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Located at the heart of Ireland, in Westmeath County, Athlone is one of the country’s main towns. With 20,000 residents, a higher education institute rich of 6,000 students every year, and a historic town centre, Athlone is a popular student place. Midway between Dublin and Galway, Athlone is easily accessible thanks to the trains and buses serving the town.
Athlone possess the main college in central Ireland: the Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). This institute welcomes 6,000 students every year, including a large proportion of foreign students. AIT is a reputed institution with excellent courses. In addition, this college is very friendly and students feel comfortable from the first days.
AIT offers numerous courses ranging from 1st year to Master’s degree. The fields of study are broad and varied: Commerce, Tourism, Sciences, Health, Sport, Engineering and Computer Science in particular.
The Athlone Institute of Technology is renowned for sport and has great facilities including several pitches used for football and Gaelic sports. Moreover, at the beginning of 2013, the institute inaugurated the AIT International Arena: a next-generation athletics indoor arena of nearly 10,000 m² that can hosts 2,000 spectators. In the new building, you can also find the AIT’s new gym which is accessible to students and non-students.
The website of Athlone Institute of Technology is:
To better understand the higher education system in Ireland, you can read our article on this topic:
Studying in Ireland: a guide to understand the higher education system
Located 1½ hours by bus from Dublin Airport, Athlone is easily accessible from almost all Irish territory. It is a nice town very appreciated by Irish and foreign students.
With its many shops and two shopping centres, Athlone is a town famous for shopping. Many people outside the town come on weekends to shop. Athlone also has a wide choice of restaurants and fast foods for all tastes and budgets.
Its typical Irish town centre is one of the main highlights. Cut in half by the Shannon River and its Bridge (Town Bridge), the centre of Athlone is filled with history. The recently renovated historic castle (Athlone Castle) is the major tourist attraction of the city. Ss Peter & Pauls Church, located opposite the castle, is also a place to visit.
On sunny days (YES, there is some sun in Ireland 😉 ) Coosan Point is very popular. Located alongside Lough Ree (one of Ireland’s largest lakes), it has a small beach and it is possible to swim when the temperature makes it possible. Coosan Point is also appreciated for a picnic or just walking around.
The size of Athlone makes it easy to reach the points of interest of the town wherever you live. However, the vast majority of students are looking for accommodation around the Institute of Technology. There are three student villages near the college: WellMount (located between AIT and town centre), Croi Oige and Glen Abhainn (just opposite AIT). Many students choose to share a house in the neighbourhoods around the college: Cypress Gardens, Valley Court and Willow Park in particular. This type of accommodation may be less expensive than rooms in student villages but you must be careful when you pick your home… Some may be of very poor standing (especially Willow Park …). Some students choose to stay in the town centre. Rents are lower than in main Irish cities but are still much higher than those around the college. In addition, it tends to be very difficult to find an accommodation in the centre of Athlone.
In order to choose your student accommodation, we recommend our article about this topic:
Student accommodations in Ireland: a guide to house hunting
Now is time to deal with the topic that students in Ireland are the most interested in (yes, do not deny it 😎 ) :
♥ The Nightlife ♥
If you are afraid of getting bored in Athlone, do not worry !
Despite having a population of only 20,000, Athlone still has 64 pubs and 2 nightclubs; enough to spend your nights out. It should be noted that the oldest pub in Ireland is in Athlone: Sean’s Bar. Created around the year 900, it is very popular with locals and tourists. The town is still less busy than the main cities of the country like Dublin, Galway or Cork. The main student night is Wednesday. Saturday is the other big night of the week (like everywhere in the world …). It is also possible to spend very good nights out on Sundays; if you know where to go. Moreover, the main nightclub offers discounted prices this day (in general, all drinks for € 3 :-o).
Despite having a smaller area and less tourist attractions than big Irish cities, Athlone is a very good place to study. The friendliness and quality of education at Athlone Institute of Technology added to the charm of the city and its nightlife make it a popular town for students.
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