Information for Applicants

You can apply directly using theonline application system.

Applications are accepted from October of the previous year of study and candidates will usually be notified of the status of their application within 4 weeks of application. (Note: Undergraduate applicants are required to apply before the1st July.)

Waiting for your results from the High School examinations?

In certain cases a ‘conditional offer’ may be made while you are waiting on your final results. You would need to submit a copy of all of your academic transcripts to date in order to be considered for a conditional offer without a final grade.

Application Fee

An application fee is required for most application types. Non-payment will mean that the application is not presented for assessment. This is payable during the application process using Mastercard, Visa or Laser. The fee is €60. It is also possible to pay the application fee online after you have submitted the application.

Additional Information

After you submit your online application, a list of required documents will be emailed to you. The documentation required varies depending on the program you have applied for. The preferred method of document submission is via the upload facility which is available once the application has been submitted. Required documents must be uploaded or posted to arrive within 2 weeks of submitting an online application. If you choose to post the required documents as part of your application, please forward to Martin Hurley, Online Applications, Tierney Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Unless otherwise specified it will be presumed that all documents submitted must be originals, with the exception of academic transcripts which should be photocopies.

Official translations must be provided with the original/copy documents where documents are not in English. Applicants who wish to have their original documentation returned should forward a stamped addressed envelope.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

UCD has a lively campus community and is well serviced by a public transport network that connects the campus to Dublin city centre and Dublin International Airport.

As an International Student

• Over 30% of the student body are international students coming from 150 different countries
• Robust student support including:
  • In-country staff to work with you in person or by phone and video call
  • Pre-departure outreach so you know what to expect
  • Airport welcome on arrival
  • International student orientation prior to academic orientation with other first year students
  • Events on throughout the year just for you - including a legendary Thanksgiving celebration and Super Bowl Party!
• International student centre (the UCD Global Lounge)
• Active international student society organizing trips, parties and cultural outings
• No visas are required for North American students to study
• Work up to 20 hours per week in Ireland during term and up to 40 hours per week during summer or winter break

As a UCD Student

• UCD has modern, on-campus housing. Please see the UCD Residences website for more information.
• 140 student societies and clubs to join:
  • Academic and professional societies
  • Athletic teams at all competition levels
  • Performing Arts groups
  • Civic and volunteering organizations, such as (opens in a new window)UCD Volunteers Overseas
• Exceptionally interactive (opens in a new window)Student Union (Student Government)
• One of the best sports and student centres in the country, featuring a 50M swimming pool, rock climbing wall, black-box theatre, and movie cinema. Please see the UCD Student Centre website for further information
• Student Health Centre with confidential service for all students

As a Dubliner

• Soak in being in the modern centre of education, the arts, administrative function, economy and industry of Ireland
• Be part of one of the youngest cities in Europe with 50% of the population under the age of 25
• Utilize the robust public transportation to see the beautiful Irish countryside
• Consider an internship at one of the major companies who call Ireland home, including Google, Intel, Facebook, and Pfizer- just to name a few
• Push off and spend breaks and weekends traveling Europe – even on a student budget thanks to student discounts and budget airlines at Dublin Airport!

Applications can be submitted via the (opens in a new window)Common App or directly to UCD - there is no preference for one application method. Applications made to UCD are online and you can upload your documents directly to our system as well as pay the €60 application fee online once complete. UCD is unable to accept Common App application fee waivers in all cases. Additional information on paying your application fee is available on the UCD Registry website.

It is important to note that in the UCD application system students are able to apply to multiple academic programs of their choice. Please note that each different course (major) must be applied to separately and that you can apply to up to four courses. Liberal Arts and Sciences may be one of your choices here, which provides an opportunity to explore before finding your best degree fit.  It is possible for you to receive offers of admission to multiple programs!

The following materials will be considered as part of your application (see our Entry Requirements page for detailed testing and grade requirements):

• Up-to-date high school transcript
  • Copies of transcripts will suffice for assessment purposes
  • Original transcripts must be provided to Admissions and verified prior to registration
• Standardized test scores - either ACT or SAT is accepted (no preference). UCD Superscores multiple test results:
  • College Board SAT & AP
    • AP scores of 2 or better will be considered positively in your application review
    • UCD College Board DI Code: 6675
  • ACT scores
    • ACT College Code: 5512
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diplomas are welcomed
  • Minimum score of 24 is required across the degrees with many programs being more competitive
  • Students should request a Predicted IB Score from their counselor/teacher for application purposes
  • IB Certificates are not accepted at this time
  • See our IB Entry Requirements Page for more information

Standardized Testing Policy

Standardized tests are not required for all programmes, but will be considered if submitted. UCD encourages all applicants to apply for their programmes of choice regardless of your access to standardized testing upon applying.

Refer to our testing policy FAQs for more information.

