Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Trinity Menu Trinity Search



You are here Study Abroad & Exchange > Outbound > Returning from Abroad

Returning to Trinity

Photo of campanile and front square
Photo of student riding on bicycle through campus

Re-adjusting to Trinity

It’s not unusual for students to find it tricky to settle back into life in Ireland and Trinity after first returning from abroad. You have grown so much over the last year, while things at home might seem to have stayed the same. You may miss the independence, the daily newness, the diversity of life and all the good friends you made. You may be happy to be home with your family and friends, and yet, at the same time, feel strange or even out of place. Give it time. Remember how it took a while to settle in during your first few weeks abroad. Allow yourself time to readapt to life at home as who you are now, while holding on to your experience of a lifetime.

Remember also that Student to Student (S2S), Trinity’s peer support service, and the Student Counselling Services team are always there for you – so please reach out!

Sharing your Experience

Get in touch with the Study Abroad team. We’d be delighted to have you talk to current students preparing themselves for their own year abroad experience! Who knows, there might even be free pizza available for volunteers helping out…

Your experience and understanding of student life in a new country is hugely valuable to other students. If you hadn’t signed up to be a student blogger while you were abroad, sign up now and write a testimonial on our student blog about your experience.

We are always looking for student ambassadors to speak about their time abroad, whether at an information session or via email to prospective students. If you would like to give some time to volunteering to our Returning Ambassador programme, we would much appreciate it. Get in touch with the Study Abroad and Exchange team at study.abroad@tcd.ie to find out more about getting involved.

You have a lot to offer international students at Trinity. Join other students who have returned from overseas’ study and become active with the International Students' Society (DUISS) which organises functions and outings for newly arrived Erasmus and Visiting students here at Trinity. The International Students' Society can be contacted on iss@csc.tcd.ie

Maximise your Employability

Check in with the Careers Advisory Service when you get back to Dublin. Students who study abroad are uniquely placed to succeed in multicultural and international workplaces and are very attractive to future employers, having demonstrated their capacity for independence and self-direction as well as intercultural understanding and communication. The Careers Advisory Service can help you contextualise your experience and present your year abroad achievements to potential employers. And remember to update your LinkedIn!