Ireland has many great universities where students from around the world come to study. These schools offer top-quality education with friendly teachers and beautiful campuses that make learning fun and exciting.
Picking the right university in Ireland means looking at what each school does best. Some schools are better for science, others for business, and some are great for arts. Each university has something special to offer students.
This guide will help you learn about Ireland’s best universities for 2025-2026. We’ll look at what makes each school special, how much they cost, and what you need to know to apply there.
🏆 Top Irish Universities for 2025-2026
| University Name | World Rank | What They’re Best At | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity College Dublin | #75 | Research & English Studies | Dublin |
| University College Dublin | #118 | Business & Medicine | Dublin |
| University College Cork | #246 | Nursing & Green Studies | Cork |
| University of Galway | #284 | Jobs After Graduation | Galway |
| University of Limerick | #401 | Student Happiness & Sports | Limerick |
| Dublin City University | #410 | Technology & Work Experience | Dublin |
| Maynooth University | 500+ | Small Classes & Support | Maynooth |
| TU Dublin | 851-900 | Hands-on Learning | Dublin |
#75 TCD
38,000+
96%
€9K-€55K
📑 What You’ll Learn About
- Trinity College Dublin: Ireland’s Oldest University
- University College Dublin: The Biggest School
- University College Cork: Green and Clean
- University of Galway: Great for Getting Jobs
- Dublin City University: Learn by Doing
- University of Limerick: Happy Students
- Costs and How to Apply
- Questions Students Often Ask
Trinity College Dublin – Ireland’s Oldest University
Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s number one university. It ranks 75th in the whole world, which means it’s one of the best schools you can go to. The school started way back in 1592, making it over 400 years old!
Over 22,000 students study at Trinity, with many of them coming from other countries. The school is really good at teaching English, Nursing, and Medicine. According to world rankings, Trinity is the best place in Ireland to study.
What Makes Trinity Special
Trinity sits right in the middle of Dublin city. The campus has old, beautiful buildings and a huge library with 6 million books – that’s more books than most people could read in their whole life! Students can join over 170 different clubs for sports, music, art, and hobbies.
What You Need for Trinity
- Good English test scores (like IELTS 7.0)
- Apply before February 1st for best chance
- Pay €55 to apply
- Costs about €23,000 per year
- Apply online at my.tcd.ie
- Each student gets a helper teacher
- Can stay in Ireland 2 years after graduating
💡 Good to Know: Trinity is opening a new tech center in 2025 where students can work with big companies on real projects.
University College Dublin – The Biggest School
UCD is Ireland’s biggest university with 39,000 students. That’s like a small town! About 11,100 students come from other countries, from 150 different places around the world.
The school ranks 118th in the world and is really good at Business, Medicine, Computers, and Farming. UCD has helped start over 550 companies that made lots of money, according to research about Irish schools.
Cool Things at UCD
The campus has lakes where you can walk, woods to explore, and even an Olympic-size swimming pool. That’s the same size pool that Olympic swimmers use! There are 60 sports clubs and 100 other clubs for things like music, games, and art.
Fun Fact: UCD cares a lot about the environment. They rank 49th in the world for being green and helping nature.
Students from other countries get lots of help at UCD. The school helps with visas (papers to study in Ireland), finding a place to live, and even has special classes if you need extra help before starting.
University College Cork – Green and Clean
UCC jumped up 27 spots to rank 246th in the world. The Sunday Times newspaper said UCC was the best university in Ireland five times – more than any other school!
Students at UCC run a special Green Campus Program that helps keep the school clean and protects nature. They won a green flag award four years in a row! The school is really good at teaching Nursing, Farming, and Law.
Science and Student Life
UCC has received significant research funding in recent years to do science projects. They started 80 new companies and won 80 important science prizes from Europe. The school works on cool things like robots, computers that think, and ways to help sick people get better.
How to Apply to UCC
- Apply before May 31st (March 21st for Psychology)
- English test: IELTS 6.5 or higher
- Need grades of 75-79% in high school
- Pay €50 to apply
- Must be 17 years old by January 15th
- Special rules for Medicine and Dentistry
University of Galway – Great for Getting Jobs
University of Galway ranks 284th in the world. Here’s something amazing: 96 out of every 100 students get a job or keep studying within 6 months after they finish school. That’s better than most other schools in Ireland!
The school is number 1 in Ireland for helping the environment. They have 18,000 students, and 3,300 come from other countries. Most classes let students do real work at companies or study in another country – that’s pretty cool!
Living in a College Town
Galway is a special city because 1 out of every 5 people living there during school time is a student. The whole city feels like one big campus! Since 2010, the school spent €334 million to build new buildings and make things better for students.
💡 Why It’s Great: Galway has work experience built into classes. Students work at real companies for months, which helps them get jobs easier after school.
