University College Dublin (UCD): Admission 2024, Ranking & Courses

Dublin, Ireland

4.1 /5

(20 Reviews)

22 Comments

A Shiksha Grade
Authorized Partner
2 Campuses
Estd. 1854

Last updated on 17 Oct '23, by Akanksha Malhotra (Study Abroad Expert)

What’s new at University College Dublin? Candidates can submit the application for September 2024 from Oct 1, 2023.

UCD Overview

Table of content

University College Dublin Highlights 2024
University College Dublin Popular Programmes 2024
University College Dublin Fees & Eligibility 2024
University College Dublin Scholarships 2024
University College Dublin Admission Dates 2024
UCD Student Reviews
University College Dublin Placements
UCD Accommodation & Meals
University College Dublin Rankings 2023
Studying in Ireland
University College Dublin Notable Alumni
UCD FAQs

University College Dublin Highlights 2024

University College Dublin (UCD) is one of Europe’s leading research-intensive universities. It is one of the world’s top universities and is ranked in the top 1% of higher education institutes worldwide. Over 38,000 students at UCD hail from 152 countries. UCD is a top university for international students coming to Ireland as over 9,500 students make up 25% of the student body.

Year of establishment	1854
Website	Go to Website
Also Known As	UCD
Accepted Exams	TOEFL PTE+2 More
Total International Students	8574
Size of Campus in acres	330
No.of Campuses	2
Accommodation expenses	7391 Euro for 1 sharing (UG),10173 Euro for 1 sharing (PG)
International Students Website	Go to Website

Commonly asked questions
On Highlights

Q: Is University College Dublin a good university?

University College Dublin (UCD) is one of Europe's leading research-intensive universities. Currently, UCD Dublin ranks within the top 1% of higher education institutes worldwide. University College Dublin is a great university to study in Ireland for international students and the number of international students at the university, which is over 9,500 justifies the same. Also, once students graduate from here, they will have numerous career opportunities. UCD Dublin is ranked number 1 in Ireland for graduate employability by QS.

Q: Is University College Dublin good for international students?

Yes, UCD Dublin is one of the world's best universities where a student can pursue higher education according to QS World University Rankings 2023. In the QS World University Rankings 2023, UCD ranks at #181 position. Many international students choose to study at UCD Dublin. It is also one of the best universities in Ireland for Masters studies. The university has a thriving international graduate community. Graduate programs here are led by academic experts and students have a wide variety of graduate programs to choose from like Doctoral programs, Taught Masters, Research Masters, Graduate Diploma, and Certificate programs, and higher Diplomas.

Q: Does UCD Dublin give scholarships to international students?

Yes, a wide range of scholarship options is available for students studying at University College Dublin. Some of the scholarships available for Indian students at UCD Dublin are Global Excellence Scholarship, UCD Michael Smurfit Business School Scholarships, V.V. Giri Scholarship, etc. In order to apply for the scholarships, first of all, apply to study at UCD, then review the terms and conditions of scholarships, apply for the relevant scholarships, review the scholarship application, and lastly, if awarded, accept your scholarship offer.

Q: Is it difficult to get into University College Dublin?

The acceptance rate at the University College Dublin is around 20%. This means that admissions at UCD is highly competitive. For admission into the undergraduate courses of UCD, students must have passed class 12. The overall average is calculated on best 5 recognised subjects. Also, apart from these requirements, students are required to meet the English language proficiency requirement.

University College Dublin Popular Programmes 2024

Various undergraduate and graduate courses are available at UCD Dublin for international students. Some of the study areas at the undergraduate level are Business and Management, Engineering, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Health and Medicine, etc.

At the graduate level, the study areas at UCD Dublin for international students include Arts and Humanities, Business, Social Sciences and Law, Science, Engineering and Architecture, and Health and Agricultural Sciences. Know more about University College Dublin Courses here

Popular Courses at University College Dublin

The business courses at UCD Dublin rank well in the QS subject rankings in 2023. The UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is one of less than 60 schools worldwide that holds triple accreditation from the US, Europe, and the UK.

