Top Universities In Dublin: Best Colleges & Universities In Dublin

Dublin has shrugged off its image as a lowly, unassuming city to become one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan places in Ireland. This capital city is home to some of the best universities in Dublin, that have regularly been featured in the list of top universities in the world. Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin (UCD) and Dublin City University (DCU) have transformed into world-class universities and are attracting thousands of international students every year. Let’s take a closer look at these best universities in Dublin, and find out how you can start your education journey in Dublin as soon as possible! 

Trinity College Dublin (TCD)

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is one of the leading universities in Dublin, that has a sprawling campus right in the heart of Dublin. There are over 18,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students across three faculties, namely – Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Engineering, Mathematics and Science; and Health Sciences. Students can enrol at any of the 24 academic schools of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and pursue a career in disciplines like health sciences, science, engineering, business, law, arts and humanities. 

Location – 

College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland

Rankings – 

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is ranked the number one university not only in Dublin but also in the whole of Ireland by popular university rankings website – Top Universities and Times Higher Education. 

However, on the global rankings chart, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) features just outside the top 100 universities in the world. According to QS World University Rankings 2020, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is ranked 101st and according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings, it is ranked 164th. The US News & World Report has ranked the university 227th globally. 

Courses – 

The most popular course at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is their dentistry program, that is offered by the Dublin Dental University Hospital. This course is ranked 51-75 in the world. Moreover, Trinity College Dublin is globally renowned for its research work in the fields of  Information Technology, Politics, Engineering, Mathematics, Nanotechnology, Humanities Immunology, Psychology and English. Here are some of the popular courses at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) – 

Bachelor in Business Studies

Duration – 4 Years

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 15.7 Lakh

BA (Mod) Computer Science

Duration – 4 Years

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 20.5 Lakh

MSc Computer Science – Data Science

Duration – 1 Year

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 17.7 Lakh

MSc Finance

Duration – 1 Year

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 17 Lakh

Admission requirements – 

Undergraduate admission –

• An international second-level qualification such as the A-levels or the International Baccalaureate or other national curricula such as ATAR, Malaysian UEC, Indian Standard 12, etc. 
• Two academic references.
• Final high school exam results, or Predicted Scores provided by your school.
• A 500-word statement of purpose.
• A recognised certificate of English Language Competency.

Postgraduate admission –

• Hold at least a 2.1 honours degree (60%) from an Irish university, or an equivalent result from a university in another country. 
• Two academic references.
• Academic transcript(s) which must be certified by the issuing body.
• Certified copy of degree certificate(s).
• A recognised certificate of English Language Competency.
• Any other qualifications that may be required (such as GMAT for Business Master’s programmes).

Scholarships – 

India Undergraduate Scholarships

Eligibility – 

• International Baccalaureate score of 36
• A level score of AAB or similar
• India Grade XII score of 90% overall

Global Excellence Undergraduate Scholarships

Eligibility –

Applicants who have non-EU status and will pay tuition fees at the non-EU rate. Students from China, India and the US.

TR080 Global Business (Bachelor in Business Studies) Scholarship

Eligibility –

Applicants who have non-EU status and will pay tuition fees at the non-EU rate.  

Fulbright Scholars Programme

Eligibility –

Students who wish to pursue postgraduate study at Trinity College Dublin (TCD).

Global Excellence Postgraduate Scholarships

Eligibility –

Applicants who have non-EU status and will pay tuition fees at the non-EU rate. 

Accommodation – 

Blackhall Place

Address – 

9-13 Blackhall Place Dublin 7

Room types –

• Single En-suite
• Twin En-suite
• Single Non En-suite
• Double Non En-suite

Amenities – 

Outdoor space, a garden, bike storage, social events, 24/7 dedicated care, a communal area, a study area, contents insurance, a bookshelf, a fridge, all-inclusive utility bills, a laundry room, an electric stove and WiFi.

Price range – 

€218 – €260/week

Transportation – 

• Bus No. 128 from the Connolly Luas stop to Nassau Street
• Heuston rail station

Nearby Popular Places – 

• The Book of Kells and the Old Library Exhibition
• Kilkenny Shop
• Dublin Whiskey Tours
• Four Angels Fountain
• Irish Whiskey Museum

University College Dublin

University College Dublin is one of the leading research universities in Dublin with six subjects ranked in the top 50 in the world. For the third successive year, University College Dublin was the number one university in Dublin, in terms of graduate employability. This university attracts students from over 136 countries and has a student population of almost 30,000. 

Location – 

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

Rankings – 

University College Dublin is arguably one of the best universities in Dublin. In fact, University College Dublin was named “University of the Year 2020” by The Sunday Times. University College Dublin’s business school – Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is highly sought after by international students as it was recently named among the leading European Business Schools in 2019. QS National and THE National have ranked the University College Dublin 2 and 3 respectively in their National Universities Rankings. The same publications have ranked the university 177 and 251-300 respectively in their Global Universities Rankings. 