Dublin City University – Learn by Doing
DCU ranks 410th in the world and was the first school in Ireland to make all students do real work at companies as part of their classes. 8 out of 10 classes include work experience!
Students who finish DCU make more money at their jobs than students from other Irish schools. The school is really good at Business, Computers, and Technology. According to student surveys, DCU is the best in the world at welcoming new students.
Five Different Campuses
DCU has 5 different places where students learn, all close to each other. There are 18,000 students from 122 countries. The school has 3 big libraries, great sports places with 40 clubs, and over 100 other clubs for fun activities.
What They Study: DCU focuses on things like Computer Science, keeping information safe online, robots that think, and clean energy.
University of Limerick – Happy Students
UL moved up 20 spots to rank 401st in the world. Students at UL report very high satisfaction levels! They have 16,000 students, and 2,400 come from other countries.
UL started something called Cooperative Education in Ireland. This means students work at real companies for 8 months as part of their studies. Because of this, more UL students get jobs than from other schools – 15% more!
Amazing Sports Places
UL has the biggest sports fields in Europe! They have a 50-meter swimming pool (that’s really long!), lots of courts for basketball and other games, and places to do fun outdoor stuff like rock climbing and sailing. Students live in 5 different villages right on campus.
What You Need for UL
- Apply before July 10, 2025 if you need a visa
- English test: IELTS 6.5 or higher
- Need GPA of 2.9 out of 4.0 to study abroad
- Pay €50 to apply
- Applications open October 16, 2024
How Much Does It Cost and How to Apply
Going to school in Ireland costs different amounts at each university. Here’s a simple way to understand the costs and what you need to apply.
| University | World Rank | Cost Per Year (€) | Students from Other Countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity College Dublin | 75 | 23,000 | 3,000+ |
| University College Dublin | 118 | 15,000-30,000 | 11,100+ |
| University College Cork | 246 | 9,850-55,000 | 4,000+ |
| University of Galway | 284 | 12,000-25,000 | 3,300+ |
| Dublin City University | 410 | 13,000-20,000 | 3,000+ |
| University of Limerick | 401 | 12,000-17,000 | 2,400+ |
Other Good Schools
Maynooth University is a smaller school with 14,000 students. It’s close to Dublin and is known for being friendly and helpful. Students say it feels like a big family where everyone knows each other.
Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) is Ireland’s newest big university with 28,500 students. They focus on learning by doing things with your hands, not just reading books. According to education rankings, TU Dublin is great for students who want to learn practical skills.
Remember: Students from outside Europe need to show they have €10,000 for each year of study and must buy health insurance.
Questions Students Often Ask
School costs between €9,000 and €55,000 each year. Most programs cost around €15,000-€25,000. You also need money to live – about €7,000-€12,000 more each year for food, a place to live, and fun things. That means you need about €20,000-€35,000 total each year. Medicine and Dentistry cost the most.
American students don’t need a visa before coming to Ireland. But if you stay more than 3 months, you need to sign up for something called an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) after you arrive. It costs €300 and you need to show you’re in school, have money, and have health insurance. Students from other countries might need different papers.
Trinity College Dublin is number 1 in Ireland (75th in the world). But “best” means different things to different people. UCD has the most students from other countries. Galway helps 96% of students get jobs. DCU students make the most money after school. UL has very high student satisfaction. Pick the one that matches what you want!
Ireland usually costs less to live in than the UK, especially outside of Dublin. School fees are about the same in both countries (€9,000-€25,000 in Ireland vs £14,000-£45,000 in UK). But food and housing cost less in Ireland. Both countries let you stay 2 years after school to find work. Ireland feels more like home because it’s smaller and friendlier.
You need: a letter saying the school wants you, good English test scores (usually IELTS 6.5 or higher), proof you have €10,000 for each year, health insurance, and good grades from your old school (usually 75% or higher). Students applying for visa need to apply online with €60-€100 fee. Everyone must register for IRP card after arriving if staying more than 3 months.
Yes! Students can work 20 hours each week during school time and 40 hours during holidays (summer and winter break). You need to be in a full-time program on the special list of approved courses. Students make at least €13.50 per hour (as of January 2025). After you finish school, you can stay in Ireland for up to 2 more years to find a full-time job.
Yes! Ireland gives out lots of scholarships (free money for school). The Government of Ireland gives €10,000 plus pays your school fees. Each university has its own scholarships for smart students. There’s special help for students from poor countries. You need good grades and must apply early. Ask each school about their scholarships when you apply.
Irish universities are known for being friendly and helping students succeed. Many schools include real work experience in classes, which helps students get jobs. Ireland is safe, people speak English, and the country is beautiful with lots of history. You can travel easily to other European countries. Plus, you can stay 2 years after school to work, which is longer than many other countries allow.
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