Subjects	QS Subject Ranking 2023
MBA	111-120
Masters in Business Analytics	33
Masters in Supply Chain Management	13

MS

66 Courses

4.212 months - 3 years

A Shiksha Grade

Exams Accepted

1st year Tution Fees

₹8.62 L - 24.71 L

Intake Session

– / –

MIM

33 Courses

4.112 months - 2 years

A Shiksha Grade

Exams Accepted

1st year Tution Fees

₹11.66 L - 24.71 L

Intake Session

– / –

M.A.

89 Courses

2.91 year - 2 years

A Shiksha Grade

Exams Accepted

1st year Tution Fees

₹9.59 L - 24.71 L

Intake Session

– / –

PG Diploma

42 Courses9 months - 2 years

Exams Accepted

1st year Tution Fees

₹10.51 L - 17.74 L

Intake Session

– / –

B.Sc.

35 Courses3 - 5 years

Exams Accepted

1st year Tution Fees

₹19.18 L - 30.19 L

Intake Session

– / –

View All 26 Courses

University College Dublin Fees & Eligibility 2024

To study at University College Dublin, students must meet the eligibility requirements for their preferred course. The general University College Dublin eligibility details are specified below:

Undergraduate

Students must have completed class 12th from CBSE / CISCE / State boards
The average is calculated on the best 5 recognized subjects
80% in the English language for CBSE / AISSCE / ISC / CUSCE students or IELTS / TOEFL or equivalent

Graduate Courses

The eligibility requirements for admissions to graduate courses at UCD Dublin are given below:

Graduate Taught Programs: A recognized bachelor’s degree at second class honors, grade one, or equivalent
Graduate Research programs: A minimum of an upper-second class degree or equivalent in a relevant bachelor's degree. For a significant number of PhD programs, a master’s degree may also be needed

Note: To know more about UCD’s eligibility criteria, check the program-specific requirements.

University College Dublin Entrance Exams

The minimum English language test scores that are required to take admission to UCD are given below. Note that some of the graduate programs may have higher requirements.

Tests	Minimum Score Requirements
IELTS	6.5 overall and minimum 6.0 in each band
TOEFL	90 with no less than 21 in writing and at least 19 in every other section
PTE Academic	63 and minimum 59 for each item in the Communicative Skills section
Duolingo	120 with at least 110 in each sub-score

Courses	1st Year Tuition Fees	Duration & Eligibility
MS(66 courses)	INR 9 L - 25 L	Duration: 12 months-3 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 - 7, TOEFL: 90 & Above, PTE: 63 - 65
MIM(33 courses)	INR 12 L - 25 L	Duration: 12 months-2 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 - 7.5, TOEFL: 90 - 100, PTE: 63 - 65
M.A.(89 courses)	INR 10 L - 25 L	Duration: 1 year-2 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 - 7.5, TOEFL: 90 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above
PG Diploma(42 courses)	INR 11 L - 18 L	Duration: 9 months-2 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 - 7, TOEFL: 90 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above
B.Sc.(35 courses)	INR 19 L - 30 L	Duration: 3-5 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 90 & Above, IELTS: 6.5 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above
LL.M.(9 courses)	INR 18 L - 19 L	Duration: 1 year-2 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 90 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above
B.A.(17 courses)	INR 18 L - 19 L	Duration: 3-4 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 90 & Above, IELTS: 6.5 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above
MEng(8 courses)	INR 23 L - 25 L	Duration: 1 year Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 90 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above
B.E. / B.Tech(9 courses)	INR 23 L - 25 L	Duration: 3-4 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 90 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above
MPH(3 courses)	INR 18 L - 19 L	Duration: 1 year Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 - 7, TOEFL: 90 & Above, PTE: 63 & Above

View Course Wise Fees ->

Commonly asked questions
On Fees and Eligibility

Q: Does University College Dublin require IELTS?

Yes, in order to take admission into University College Dublin, you are required to show an IELTS score. An average score of 6.5 overall is required with 6.0 in each band. Note that for admission into undergraduate courses, if students do not want appear for IELTS then they need to have 80% in English language in CBSE / ISC / AISSCE / CUSCE exams. Apart from the IELTS score, students can submit the scores of TOEFL / PTE / Duolingo (as applicable).

