UCD has two categories of international students: EU and Non-EU.

If you are not sure which category you belong to, you will find assistance here: https://www.ucd.ie/students/fees/eufeeassessment/   

If you appear to be eligible for EU fees, please contact the Student Desk for information.

All non -EU applicants will need to apply through our online application portal.

If you are planning to apply to a MLitt, PhD or other research-oriented programme in UCD, you must research your target programme and contact a potential supervisor before you begin the application process. You can find more information about research programmes at www.ucd.ie/research

UCD Global only oversees applications to full-time taught programmes from Non-EU applicants.

You can submit an application online at www.ucd.ie/global/apply from 01 October for the following September.

Undergraduate applications typically close on 15 July, while Graduate applications will close once all places on a programme have been allocated. Competitive programmes may close early due to demand, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. 

Only complete and submitted applications will be considered. It will take approximately two weeks before a decision is made, although this can take longer during peak times.  Applications are processed in the order they are completed. In all cases, we recommend you apply to your chosen course early, especially if you are applying to a competitive programme or if you require a visa to study in Ireland.

Normally, non-EU applicants should apply to stage 1 (Year 1) of their preferred programme. 

Successful applicants with appropriate qualifications may be considered for exemption from compatible modules by applying to have their prior learning accredited. RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) applications are approved at the discretion of the Programme Board and are subject to availability of places. The full policy, together with the RPL form, is available on the Academic Secretariat website

For visa and immigration purposes, generally non-EU applicants must be registered to a full-time programme.

Please see the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service website for further details: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Student+Guidelines+-+New+Immigration+Regime+for+Full+Time+non-EEA+Students

UCD works with representatives overseas to promote the University and the programmes we offer. You can find a list of our official agents in your country on the following page: www.ucd.ie/global/agents

To support our future international students and partners, we regularly travel overseas to participate in fairs and exhibitions, institutional visits, meet our agent network and prospective students.

Please find information regarding our upcoming trips here: http://www.ucd.ie/global/events

You can find the list of entry requirements for your country for undergraduate programmes at https://www.ucd.ie/global/study-at-ucd/undergraduate/entryrequirements/

For graduate programmes, typically a minimum of a Bachelor degree with a Second Class Honours is required. You can contact us if you wish to know what this is equivalent to in your country.

Teaching in Irish Universities is normally through  English. All applicants are required to demonstrate a high level of competence in English language, and must provide evidence of this through a recognised language test.

You can find a list of our recognised tests on our dedicated website.

You can find a list of UCD College and School contact details at the following link: http://www.ucd.ie/collegesandschools/

Yes, you can apply before you have taken your English language test. However, you will need to submit your results before an unconditional offer is made. Conditional offers can be issued in instances where students have not submitted their English language test, but have submitted all the necessary documentation.

If you are still waiting for your final results, you may still submit your application. If the application does not contain all documents / results, it will still be processed as far as possible. However, it is your responsibility to provide the University with a certified copy of your final results as soon as they become available so that the assessment of your application may be completed.

If you have not yet received your final transcript, please upload the most recent transcript available to you. 

If you are a current high school student, please include your official predicted grades, provided by your school on headed paper.

Most of our Taught Master’s courses begin in September, with some courses offering an alternative start date in January. Start dates can be found on our Graduate Studies website. Research courses have more varied start dates throughout the year. There is no January intake for full-time undergraduate programmes.

The International Foundation Year is a 1-year programme, specifically designed for international students who do not meet the requirement for direct entry to UCD Bachelor (undergraduate) programmes. The programme combines study skills, English language training and academic study to prepare you for degree-level study. 

Further information is available online http://www.ucdisc.com/international-foundation-year

UCD has developed a PreMasters pathway enabling you to benefit from a preparatory course that enhances your English language skills, allowing you to adjust to a different learning culture and helps you to get used to a new way of life.

Please contact premasters@ucd.ie for information on programmes and how to apply.

Both your applicant ID and the individual number of each application can be viewed when you log in to your application account. These details are also sent to you by email. You can log in to your account here: www.ucd.ie/global/apply 

It is not possible to amend an application once it has been submitted, apart from personal details and the uploading of the documentation. Please contact us  if you wish to make us aware of any change in your application.

If your application is successful, UCD will create an online offer for you. You will receive an automatic email to tell you that your application status has been updated. You should log in to your UCD application account (http://www.ucd.ie/global/apply) to see if an offer has been made. 

When you accept your offer,  a student record will automatically be created for you. You will receive an email confirmation of your acceptance of the offer, which will include your UCD student number. Please note that you will only receive your student number once you have received and accepted a FULL offer.

To return to your application account, please go to www.ucd.ie/global/apply. Select 'My Applications' and log in under the section 'Sign in to Existing Account.'

If you have not submitted an application form, it will not go forward to be assessed and you can simply disregard it.

If you have submitted the application form, you can use the Withdraw button (found adjacent to the application status in your application) to withdraw your application.

We aim to process applications as quickly as possible. You can help us speed up the process of reviewing your application by ensuring that you submit all documentation that is requested on the online application form.

We aim to enter a decision on applications within two weeks of completion. However, in some cases (for competitive programmes or at peak times) it may take longer. You are encouraged to check the status online regularly to monitor the progress of your application by logging into your account at  www.ucd.ie/global/apply. 

Please note: only complete applications will be processed. Please ensure that there are no outstanding items on the application checklist and that the application fee has been paid.

You will find your acceptance deadline on your Offer Letter, as well as instructions on how to accept or decline your offer.

You will need to accept your offer and pay any required deposit by the indicated deadline for your acceptance to be recorded, otherwise your offer will lapse.

If your offer is conditional, you will be required to meet the conditions stated in your offer letter. Depending on the conditions of your offer, please upload your final documentation so we can verify that you have met the conditions and we can then issue you  a full offer. 

Whether you have received a conditional or full offer, please read your offer letter and offer pack in full. A link to your offer pack is available on your offer letter, which you can download from your applicant account.

A decision of ‘no offer’ on your application means that unfortunately you have not been offered a place on your chosen programme at UCD. 

Although your application had many merits, your academic background was not matched to this particular programme.

If you are thinking of deferring your offer, please contact the UCD International Admissions Team. In the event that you have been granted a deferral, but do not wish to pay the deferral charge (or deposit), you can reapply to the same programme for the following year as normal, and your application will be assessed in competition with other applicants.

Please note that only firm offers can be deferred; though it may not be possible to grant your deferral request for certain high demand programmes. If your offer is conditional, you will first need to meet the conditions highlighted in your offer letter. Please refer to the full deferral policy for information

In order for your application to be reviewed, you must pay the application fee. 

You can apply to multiple programmes for the same intake after you have paid the €60 application fee.

To pay the application fee, you must log onto your application at www.ucd.ie/global/apply . Select ‘My Applications’, then ‘sign into existing account’. To log into your account, your ID can be your Email Address or ID Number. Your password will be your date of birth in the format of ddmmyy (unless you have changed your password).

Under ‘checklist’ items, next to ‘application fee,’ select the button to ‘pay application fee’.

From there, you will be given further instructions on how to pay. You can pay by credit or debit card.

University fees are fixed for each academic year and are subject to an annual increase. For information on fees and for official fees listing, please visit: http://www.ucd.ie/fees 

In addition to the programme fees you pay UCD as a student, you will also need to budget for your living costs , including accommodation. 

You will find helpful information, so you can an estimate your living expenses in Dublin, at the following page: https://www.ucd.ie/global/study-at-ucd/scholarshipsfinances/livingcosts/