University College Dublin

Overview

University College Dublin (UCD) traces its origins to the Catholic University of Ireland, founded in 1854. Today it is a large public university based mainly on the Belfield campus in the southern suburbs of Dublin, a self-contained campus with parkland, sports facilities and on-campus housing. It teaches across arts and humanities, social sciences, business, law, science, engineering, agriculture, veterinary medicine and health sciences.

Programme length and structure vary, so check each course page. Some broader programmes, such as Liberal Arts and Sciences, can suit applicants who have not settled on one discipline.

How to apply

UCD applicants with EU fee status are admitted only through the CAO. Students from Canada and the US normally have non-EU status and apply through UCD's own online application, with guidance on UCD Global's how to apply page.

• Applications open on 1 October for entry the following September, so 1 October 2026 for September 2027.
• Students who need a visa are advised to apply before 1 July.
• A €70 application fee applies, and unpaid applications are not assessed.
• Documents are uploaded after you submit; incomplete applications are not considered, and non-English documents need official translations.

Some programmes have additional steps. Veterinary Medicine normally asks for at least 60 hours of practical animal handling experience gained in the last three years, with details due by 5 July 2027 for 2027 entry, and undergraduate Medicine for US applicants includes an interview.

Requirements for US and Canadian students

UCD's general US requirement is a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.2 with a grade of C in Grade 11 or 12 English. SAT, ACT, AP and IB results are considered, and many programmes offer a route without standardized tests at a higher GPA. A few examples from UCD's US curriculum page:

Some programmes, including Economics and Finance and Psychology, require test scores, and BA Modern Languages asks for a 4.0 GPA on the route without tests. Canadian applicants should open the page for their province or territory from UCD's Canada entry requirements list. If your path leads to Medicine, our MMI preparation guide covers the interview format many schools use.

Fees and immigration

Non-EU tuition is published for each academic year on UCD's student fees pages. Note that US students presenting the GAMSAT for UCD's four-year graduate entry medicine programme are not eligible for US federal student loans. Irish Immigration Service Delivery lists Canada and the United States among the countries whose citizens do not need an entry visa for Ireland, but students who stay longer than 90 days must register with immigration after arrival; see Irish Immigration: coming to study in Ireland. Our Ireland guide covers the wider system.