Predict your IELTS score now ->

University College Dublin Scholarships 2024

There is a range of scholarships available for international students studying at University College Dublin. Some of the scholarships available for students hailing from India are:

Global Excellence Scholarship
UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Scholarships
V.V. Giri Scholarship

Check the complete list of University College Dublin Scholarships here

View all 69 scholarships

Commonly asked questions
On Scholarships

Q: What is V.V Giri Global Excellence Scholarship?

India’s fourth President, Varahagiri Venkata Giri, was an alumnus of University College Dublin. This scholarship is granted in his honour to successful applicants from India who are eligible to pursue a full-time course here. More information on the same can be found on the university’s Global Excellence Scholarship page.

University College Dublin Admission Dates 2024

Undergraduate applications at the University College Dublin are closed. Whereas, applications for graduate courses close once all places on a program have been allocated. Competitive program applications may close early because of the demand. Hence, it is advised to apply at UCD Dublin as early as possible.

(Note: To know about the University College Dublin’s exact application deadlines, check the respective department’s / school’s website)

Application fees :Euro 45 - 57.3
Type of deadline :Depends on course

Documents

Type of documents	Applicable for
SOP	Not required
LOR	Needed for few courses
Essays	Needed for few courses
CV	Needed for few courses
Additional documents	Required

Sign-up to view details

Important dates

Intake season	Deadline
Fall	1ˢᵗ Feb 2022 - 15ᵗʰ Jul 2023

Admission details of all courses

UCD
Students Ratings & Reviews

4.1/5

19 Verified Reviews Info Icon

Vibe of Campus

Academically oriented
Friendly
Fun loving
Sporty

Student Views

80% students never faced discrimination in this university

Internships3.5

Part time work4

Post study jobs4.3

Quality of faculty4.5

Student Life4.3

Value for money4.1

Public transportation4.6

Safety4.4

Indian Food3.7

Permanent Immigration3.8

Anonymous

MSc Food Business Strategy - Batch of 2023

3.8

PlacementsInfrastructureFacultyCrowd & Campus LifeValue for Money

I had a great time in this university.

Tips: Do proper research on your choice of course before joining any university. UCD is one of the best universities in Ireland. You can focus on your studies and side by side you can enjoy your student life. Also, look for the career opportunities for your choice of course.

Likes (Safety): For me, I feel completely safe while roaming in Dublin. But some of my friends are having a few bad experiences. Some of my friends faced racism but the number of such cases is less. Because of this issue, some of my friends got attacked. But fortunately, I didn’t face such an issue.

Dislikes (Indian Food): I prefer cooking myself because there are limited Indian food options in Ireland. And the available options are expensive. So, for me, it is better to prepare my meal at home. In Dublin, we just had a few options for Indian food. I am facing an issue regarding that.

Reviewed on 20 Oct 2023Read more

Shallu Bishnoi Verified Icon

LLM International Commercial Law - Batch of 2024

4.2

PlacementsInfrastructureFacultyCrowd & Campus LifeValue for Money

Life of an international student at UCD is amazing

Tips: The university is great. But the thing the students should keep in mind is the weather in Ireland. Very different from India. It can start training any time of the day. Also, the university does give out scholarships to students which is how I got a scholarship worth 7500 euros. Overall it's a fun place to be. Also, keep in mind the housing crisis as well.

Likes (Student Life): Since I am a masters student I only have three classes in a week. It gives me plenty of time to go over my reading and assignments and to have a social life as well. The campus organises career fairs and talks regularly and they have a dedicated team as well. There are numerous societies to build up your social life, they have a bit of everything.

Dislikes (Indian Food): Unlike UK, Ireland does not have many Indian restaurants and the ones that are here are somewhat expensive comparatively. Also, vegetarian food is a bit expensive if you want to eat out but the groceries are priced okay so you can cook for cheap at home.

Reviewed on 17 Oct 2023Read more

Anonymous

MEngSc Food Engineering - Batch of 2024

4.8

PlacementsInfrastructureFacultyCrowd & Campus LifeValue for Money

Best place to study. Everyone should give it a try.

