Where To Study?

Ireland’s tertiary institutions are a real mix of ancient and modern. Take a look at all the options...

Publicly Funded Universities

• Dublin City University, established in 1975, is a modern university. It holds the accolade of highest rate of graduate employment in the country, and its graduates have the highest median salary, earning more than those from any other Irish university. DCU is consistently ranked in the top 100 young universities around the world and has become a global leader in digital, open and distance education. All online programmes are fully accredited and internationally recognised.

• National University of Ireland, Maynooth, commonly known as Maynooth University, was officially established in 1997 but its roots go back to 1795 when it was the small, private Royal College of St. Patrick. Maynooth is the only true “university town” in Ireland, and all other universities are in cities. It is the smallest and fastest growing uni with 13 000 students.

• Trinity College Dublin (officially The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin) was established in 1592 and is Ireland’s top-ranked university. It is also the 16th “most international university in the world” and provides global mobility experiences at partner universities, e.g. the Dual BA with Columbia and sister colleges at Cambridge and Oxford. Students receive world-class education in a research-centred, collaborative environment – Trinity is a member of the prestigious League of 23 European Research Universities.

• Royal Irish Academy of Music was founded in 1848 and is ranked in the top 50 institutions in the world for the performing arts Specialising in classical music, it offers degrees in teaching and performing, and the most one-to-one tutor hours of any music conservatory in Europe. Many RIAM performers and composers have achieved acclaim on the world stage, and programmes respond to the current need for musicians to possess myriad capabilities in order to create and sustain a livelihood in music. The RIAM is a private college associated with Trinity College Dublin.

• University College Cork (UCC) opened its gates to 115 students in 1849 - it is now ranked in the top 1.1% of universities in the world and has a student population of over 24 000. UCC is ranked first in Ireland for Biotechnology, Clinical Medicine, Public Health and Nursing; and joint first for Energy Science and Engineering, Dentistry and Oral Services, and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

• University College Dublin (UCD) was established in 1854. It is consistently ranked Ireland’s top university, is within the top 1% in the world, and 75th for graduate employability. The biggest university in Ireland and largest urban campus in Europe, UCD has over 33 000 students. Colleges include arts and humanities, business, engineering and architecture, health and agricultural sciences, law, and the largest faculty of science in Europe. UCD is looking to welcome an additional 3 000 to 4 000 international students within the next six years.

• National College of Art and Design (NCAD) Ireland’s oldest art institution offers one of, if not, the largest range of art and design degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the country. It is a recognised college of University College Dublin and has around 950 full-time students and 600 part-time students.

• University of Galway, established in 1849, is in the heart of the city and its students make up 20% of the population of Galway – 3 000 of those are international students from 115 countries. 80% of Galway’s degree courses offer a work placement and/or study abroad opportunity. Nelson Mandela visited Galway in 2003, on his last visit to Ireland, and received an honorary doctorate from there.

• University of Limerick, established in 1972, has been voted top for student experience. UL offers more than 70 undergraduate programmes across the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Education and Health Sciences, Science and Engineering and the Kemmy Business School. It also delivers a strong postgraduate offering, with more than 100 taught postgraduate programmes to doctoral and postdoctoral level. “UL brings more employers on the campus than any other Irish 3rd level institution.” (Source: QS Graduate Employability rankings 2022.) As a result, the UL graduate employment rate is 15% higher than the national average.

• Mary Immaculate College, founded in 1898, is a university-level College of Education and the Liberal Arts, academically linked with the University of Limerick. The college is a multicampus institution, with over 5 000 students enrolled in undergraduate programmes in Primary and Post-Primary Education, Psychology, Liberal Arts and Early Childhood Care and Education, as well as a range of postgraduate programmes at Diploma, Master’s and PhD levels.