Rooted in AMU. Shaped by Ireland.
Applications are Being Accepted
Ave Maria University students are invited to step into a fully integrated academic experience at Mount Melleray Abbey, a historic Cistercian monastery.
Life at the Abbey campus is selective, welcoming students who are academically prepared, personally responsible, and ready for a transformational semester of prayer, study, work, and adventure.
Watch: Life at Mount Melleray Abbey
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Overview
The Ireland Study Abroad Program situated on the 600 acre campus of Mount Melleray Abbey offers students a fully integrated Ave Maria University experience rooted in Ireland's rich Catholic heritage. Designed as a semester-long experience, the program combines rigorous academics, intentional spiritual formation, and immersive cultural experiences—all while keeping students on track for graduation. Set within a historic Cistercian monastery, the Abbey invites students into a rhythm of study, prayer, and community life that is deeply formative.
Mount Melleray is an off-campus, study-abroad instructional site of Ave Maria University, operating under the University's academic accreditation and administered by the Florida campus through its own faculty.
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Life at Mount Melleray Abbey
Life at Mount Melleray Abbey is intentionally simple—and surprisingly full. You'll live and learn in a place built for community: a campus where your dorm, classrooms, chapel, dining hall, library, and faculty and staff are all within the monastery grounds. Days carry a steady rhythm of prayer, coursework, meals, and time outdoors—giving you the structure to grow and the space to breathe.
Between classes, students gather in common areas, walk the grounds, explore the working farm, study in quiet corners of the abbey, and share meals together. And when the weekend comes? You can travel throughout Europe or explore the riches of Ireland.
Residential Community
Residential life in a close-knit community with on-site dorms, classrooms, and shared spaces.
Shared Meals
Meals on campus each day, with the whole community coming together around the table.
Campus Grounds
Green spaces, courtyards, and walking paths for downtime and recreation.
Integrated Formation
A built-in culture of formation—where spiritual, community, and academic life reinforce one another.
Sam Shephard
Executive Director of Mount Melleray Abbey
Professor of Biology
“This is a unique pathway to ground the faithful, rigorous and joyful Catholic liberal arts program of AMU in an ancient tradition of Cistercian prayer, work and study.”
Jesse Ray
Director of Student Programs
“AMU's home in Ireland may be new to us, but it is rooted in a much older story. Students inherit a place shaped for centuries by monks and faithful Catholics.”
Daniel Schreck
Chief Strategy and Mission Advancement Officer
“We are called to form the intellect and direct the will, but only in broadening the imagination of our students can they truly discover God's abundant calling. This is why we venture to Ireland.”
Just Beyond the Abbey
The academic schedule is designed with three-day weekends, giving students the freedom to explore Ireland independently (at the student's expense). Whether that means a trip into a nearby town, a coastal hike with friends, or a train ride to a historic city, travel becomes part of the formation—turning Ireland into a living classroom.
And because Cork and Dublin airports are accessible, students also have the option to visit places across Europe.
Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark
A stunning stretch of coastline with dramatic cliffs and hidden coves.
Photo Gallery
