University College Dublin (UCD), founded in 1854, is Ireland’s largest university, with a large parkland campus at Belfield in south Dublin. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it climbed from 118th to 100th in the world, its first time in the top 100 in 15 years, and it was the second-highest-ranked university in Ireland. It’s known for business, agriculture and veterinary science, engineering, law and medicine.
UCD says it’s the most popular university in Ireland for international students, and it accepts applications through the Common App as well as its own portal. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on UCD’s own guidance and official Irish government information.
1. Check your fee status first
Your fee status decides how you apply. Applicants who are assessed as EU for fees must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO), and UCD admits them only through that system. Non-EU applicants apply directly to UCD or through the Common App, and UCD has no preference between the two. If you think you might qualify for EU fees, ask UCD to assess your status early. UCD Global: how to apply.
2. Apply by the 1 December priority deadline
For autumn 2027 entry, applications open on 1 October 2026, the priority deadline is 1 December 2026, and the final deadline is 1 July 2027. Applying by 1 December makes you eligible for the Global Excellence Scholarship and keeps all courses open to you, because some popular courses fill up after the priority deadline. If you need a visa, UCD recommends applying well before 1 July. UCD information for applicants.
3. Check the entry requirements for your qualification
UCD publishes entry requirements for each country and curriculum, such as A-levels, the IB and US high school diplomas, and each programme has its own subject requirements. If you’re still at school, send your official predicted grades on school-headed paper, or your predicted IB score.
4. Apply to more than one programme
Once you’ve paid the application fee, you can apply to several programmes for the same intake. Non-EU applications are assessed on a rolling basis, so a complete, early application gives you the best chance of a place on popular courses.
5. Meet the English requirement
UCD teaches in English, and if English isn’t your first language you’ll need a recognised English test, such as IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT, at the level set for your programme. Check the minimum scores on UCD’s website before you book your test, and practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
6. Apply for a Global Excellence Scholarship
UCD’s Global Excellence Scholarships cover 50% or 100% of tuition fees for a number of international students on non-EU fees. To be considered, you need an offer from UCD, so you must apply to the university by 1 December, and the scholarship application itself is due by 1 February of the year of entry. Details for 2027-28 are due to be published in early November 2026. UCD Global Excellence Scholarships.
7. Understand the fees
For 2027-28, UCD’s non-EU fee is €23,250 a year for Arts and Humanities, €23,635 for Commerce and Economics and Finance, and €23,050 for Law. Computer Science, Engineering and Science courses cost €30,095, and Medicine about €66,455. If you start a multi-year programme on a non-EU fee, your fee usually stays the same each year. UCD non-EU programme fees.
8. Budget for housing in Dublin
UCD’s on-campus rooms cost about €7,000 to €12,000 a year, depending on the residence, and private rents in Dublin are among the highest in Europe. Apply for a room as soon as you accept your offer, and include accommodation in your budget alongside tuition.
9. Get your visa and immigration permission
If you’re from the EU/EEA, the UK or Switzerland, you don’t need a visa or permission to study in Ireland. Students from visa-required countries apply online for a long-stay study visa once UCD has made an offer and they’ve paid their fees, and processing can take several weeks, so apply as early as you can. You must show immediate access to at least €10,000 for your first year, and the same for each later year, and all non-EEA students need private medical insurance. After you arrive, you register with immigration and receive Stamp 2 permission and an Irish Residence Permit (IRP), which costs €300 each time you register. Irish immigration: student finance requirements.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
With Stamp 2 permission you can work up to 20 hours a week during term, and up to 40 hours a week in June, July, August and September and between 15 December and 15 January. After you graduate with an honours bachelor’s degree (level 8), the Third Level Graduate Programme lets you stay for 12 months on Stamp 1G to look for a graduate job, and with a master’s degree or higher (level 9 or above) you can get up to 24 months. While on Stamp 1G you can work full time without an employment permit, but you need to secure an employment permit before it ends to stay longer. Irish immigration: FAQs for students.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at UCD?
UCD offers a wide range of taught master’s degrees, including many at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Admission is based mainly on your bachelor’s degree and grades, and each programme sets its own requirements and deadlines. For a PhD, contact academics working in your area. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Popular UCD courses fill up quickly, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, the University of Galway and the University of Limerick. Our guide to studying in Ireland explains how the Irish system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from University College Dublin’s official admissions, scholarship and fee pages, Ireland’s Immigration Service Delivery and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on UCD Global’s website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with University College Dublin.