speaking Quebec, enjoying easy access to major cities like Montreal and Toronto on either side. It’s recommended that you investigate learning some French before

Dublin is Ireland's capital city and has been its economic, cultural, and historic centre for hundreds of years. This community of over half a million people is located within a wide, sweeping bay facing out into the Irish Sea and the British Isles beyond. The city has a rich history of trade, conflict, and cultural innovation to explore.   Dublin is a small capital city with an outsized reputation that stretches around the globe. As a result, it’s

Adelaide, the state capital of South Australia, is famous for having the highest quality of life and lowest cost of living among all the nation’s capital cities. Carefully laid out and surrounded by lush parklands, it’s easy to see why many think of Adelaide as a paradise.   With a population of around 1.2 million, the city has plenty for you to see and do while keeping its warm and welcoming community spirit.    Adelaide enjoys

As the state capital of Western Australia, Perth is known as being the most isolated city on the planet. This doesn’t stop it from being a fantastic student city. The incredible natural environments surrounding the city and a warm, welcoming community make it an increasingly popular place to study.   With a population of nearly two million people, Perth has built a reputation for academic excellence and attracts around 40,000 international students