I joined ICD Business School and started my three-year degree in Accounting & Finance. I had always wanted to become a professional accountant. The BA in Accounting & Finance is recognised by ACCA the world’s largest Professional Accountancy Body and I was awarded 9 exemptions (F1-F9) of the ACCA programme. I was able to find a job and gained a work visa. This allowed me to pursue my final stage examinations of ACCA. I was successful in these examinations and am now a Qualified Accountant (ACCA), I have been fortunate to have been employed in Ireland by JPA Benson Lawlor an accounting and tax specialist firm, then by Pfizer a mulita national pharmaceutical company in their Taxation division and latterly I am working as an Accountant for a multi-national energy company in its Dublin HQ.

What do you remember most about ICD Business School?

“The professionalism of all of the staff at ICD Business School in every aspect of the course was superb. From the administration and their open door policy to the specific expertise of the lecturing staff, everything was for the benefit of the student. I was able to progress onto the final stages of ACCA which I am glad to say I have been successful in.”

I came to Ireland to learn English, as an English language student I worked part-time as an Au pair for a year, the following year I could get a job as a waitress to improve my speaking skills, on my 3rd year in Ireland working and studying in an English environment I got a good level of English to start a higher education level, I had the interview with ICD Business School and the great news that I could start studying my Bachelor Degree in Business and Finance, I started my journey in ICD Business School working part-time as waitress however on the 3rd year of college I had the opportunity to get a full year of internship at a Freight Forwarding company, I spent a full year learning and developing my skills within different departments in the company, this was a great option and opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of supply chain business and all related to Import and export of goods. I went back to college holding a full year of experience and this allowed me to get a part time job in a transport company at Dublin Port within the Customs department supporting the transport team when possible. A few months away for my last exams I was hired for one of the biggest transport company in Europe, to be part of the customs team for one of their branches in Ireland, DB Schenker provided my work permit changing my visa from stamp 2 to stamp 1 so before I receive my certification I already had a job and work permit with me, the rest of this is history, I am currently working as a Senior customs officer in Global fruit Ireland and studying a Master in Customs and supply chain compliance in the University of Erasmus in Rotterdam, but all this has been possible thanks to the great foundation I had acquiring my Bachelor degree in ICD Business School, thank you to this college to be the platform I needed to develop my career path.

What do you remember most about ICD Business School?

“ICD Business School was the place I could develop many skills and acquired knowledge, I remember I had tough days in my 4 years Journey through my Bachelor degree, but I also remember all the good people that I could find along the way to succeed with this goal, all the staff in college were always there willing to help when possible, but this was more than a warm welcome it was a support during those 4 years of college. I can’t imagine me studying in another college to get my bachelor degree, I am sincere grateful for the time I spent there, I also remember the fair price we paid for our education, in my case I worked to cover all my expenses and I can say this was possible thanks to the good administration of the college facilitating the payment of each year through finance, so many good memories I keep from this nice college, I always recommend it when I see someone is hardworking and responsible with hungry to learn and succeed after all, the main goal of ICD Business School, it’s just the foundation for us to build up a career and succeed. “

Thank you ICD staff for all your effort and support I received during those 4 years of college.

I started my Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance in September 2018. In my second year of College I was able to secure a two years Accounting Trainee Position in a small practice in Dublin.

Due to the flexibility of the classes schedule, and the quality of the lectures, I was able to successfully complete my Bachelor’s with a first class honours degree, while working on the field.

I finished my undergraduate course in June 2021, and I sit for my first ACCA strategic exam in September 2021.

I self-studied for all of the exams, and I was able to pass them all at the first attempt, getting my ACCA membership status in Oct 2022.

After my two years as an Accounting trainee, I moved to the hospitality industry as a Senior Accountant assistant for nine months, since July 2022 I have been working as a Financial Accountant in a Medium Law firm in Dublin.

What do you remember most about ICD Business School?

“When I look back, starting at ICD Business School I had no knowledge at all of Accounting, and in less than five years it has become not only my passion, but also my career. 

I thank ICD Business School, and all their staff and lectures, for having supported my journey until here.”

