Elite Athlete Academy

The UCD Elite Athlete Academy is a new scholarship programme specifically for students who wish to compete and succeed at the highest sporting levels while simultaneously attaining a degree in UCD.  The Elite Academy supports high calibre athletes striving for sporting and academic success to allow them to reach their maximum potential inside and outside the classroom.

Benefits of the Elite Academy

The Elite Athlete Academy may provide the following for successful applicants to help them learn and thrive at UCD:

• Special entry route to the applicant's programme of choice*
• Individual academic support and mentoring
• Financial Assistance against fees and / or living costs
• UCD campus accommodation
• Books
• Sports Science Mentoring
  •  
    • Programme workshops / master classes with the Institute of Sport & Health
    • Sports medicine / Physiotherapy support
    • Travel to national and international competitions
    • Physiological and biomechanical monitoring and feedback
    • Elite Strength and conditioning
    • Sports nutrition
    • Sports psychology
• Free access to UCD sports facilities and relevant sports clothing
• Individualised career advice on completion of programme

(*advanced conditional offer is dependent on minimum academic standards to be communicated to student at interview)

Eligibility

The Elite Athlete Academy has been developed for students who are competing at the highest available level in their chosen sport and who have identifiable potential for further improvement. Applicants will be elite athletes with a strong competitive record at the highest level of their sport and meet, or be capable of meeting, the academic requirements laid down for the degree programme they wish to pursue. 

The initial focus of the Academy is on a number of selected sports: Athletics, Rugby, Soccer, Hockey and Rowing although outstanding applicants from other sports will also be considered.

There are a limited number of places to be divided between all applicants. The following are minimum standards of entry: 

• Athletics - junior international representation.
• Rugby - international schools or provincial representation / attached to an academy
• Soccer - junior international representation / attached to an academy.
• GAA - normally county minor level and capable of competing at a higher age level.
• Hockey - junior international representation.
• Rowing - junior international representation.
• Other Sports - as defined by the recognised sporting body and a strong competitive record at the highest level of their chosen sport.

 Academic Standards

It is important that potential Elite Athlete Academy members, in addition to being exceptional sports people, demonstrate that they are academically interested in, and able to undertake, their preferred degree programme. The Academy offers special admission arrangements acknowledging that dedication to sport may potentially have prevented applicants from getting the CAO points they would otherwise be capable of achieving.  As a result conditional offers to successful applicants will be given in Spring of each year pending the achievement of specific qualifications.

How to Apply?

• Students should apply to the CAO by 1st February as normal
• Students should also submit a supplementary application to the UCD Elite Academy 2012 by 1st February.

Academy members will be selected through an initial shortlisting process and then, subject to getting through that stage, by an interview involving sport and academic leaders.

The UCD Elite Athlete Academy programme is run in addittion to existing UCD Sports Scholarship programmes, more information about which can be found at: www.ucd.ie/sport/scholarships

Contact Information

Application forms and queries on applications forms should be sent to eliteathleteacademy@ucd.ie or Ann O'Hanlon on 01 7163419