Tips: I was so enthusiastic about the course and university, moreover I am an easy going person so I easily adapted to the cultural differences and it didn't make any negative impact on my life. I availed the university merit scholarship. UCD proved to be the best in terms of environment studies and all other extracurricular activities. They also provide career guidance and train you to get into placements by conducting occasional fairs.

Reviewed on 29 Sep 2023Read more

Anonymous

MSc in Marketing - Batch of 2023

PlacementsInfrastructureFacultyCrowd & Campus LifeValue for Money

The best Business University

Tips: It will be a little difficult since the Indian system of education is very easy compared to here. So you will genuinely have to study and do your assignments yourself. I had no scholarship but you are no less than those who have. Everything is the same for everyone.

Likes (Post study jobs): Well you can easily get Grad Roles. And if you have a good CV you get interview calls easily. So you do get a job here. I would suggest one to start looking for jobs around May and June so that you are not left out but even if you start around in October or next year in late January you do get one.

Dislikes (Permanent Immigration): It takes about more than 5 years for PR to come. The procedures are a little different here. I have not thought about permanent immigration as yet. But who is firm on staying here you just need a company to sponsor your visa so that it gets easy for you to get a PR

Reviewed on 25 Sep 2023Read more

Anonymous

MSc Social Data Analytics - Batch of 2021

2.9

PlacementsInfrastructureFacultyCrowd & Campus LifeValue for Money

UCD, one of the top colleges in Ireland

Tips: The education system is of next level and need to study more in order to pass. I got a sponsorship of 2000 euros and the tuition fee was 20000 euros which is very high. The education is good and there will be more things to learn. It will be difficult to maintain both college and personal life working part-time.

Reviewed on 25 Aug 2023Read more

View All 20 Reviews

University College Dublin Placements

The University College Dublin Career Network helps graduates in finding their dream job. For this, it provides some career resources like developing a unique CV and preparing for the interview. The sample salaries for UCD Dublin graduates for 2023 are given below:

Jobs	Sample Salary
Executive Management & Change	$91,000
Financial Services	$69,000
Finance Control & Strategy	$67,000
Legal & Paralegal	$58,000

(Source: Emolument)

Nearest city to University College Dublin

UCD Dublin ranks at the #37th position in the QS Best Student Cities 2023. After the completion of studies at UCD, the key industries where the graduates can work in Dublin are:

Financial Services
Tech
Professional Services
Logistics
Life Sciences
Arts and Recreation

Top Recruiters

ACCENTURE

Vodafone

KPMG

Rolls Royce

Novartis

huawei

Dell

Ferrari

Sandoz

Amazon

Google

Oracle

Glaxo Smithkline

Lloyd

Western Union

KPMG

Apple

Accenture

Intel

DHL

Procter Gamble

Jaguar

General Electric

Twitter

Ford Motors

IBM

Ericsson India

Goldman Sachs

Unilever

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Facebook

Amgen

Qualcomm

tesco

JP Morgan Chase

GE Capital Services

CITI Bank

KBC Bank

Microsoft

Henkel

Siemens

Merck

Johnson Johnson

Sanofi

SAP

Boston Scientific

PepsiCo

BSE Ltd

Medtronics

Yahoo

Audi

NOKIA

Capita

Quintiles

PayPal

UBS

pwc

McKinsey

ebay

Ernst & Young

Stryker

AVIVA

Adobe

IBM

Deloitte

P&G

Symantec

SalesForce

Grant Thornton

Hewlett Packard

ABB

Pfizer

Kelloggs

Visit official career services website External Link Icon

UCD
Accommodation & Meals

On-Campus Accommodation

AVAILABLE

UCD provides safe, beautiful, and comfortable on-campus student accommodation on campus
The UCD residences consist of a single bedroom with options of both private and shared bathrooms
Student a

UCD provides safe, beautiful, and comfortable on-campus student accommodation on campus
The UCD residences consist of a single bedroom with options of both private and shared bathrooms
Student apartments are equipped with kitchens, and fully catered packages are also available.
Adapted facilities are available for students with a disability

Masters

Bachelors

Accommodation Expense

PG Accommodation expenses:Euro 10173
On-campus housing:ucd.ie/residences/

Housing - Belgrove Residence (Apartment -Shared Bathroom for Three Trimesters)(PG)

Meal Expense

Living expense links:ucd.ie/residences/bookinginfo/fi...