I started working in Dynamic Retail Services in 15th of May 2019 as a trainee accountant and left Dynamic Retail Services on 15th of January 2023. Since than working in KPMG Global as a finance officer.

The professionalism of the lecturing staff at ICD Business School allowed me to graduate with F1-F9 exemptions from ACCA and I followed this up by successfully completing the Professional Stage of ACCA and am now employed in KPMG one of the Big 4 Accounting firms in the world.

What do you remember most about ICD Business School?

“I remember the friendly atmosphere and the small classes which allowed for far more interaction between the lecturers and the students. ICD Business School was a great springboard for my accounting career and my life in Ireland.”

I have loved my time at ICD. I enjoyed the learning material, every staff member is so helpful with unlimited support and many resources made available to students that are struggling. The location is central too, which helped you to still discover Dublin while attending college.

The staff at ICD were extremely organized and were available to assist with everything from the application process to your first day. BA (Honours) Business Studies was a life-changing experience for me. The Program allowed me to acquire a knowledge base in the area of finance and accountancy that I use every day. Complementing this enriching academic experience is a diverse student body, with students enrolling from all over the world.

Since graduating I found many work opportunities specially from the fact that I studied my Bachelor Degree in Ireland. Dublin has a lot of international companies that makes it a great place for a career development.

At the moment I work for one of the most popular social media company which is Tiktok as a Risk investigation specialist. My academic experience was one like any other coming with vigorous classes and professors who really know how to teach. Getting outside of your comfort zone was the best decision to make.

What do you remember most about ICD Business School?

“What an amazing life ICD has brought me. Along with an amazing academic structure, this experience brought me life-long friends and memories,everyday is something new and exciting. The city of Dublin is bursting with culture, history and uniqueness all around.  Outside college life, the city is amazing and the whole country is full of fun experiences. It’s easy to travel around in the city or in the country. There are many amazing spots on campus as well as plenty of other amenities. No matter the time of year, it is beautiful outside, even in the rain. I would definitely recommend this program for anyone who is looking to study abroad in Europe.”

Ms. Sujina Piya is a Graduate and Masters Graduate of ICD Business School.

I graduated from our BA (Honours) in Accounting & Finance gaining F1-F9 exemptions from ACCA.

I then studied for my Masters in Accounting and Finance at ICD Business School as well as studying for the Professional Stage of ACCA. I was first in MY year and was awarded the Addelshaw & Goddard Prize for Excellence in my studies.

I was able to work during my studies as an Trainee Accountant for the Body Shop and I started my accounting & financial career at Penco Financial Solutions in Dublin as a Trainee Accountant.  

I qualified as an ACCA Accountant and currently am employed as a Semi Senior Accountant at Company Bureau Formations.  

What do you remember most about ICD Business School?

“I enrolled in ICD Business School from a different College in Dublin as I had heard that ICD were extremely professional and that the graduates from ICD had very good employment prospects.

I was immediately made to feel at home, ICD has a friendly family atmosphere along with a very strong work ethic.

The staff were always helpful and ICD Business School was instrumental in helping me find employment within the financial sector in Dublin.

I have since qualified as an ACCA accountant and am looking forward to developing my career in Ireland.”

Ms. Ruth Clarke Graduated in 2010 from our BA (Honours) in Business Studies.

Ruth is currently an essential part of a team in (Ernst & Young) EY one of the Big 4 Accountancy firms in the world.

“I enjoyed immensely my time at ICD Business School, the BA (Honours) in Business Studies allowed me to change my career direction and experience far greater job options than I had previously. The lecturers in particular were dedicated to motivating the student to achieve their highest potential”

I came to Dublin way back in 2014 from Kerala India to join the course B.A (Hons) in Accounting & Finance programme. The reason I picked accounting as a course to study was that it had great career prospects in Ireland and the ICD accounting programme offered 9 exemptions from the ACCA qualifications which helped in my decision making to embark on my journey with ICD.

The course program entailed various courses that covered different accounting subjects like Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, Auditing and Taxation which were covered by really good lecturers who were really experienced in their field of expertise.