Mature Applicants 

If you are at least 23 years of age on 1 January of the year you apply to enter, you may be assessed as a mature student. Mature students may be required to provide additional items such as a personal statement, résumé/CV, letters of recommendation, or be asked to interview with programme boards, depending on the course. If you think you may qualify as a mature student, please submit your application to UCD with all available academic credentials, transcripts, and exam scores, and then reach out to (opens in a new window)NorthAmerica@ucd.ie with any questions.

Physical Transcripts  

Physical transcripts are not recommended, but if required can be sent to our International Admissions Department at the following address:

University College Dublin
575 5th Ave Floor 14
New York, NY 10017

The Admissions team will assess your credentials and contact you promptly with a decision once all materials are received. Applications are processed on a rolling basis with an average 4-6 week return decision.

• Applications open: October 1 (Common App opens early September)
• Application priority deadline: December 1
• Final deadline: July 1

Please note that students awaiting results of high school examinations may apply and could be made a 'conditional offer', requiring that you maintain academic performance similar to that which was presented in your application.

UCD School of Medicine also consider applications submitted via our partner, the (opens in a new window)Atlantic Bridge Program. Please reach out to them directly for more information.

If you are applying to the Veterinary Medicine program, please contact the Veterinary Medicine program office directly at (opens in a new window)vetprogrammes@ucd.ie for advice on application procedures and entry requirements.

• US curriculum students must achieve a C grade in high school English in Grade 11 or 12 to be eligible for entry
• International applicants are exempt from the Irish Language requirement
• All students are required to meet the Other Language requirement for courses that involve the study of a language. For US curriculum applicants this means at minimum a passing grade in a Grade 11 language. This includes the study of a language in any of the following courses:
  • BAU5 BA Arts Joint Honours
  • BAU4 BA Humanities Modern Languages
  • HSS5 Global Studies
  • HSS6 European Studies
  • AYS1 Languages, Linguistics & Cultures
  • BSW1 Commerce International
• Some courses require evidence of advanced language study, typically with an AP language score of 3 or better. This includes:
  • BAU4 BA Humanities Modern Languages - must meet advanced language score in one of chosen languages
  • BSW1 Commerce International - when Spanish and German combination is selected, must meet advanced language score in one of chosen languages
• French is not taught at beginner level and all applicants seeking to study French must show advanced proficiency, typically with an AP French score of 3 or better. The following academic programmes require evidence of advanced French language proficiency:
  • LWS2 BCL/Maîtrise
  • LWS2 Law with French Law
  • BAU5 BA Arts Joint Honours when French language combination selected
  • BAU4 BA Humanities Modern Languages when French language combination selected
  • BSW1 Commerce International when French language combination selected

UCD offers exceptional, high quality on-campus accommodation to international students. On-campus living means single rooms in apartment style suites, with a variety of living options all right on campus!

UCD seeks to guarantee on-campus accommodation for all first-year undergraduate international students, and accommodation is also available for graduate students on a limited basis. Our Residences website with information on accommodation types and availabilities can be found on the UCD Residences website

Accommodation booking happens online in early summer. After accepting their offer, students should check the email used when applying to UCD often, as we will be sending important information to that email.

Please email all questions about accommodation booking to (opens in a new window)residences@ucd.ie

Many postgraduate students and some undergraduate students choose to live off-campus during their time at UCD. We suggest starting your search by visiting (opens in a new window)http://www.ucdaccommodationpad.ie/Home (more details here). UCD also advertises these websites as good for off-campus housing search:

(opens in a new window)www.daft.ie
(opens in a new window)www.independent.ie
(opens in a new window)www.let.ie
(opens in a new window)www.myhome2let.ie
More found here.

Areas close to campus to search:

DUBLIN 4: Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Sandymount
DUBLIN 6: Ranelagh, Rathgar, Rathmines
DUBLIN 14: Clonskeagh, Dundrum, Goatstown
DUBLIN COUNTY: Blackrock, Booterstown, Mount Merrion, Stillorgan, Dun Laoghaire

Congratulations, you have accepted your offer to Ireland’s largest and most global university! Please use the information available on the Accepted Students page.

Upon graduation, students must submit an official copy of their final high school transcripts. The transcripts can be sent:

Via email to (opens in a new window)northamerica@ucd.ie directly from a school counselor or university

Via mail to:

University College Dublin
575 5th Ave Floor 14
New York, NY 10017

If students have a condition of receiving specific AP exam scores, please make sure to send a copy of your test scores to UCD when they become available. Our College Board AP exam code is 6675.

You're sure to have a lot of questions about what the student experience is like at UCD. If you'd like to connect with a current US student studying at UCD, please fill out the following form and a student will reach out to you soon.

(opens in a new window)Complete the "Chat to a Student" Form