Off-Campus Accommodation

AVAILABLE

Off-campus housing:daft.ie/student-accommodation/am...
rent.ie/rooms-to-rent/renting_du...
isaccommodation.com/accommodatio...
nestpick.com/dublin/
Show All Link

The residence option includes Single Room, Double Room, Twin Room, Shared Room, Shared Apartment, Shared House, and Shared Flats
The average range of rent is €500 - €700 per month
Amen

The residence option includes Single Room, Double Room, Twin Room, Shared Room, Shared Apartment, Shared House, and Shared Flats
The average range of rent is €500 - €700 per month
Amenities include Central Heating, Washing Machine, Microwave, Internet, Free launderette etc.
The accommodations are available for stays of a few weeks, the summer or semester

University College Dublin Rankings 2023

University College Dublin ranks well worldwide as per prominent ranking publishers like QS, Times Higher Education, and U.S. News & World Report. In 2023, University College Dublin QS ranking is #181. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, UCD Dublin has managed to maintain the same position of 2022 in 2023 too. In THE rankings, UCD Dublin is placed at #201-250. According to U.S. News & World Report – global universities category ranking, UCD ranks at #236 position in 2023, showing quite an improvement from #244 position in 2022. Read: University College Dublin Ranking

Overall University Grade

by Shiksha

Ranked #2 in Top universities in Ireland

Mathematics

#201-250

Business Economics

THE

#126-150

Mechanical Engineering

#151-200

Physics

#251-300

ARWU

#101-150

View All Rankings & Grades ->

See how we came up with these grades ->

UCD
Studying in Ireland

Average Accommodation Expense	INR 3.9 L (based on 4 colleges)
Part Time Work	Permitted Students are allowed to work part-time for 20 hours per week while studying and up to 40 hours during vacat... Read more about part time work
Post Study Work Permit	Permitted Students have the option of applying for a 2-year post work permit after completing their... Read more about post study work permit
Cost of Visa Application	Euro 100 = INR 8,914
Visa Application Process	Simple Candidates looking to apply for a long stay ... Read more about visa application process
Hot Job Sectors	Software and ICT Industries, Financial... Read more about hot job sectors

University College Dublin Notable Alumni

As per the facts of 2022/23, the total number of alumni of UCD Dublin across 184 countries is 304,426. The names of people included in the notable alumni of UCD are given below:

Names	Profession
James Joyce	Writer
Gabriel Byrne	Actor
Neil Jordan	Oscar-winning film director and producer
Alison Darcy	Psychologist and Technologist
Peter Sutherland	Irish Businessman, Barrister, and Fine Gael Politician

Read less

International Students at University College Dublin 2023

According to the facts of 2022/23, the total number of students at University College Dublin is 38,371. The total number of graduate students is 12,625 and the total number of international students on the main campus is 9,593.

UCD
FAQs

Q: What is the No. 1 university in Ireland?

According to Times Higher Education, the No. 1 university in Ireland is Trinity College Dublin. University College Dublin is at the second position in Ireland, with a world ranking of #201-250 in 2023. UCD is also known as Ireland's Global University because it hosts thousands of international students. According to U.S. News & World Report as well, University College Dublin ranks at the 2nd position among the best universities in Ireland.

Q: Does an Indian student require an entry visa to study at University College Dublin?

There are many countries where visa exception is applicable, but India is not one of them. So, an Indian student planning to pursue a course from UCD Dublin will need to apply for an entry visa. Also, the visa processing time is different for all the countries.

About the author

Akanksha Malhotra

Study Abroad Expert

Akanksha Malhotra is a Content Writer / Editor at Shiksha.com's Study Abroad vertical, creating content for University pages. She is a seasoned education writer with 5+ years of experience, including writing articles for all-India and state levels, r...Read Full Bio