There were also occasional trips organised by the college management to showcase the wonders of Ireland and it was great fun to be a part of it. The ICD college experience was overall very good in terms of campus life as I made friends with other students from all over the world and some of them became life long lasting friends. I graduated from ICD in 2017 with a 1ST Class Honours which was a really proud achievement for me considering the time and effort I put into it.

I first got a job as a trainee in a small firm as a accounts assistant and then moved to tax for a while in another small firm doing Income Tax and VAT work and finally coming to Grant Thornton where I am still working currently as a senior accountant.

During my time after ICD I enrolled on courses to complete my chartered accounting qualification (ACCA) with the help of my firm GT and the other firms I worked in earlier. I was able to complete them quickly and become a qualified accountant. (The exemptions really helps fast-track your goal to becoming an ACCA!). 

I am currently working on the Financial Reporting team in the FAAS department of Grant Thornton and I am really enjoying my role and I have to thank ICD for playing a part in it and will forever be grateful to all the people I have met there.

What do you remember most about ICD Business School?

“Looking back at my time in ICD, some fond memories always come to mind. One of the main advantages of studying in a college like ICD is there is more teacher-student interaction unlike some of the bigger colleges that you study here in Ireland. There is a more personal rapport between the teachers and students here and there is always help in hand if there are concerns on any matters whether its academic or general matters overall.

The student Liaison Officer was always very helpful whenever I approached her on any matters student related and the other staff were always helpful. I would highly recommend ICD as a great place to study for any new student coming to Ireland.”

In March 2014, I made the decision to come to Ireland with the intention of improving my English skills for a year. However, due to the economic crisis in my home country, I found it beneficial to extend my stay and pursue additional English courses. Ireland not only provided me with the opportunity to work part-time while studying, but it also allowed me to save money and fulfil a degree that was unattainable in Venezuela.

During my search for colleges offering courses in accounting and finance, I had the pleasure of meeting June at ICD Business School. Her friendly attitude and informative approach immediately convinced me that this was the right choice. The college aligned perfectly with my goals, prompting me to take the risk of investing all my savings in my education. Looking back, this decision has proven to be the best one I have ever made.

Being a foreign student in an Irish college presented its challenges, but it also filled me with a sense of pride and determination to prove myself. Ireland is a country that rewards hard work and effort, and I was determined to excel.

Throughout my time at ICD, I was consistently impressed by the lecturers’ high level of knowledge and their effective teaching approach. What stood out to me the most was how relevant the courses and the information provided by each lecturer were to real-world situations. The knowledge I gained, especially in the areas of taxes in Ireland and finance, has proven to be highly valuable in my career.

Furthermore, the lecturers at ICD were always accessible and approachable. They were readily available to address any concerns or questions I had, providing valuable guidance and support. I felt fortunate to have connected with a group of remarkable individuals who shared similar goals and exhibited the same level of commitment to success as foreign students in Ireland. Many of us, in order to cover our expenses and tuition fees, worked part-time in the hospitality industry. Through this shared experience, we established a strong sense of camaraderie and support among ourselves. The friendships and networks I formed during my time at ICD have been an invaluable asset in my personal and professional development.

One of the standout advantages of studying accounting and finance at ICD Business School was the nine exemptions I received for the ACCA exams. This is the maximum number of exemptions granted by any college, and I was thrilled to obtain them, as it significantly reduced the number of exams I had to take. It was a great stepping stone for my future journey after completing my degree.

Just three months after finishing my course in 2019, I secured a position as a Tax and Accounts Assistant, where I have been working ever since. My specialization lies in taxes, and my plan is to continue down this path, gaining more experience and assisting more individuals with their tax affairs.

Recently, I successfully passed my final exam and officially became a fully qualified ACCA accountant. This achievement has opened countless doors for me and propelled my aspirations to even greater heights. I anticipate a promotion in my current role, an immediate increase in salary, and the ability to support my family back home—a driving force that has motivated me throughout my remarkable nine- year journey in this amazing country that I now call my home.

Kind Regards
Luis Alfredo Gomez Perez ACCA