For those full-time undergraduate students who hail from outside the European Union, the Trinity Smart-Start Programme may be a familiar name. For those who are unfamiliar with the Programme, this excerpt from the official TCD website may help:

“The Trinity Smart-Start Programme is a week-long programme designed specifically for new international undergraduate students. The programme begins one week before Freshers’ Week…

In addition to its core lecture series—College, City and Country—the Smart-Start Programme includes a tour of Trinity’s historic city-centre campus, an introduction to our library services, and seminars…

You will also go on field trips to sites of major cultural and historical importance both in Dublin and outside the city, such as the medieval monastic site at Glendalough… 

Participation in the Trinity Smart-Start Programme incurs an additional cost of €400.”

No matter how prepared you might be, moving to a new city inevitably comes with various challenges. The question is this: does Trinity’s Smart-Start Programme help overcome these obstacles? Is it worth the €400 price tag? Can it really help you “understand” Ireland?

Misc. spoke to a small group of second- and third- years who went through the Smart-Start Programme in 2021/22. Having now spent some time in Dublin, we asked them what the programme was like, and whether they found it beneficial.

According to the interviewees, there were around two-hundred people enrolled in the Smart-Start programme. The programme itself consists of three lectures in the Arts Block (“Trinity and its Treasures,” “Dublin through the Ages,” and  “Ireland and the Irish”); a tour of campus; a tour of Dublin (by no means all-encompassing– this tour excludes, for example, important destinations such as the Ilac Centre, or Saray Kebab House just across the street); and a few different trips and activities.

“While the experience wasn’t technically negative,” began Phoebe Olkkola, a second-year, “it didn’t provide the ‘understanding Ireland’ experience that it promised.” Phoebe went on to criticise the limited demographics of Smart-Start participants: “Instead of helping me with understanding Ireland, it just pushed me to make friends with the other Americans in the program.”

This sentiment was echoed by Cam Begley, a current third year. “[Smart Start] did create a sense of disconnection between the Irish and International kids at first, since my first friends at college were all American.”

The domination of American students over other demographics within the Smart-Start program makes sense after reading the ‘Eligibility’ subheading on the TCD website:

“All non-EU full-degree undergraduate students entering Trinity for the first time are eligible to attend.”

Also included on this website is a single testimony from a past student. In 2014, then-first-year Keelin Shaughnessy (an American) is alleged to have stated: 

“Not only did I get a chance to learn about the unique history and culture of Ireland, but I was also able to talk to other students coming from similar backgrounds.”

The situation does not appear to have changed much in the nine years since Shaughnessy’s orientation: American students talking to students from similar backgrounds (America – or Canada, which is similar enough).

Though the exact number of American students at Trinity is difficult to pin down, it is not unreasonable to assume that most international students who come from outside the European Union are American. Also not unreasonable is the eagerness with which Trinity markets towards potential American applicants; the College can charge Americans at much higher rates for tuition and accommodation (not to mention an extra €400 for American-centric orientation programmes). Thus, it makes sense that the Smart-Start experience largely serves American students.

Allegations of American-centrism aside, Smart-Start has, of course, had some positive reviews. For starters, there’s Ms. Shaughnessy’s testimony from the TCD website. Additionally, the general consensus amongst the students seemed to be that American friends are better than no friends, especially going into Fresher’s Week. In the words of 2nd-year Tallulah Whaley, “the friends I made from Smart-Start helped me gain my footing. It’s easier to meet new people when you’re already in a group.”

Other than the opportunity to socialise, Smart-Start offers practical benefits as well. Marin Henley, another 2nd-year, said that the programme was “a good way to get to know Dublin before classes started. The tours around the city and around campus helped me learn a little bit about Ireland before jumping into lectures.” Besides these tours, other activities – such as a trip to the EPIC Museum, or a hike at Glendalough – provide further opportunities to learn and meet others. 

If you’re eligible for the Smart-Start Programme, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re an American student. If you don’t mind being surrounded predominantly by your countrymen (for lack of a better, un-gendered word), this could be a useful opportunity to make some friends ahead of Freshers’ Week, as club nights and Pav Fridays are no fun (nightmarish, even) when you’re alone. You might also derive some benefit from the lecture series, or the tours and activities. The only costs are the €400 price of admission, and a week of your time– but please, weigh these against each other on your own time.