TY
TRIPS AND EXCHANGES
Transition Year at St. Michael's College offers a variety of enriching trips and international exchanges designed to broaden student horizons, foster personal growth and provide unique learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom.
In addition to these longer trips and exchanges, the TY programme includes various day trips, workshops and guest speaker events throughout the year, covering a wide range of subjects and interests.
1
TY Bonding Trip – Killary Adventure Centre, Co. Galway
Held early in the academic year, this two-night residential trip focuses on initiating the year through a range of outdoor activities and challenges. It also incorporates the Gaisce Adventure Journey, a required element of the President's Award.
2
Immersion Experience – Dar es Salaam/Arusha, Tanzania
Rooted in the Spiritan value of service and a global vision, this cultural exchange offers students a powerful opportunity to engage with communities connected to the Spiritan Mission, fostering empathy, global awareness and understanding of social justice through peer engagement, community projects and fundraising efforts.
3
Camino Pilgrimage
A reflective and physically challenging trip involving walking part of the Camino de Santiago, promoting teamwork, resilience and a sense of achievement through shared experience and personal growth.
4
Boston Cultural Exchange with St. Sebastian’s School, Massachusetts
This exchange provides students with an opportunity to attend classes and experience school life in the U.S., involving reciprocal hosting periods to foster transatlantic friendship, cultural understanding and academic exchange with an emphasis on family involvement.
5
South Africa Cultural Exchange with St. Alban’s College, Pretoria
A cultural and educational exchange allowing students to experience South African school life, sports and local heritage through attending classes, boarding as well as staying with host families, reciprocated by hosting South African students in Dublin
6
Tall Ship Marine Science Voyage – Pelican of London
A hands-on adventure combining marine science and tall ship sailing, where students join a working crew, learn navigation and conduct oceanographic experiments, ideal for those interested in environmental science and fostering a sense of global responsibility.
7
Area 47, Tyrol, Austria
A five-day outdoor adventure in the Austrian Alps featuring activities like white-water rafting, canyoning, and high ropes courses, designed to promote confidence, resilience, and camaraderie in an outdoor setting
8
German Language Exchange – Regensburg, Germany
Students are hosted by local families, attend classes at a partner school, and participate in cultural excursions to enhance their spoken German and deepen their appreciation of German life, with a reciprocal visit from German students.
Application and Selection Process
Participation in many of the TY international and overnight trips is highly sought after and may have limited capacity. The selection process is designed to be fair and transparent, mirroring systems like the CAO for college applications.
1.
Expression of Interest: Students typically express their interest by completing an online form, where they rank their preferences for the available trips.
2.
Selection Criteria: Students are selected based on a combination of criteria, including attendance, behaviour and active participation in Transition Year activities. Consistent punctuality and positive conduct are essential.
Classroom effort, personal responsibility, teamwork, interest in the trip, previous participation in significant school opportunities and teacher recommendations may also be considered.
These criteria are part of a co-created points system developed in collaboration with student representatives to ensure fairness, transparency and shared ownership in the selection process.
3.
Phased Offers: Trip offers are typically made in phases, starting with destinations that attract the highest demand, such as Tanzania. These are followed by other trips, including Boston, Austria, the Camino, and Sailing. Students are first considered for their top-ranked preference. If no place is available, they are then considered for their next preference, and so on, until a placement is secured within their ranked choices and the available capacity. In cases where students have similar rankings for a limited number of spots, a draw may be used to allocate places.
4.
Conditional Offers: All trip offers are conditional and require students to maintain high standards of behaviour, attendance and punctuality throughout the year. Failure to do so may result in withdrawal from the trip.
5.
Opt-Out and Waitlist: Students may have the option to opt out of lower-preference trips if they do not receive their first choice. A waitlist may also be available for their first preference if a spot becomes available.
6.
Hosting Requirements: For exchange programmes involving hosting, families are a vital part of the experience. This includes providing accommodation and meals and completing the Garda Vetting process for all household members aged 18 and over to ensure compliance with national safeguarding regulations.
7.
Costs: Parents are generally responsible for covering the costs of international and overnight trips, typically paid directly to the travel operator, with the exception of the Killary Trip which is paid for through the school's e-payment system. Support may be available for students on the school’s Bursary Programme in exceptional circumstances.
STMC Educational School Tours/ Trips and Extra-curricular Sporting Activities Policy can be downloaded HERE