Courses – 

BSc Computer Science

Duration – 4 Years

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 22.4 Lakh

Electronic or Electrical Engineering (BE)

Duration – 4 Years

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 22.4 Lakh

MSc Computer Science

Duration – 1 Year

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 21.7 Lakh

Full-Time MBA

Duration – 1 Year

Exams Accepted – GMAT: 600, GRE: Accepted

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 30.1 Lakh

Admission requirements – 

The admission process for international students is a bit different from domestic students. Students who wish to enrol at University College Dublin need to fulfil the following criteria – 

• A completed application form
• Official transcripts from all previous academic institutions attended.
• Proof of Citizenship
• Official English Proficiency Test Scores
• SAT/ACT/GMAT/MAT Scores (wherever applicable)
• Essay or Statement of Purpose (wherever applicable)
• 2 Letters of Academic reference/recommendation (wherever applicable)
• Resume, CV or Portfolio (wherever applicable)

There are also several country-specific requirements that need to be followed. Check the University College Dublin website to know more. 

Scholarships – 

Smurfit Business School

Eligibility – 

Applicants enrolled in an MBA or Masters at Smurfit Business School.

UCD Global Scholarships for International Students

Eligibility –

International students who are enrolled in an undergraduate course or a postgraduate course. 

Newman Fellowships Programme

Eligibility – 

Applicants engaged in post-doctoral research across the humanities and sciences.

U21 Scholarships

Eligibility –

All students, researchers, senior academics and professional staff. 

UCD Graduate Sports Scholarships

Applicants who compete at a national or international level, while simultaneously completing a post-graduate programme at University College Dublin.

Accommodation – 

Brickworks

Address – 

Brickfield Lane, Dublin 8

Room types –

• Twin En-suite
• Bronze En-suite
• Silver En-suite
• Gold En-suite
• Platinum En-suite

Amenities –

A laundry room, an electric stove, a WiFi, all-inclusive utility bills, a television, a fridge, a microwave, CCTV security, an on-site gym, social events, contents insurance, 24/7 dedicated support, a garden, a communal area, a study area and a theatre. 

Price range – 

€224 – €280/week

Transportation – 

• Dublin Bus numbers 2, 11 and 46A can be boarded for UCD.
• Connolly Station and Heuston Station. 

Nearby Popular Places – 

• St Stephens Green
• Kilmainham Gaol Museum
• Fabulous Food Trail
• Guinness Storehouse
• Dublin Free Walking Tour

Dublin City University

Dublin City University is one of the best universities in Dublin for entrepreneurship. The Dublin City University campus is spread over 85 acres of lush greenery and has a state-of-the-art sports and leisure centre. Today, the university welcomes over 11,500 students from over 116 different countries, making it one of the most culturally diverse universities in Dublin.

Location – 

Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland

Rankings – 

Dublin City University has been a perennial name in the list of 50 best universities under 50 years. Dublin City University, along with Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin, was named the three establishments of higher education in Ireland. This university’s most recent ranking as 391st best university in the world by QS World University ranking. 

Courses – 

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computer Applications

Duration – 4 Years

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 92

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 13.1 Lakh

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics with Astronomy

Duration – 4 Years

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 92

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 13.1 Lakh

MSc in Computing (with Major Options)

Duration – 1 Year

Exams Accepted – IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 92

1st Year Tuition Fees – INR 14.8 Lakh

Admission requirements – 

The admission process is fairly similar for both domestic and international students. Here are some of the main academic requirements expected from applicants. 

• English Proficiency Test Scores.
• Indian applicants are required to have a minimum academic score of 80% at the high school level to be eligible.
• International applicants from other countries must send in the high school score equivalent to GCE level A. 
• You are required to submit school leaving certificates.
• For admission to some of the programs, you will be required to mandatorily have physics and mathematics as core subjects during high school.
• Supporting Documents: Authorized financial statement, Proof of financial support, copy of passport.

Scholarships – 

DCU International Merit Scholarships 

Eligibility – 

Undergraduate or postgraduate students enrolled at Dublin City University.

DCU NON-EU Study Abroad

Eligibility – 

Any non-EU applying for a One Year Masters Program at Dublin City University.

DCU Continuing Student – Masters Programmes

Eligibility – 

Any student applying for a Full Undergraduate Bachelor Program at Dublin City University.

Accommodation – 

College Manor

Address – 

Drumcondra, Dublin, D09 Y8K6

Room types – 

• Single Room
• Double Room
• Double En-suite

Amenities –

Car parking, a garden, WiFi, a dining room, all-inclusive utility bills, a sofa, an electric stove, a microwave, an AC, an ironing board and a fridge.

Price range –

€175 – €224/week

Transportation – 

Students have over 20 routes to Dublin City University via public transport. 

• Bus routes servicing DCU campus are 1, 11, 13, 16, 33, 41, 41B, 41C, 44.
• Maynooth Station and Drumcondra Station.

Nearby Popular Places – 

• National Botanical Garden
• Glasnevin Cemetery Museum
• Croke Park Stadium Tour & GAA Museum
• Temple Bar
• Rural Pub Tours