You must watch your College Specific session, the Exchange Research Session and the Application & Budgeting Session before you apply for exchange. Find the links to your relevant sessions below:

Arts & Humanities Talk - Watch Video

Social Sciences Talk - Watch Video

Architecture, LA and CPEP - Watch Video

Science Talk - Watch Video

Engineering Talk - Watch Video

Exchange Research Top Tips Session - Watch Video

Application & Budgeting Talk - Watch Video

• 3.0 GPA is the recommended minimum requirement for students going on exchange. 
• Students also need to meet the academic requirements provided by their College.
• Generally, for students going on exchange in stage 3, the average GPA is calculated as follows:
  (Stage 1 GPA x 2) + (Stage 2 trimester 1 GPA) divided by 3
• Our selection process is similar to the CAO system. The average GPA of successful students varies from year to year. Placement depends on your GPA, demand and the number of places we have at a university in a given year. 
• We endeavor to place as many students as possible. However, please note our exchange programme is competitive and not all students will receive a conditional offer
• Note, if you receive a conditional offer from UCD, you still need to apply to and be accepted by your host university. If you are rejected from your host university we will not be able to place you elsewhere

• Check the universities you can apply to on the UCD Global website and your School/College website
• Research the universities you would like to attend, in particular, the courses they offer. 
• Research the cost of living to ensure it is within your budget.
• Contact the Erasmus/Exchange Academic Coordinator in your School  for academic advice.
• Contact UCD Global for general information about going on exchange.
• Apply online on SISweb before the deadline. The application form can be found under the Programme Services menu and is called "My Exchange Application".
• Applications are assessed primarily on academic merit.

On the application form you will be expected to do the following:

• Select if you want to go for a full year/trimester 1/trimester 2 (you need to list the UCD semester that you will be going in)
• Indicate your Language proficiency (if applicable)
• Select your preferred subject (for joint major students) for your top choice
• List the universities you would like to apply to - do NOT list anywhere that you would not be happy going to. Whilst we understand that you have your top preferences, we can't place everyone in theirs 

Application deadlines can vary based on your programme and will be confirmed to you directly by the relevant UCD Global/Programme Coordinator.

Applications for students wishing to go on exchange in 2024/25 are now open, and will close on 25 January 2024. 

If you have any questions about going on exchange or the application process, please make sure to check our UCD Student Exchange FAQs webpage.

The majority of our university partners have a page on their website outlining the cost of living at the university.  This is a great place to start when researching the cost of living of the area you are going to. Here is an outline of items to include when budgeting.

• Tuition: You will continue to pay the UCD tuition fee. You will not have to pay the partner university tuition but there may be a small administration fee.
• Monthly Costs: Accommodation, Bills, Groceries, Travel, Personal items
• Incidentals: Insurance, Flights, Passport, Visa, Vaccinations, Study Materials

Please also come along to our helpful budgeting session!

The majority of universities will have a different academic calendar to UCD. Please ensure that you research the academic calendar for all of the universities you are interested in going to, especially for our European partners or if they are in the Southern Hemisphere.

An overview of the differences of academic calendars across Europe can be found in the following publication from the European Commission.

Before submitting your application, please make sure to check the language of classes at the universities you are interested in, as not all partner universities teach through English. Most of our university partners have a page on their website where you can check their language requirements.

If you do not speak the language of the country where your selected university is located, please check the course catalogue of the university to see if any classes are offered through English for your subject and the duration of exchange, and this document offers more information on courses offered in English in Erasmus partner universities.

Our partner universities will advise you on accommodation options before you go on exchange.  In some cases you will be offered on campus accommodation, however, at the majority of our partner universities you will be required to find your housing. The partner universities will give you tips and recommendations. Make sure to carefully follow any deadlines they might give you for registering for accommodation.

A visa may be required when going on exchange. The partner university that you are nominated to will assist you with this process. 

Within Europe:
Most countries in Europe are part of the Erasmus+ Programme. The Erasmus+ Grant is approximately €330 or €385 per calendar month depending on destination. The total amount is based on precise mobility dates. Some countries offer some other/additional form of financial assistance, e.g. France – students can apply for CAF (Caisses d’Allocations Familiales) to help with accommodation costs.

*Additional funding may be available for SUSI grantees and HEAR students. Students who have been selected for an exchange destination within Europe, will automatically receive more details about applying for the grant. This information will be sent approximately three months before departure.

Outside of Europe:
Scholarships are available to undergraduate students going on exchange to some Universitas 21 (www.universitas21.com) partner institutions. The U21 partners are selected each year and will be advertised during promotion. Some partner universities in Asia offer other scholarships which students can apply for e.g. DUO Scholarship in Korea, JASSO scholarship in Japan.