UCD admission for international applicants: routes, certificates, English and fees

University College Dublin (UCD) sorts undergraduate applicants by fee status. If you hold EU fee status and apply to the first year, you must apply via the Central Applications Office (CAO); if you are assessed as non-EU, you apply at www.ucd.ie/apply and are assessed on a rolling basis. According to UCD Global's page as of October 2026, From October 1st, you can submit applications for the following September, and a non-EU year costs between 22,600.00 euro (Law) and 63,890.00 euro (Medicine) in the 2026/2027 fee table, the latest published.

Both routes lead to the same teaching: UCD's admissions page says that English is the teaching language of the university so all applicants must show proficiency in English. What differs is who reads your file and which rule set applies. The CAO route scores school results on a points scale, while the direct route reads your certificate against a country page and a programme table that UCD Global publishes.

The two routes are exclusive: Non-EU applicants will not be considered via CAO. Likewise, those eligible for EU/EFTA fees will not be considered through non-EU application routes. Your fee status is therefore the first fact to settle, and chapter 3 shows how UCD assesses it.

The dates that matter for 2027 entry

For the direct route, UCD Global adds that Visa-required students are recommended to submit their applications before July 1st. and that There is no January intake for full-time undergraduate programmes. For the CAO route, Applications open in November each year for entry the following September., and The normal closing date is 1 February, although there is a reduced application fee for applying before 20 January.

What a year costs

The tuition chapter sets the fee tables side by side. UCD also says that Applications for the 2027/28 Global Excellence Scholarships will open in November, dates TBC., so scholarship dates for 2027 entry are not yet set.

Where to go next, by situation

• You hold an IB Diploma, A-levels or a French Baccalauréat and are assessed as non-EU: go to the certificate chapters, where each programme has a 2027 entry row.
• You hold a Brazilian, Indonesian, Japanese, Algerian or Turkish certificate: the country chapter lists a threshold for each of the five programmes.
• You hold an Egyptian, Saudi or Vietnamese certificate: the country pages give a general rule and the International Foundation Year, with no per-programme thresholds.
• You hold an EU certificate and EU fee status: the CAO chapter explains the points route, and the Leaving Certificate chapter gives the baseline UCD compares you with.
• You are weighing cost: the tuition chapter sets non-EU and EU fees side by side for 2026/2027.

One caution runs through every table: the figures are published gates. UCD says that admission is competitive, so meeting a gate makes you eligible for consideration and does not promise an offer.

This page follows five UCD bachelor programmes: Commerce, Economics & Finance, Computer Science, Law and Medicine. UCD states that Overseas (i.e. Non-EU)* students are eligible to apply for admission to a limited number of places in all courses, except Nursing. Non-EU applicants apply direct to UCD. The entry tables identify the programmes by short codes, and the fee table adds a College or School name.

The 2027 entry tables list the five programmes under these codes: BSS1 Commerce, BSS2 Economics & Finance, CSSA Computer Science, LWS6 Law and MDSA Medicine. The fee tables use the same codes with the degree titles, for example Commerce DN650 - BSS1 School of Business and Computer Science DN201 - CSSA School of Computer Science. Medicine appears in the fee table as Medicine - MDS2 School of Medicine.

UCD sets one limit in writing: Due to restrictions imposed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board, UCD does not currently offer non-EU places in the Nursing programmes. UCD does not publish a number of places per programme for non-EU applicants.

The International Foundation Year

Where your certificate falls short of direct entry, UCD describes a route: The International Foundation Year is a 1-year programme, specifically designed for international students who do not meet the requirements for direct entry to UCD bachelor programmes. It combines study skills, English language training and academic study to prepare you for degree-level study. The Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey pages name it in their general requirement, for example Tawjihiyah (General Secondary Education Certificate) + 2 years of a Bachelor's degree Or UCD International Foundation Year Programme.

Arts block, Belfield campus, University College Dublin

UCD describes itself in one line: is the most popular university for international students in Ireland. That is the university's own claim, not a ranking.

Reading the codes

The first four letters of an entry-table row are UCD's own programme code, and the same code closes the name in the fee table. Using the code, not the title, is the safest way to match a threshold to a fee: the Commerce entry row is BSS1 Commerce and its fee line carries the same code, BSS1 School of Business. Medicine is the one exception on this page, because its entry row uses a different code from its fee line, so match it by the name.

A double dagger after a programme name is explained on the entry pages: the course has an alternate entry pathway through Liberal Arts & Sciences. The entry pages are written for one audience: This page provides information and guidance on entry requirements for international (non-EU/non-EEA) students only.

Your fee assessment status, not your passport alone, decides your route: UCD's page as of October 2026 says Please be advised that your fee assessment status determines how you should apply. Four questions trigger a formal assessment, and a UK citizen who meets the criteria for EU/EEA fees applies through the CAO.

The EU Applicants page lists the questions: Were you born outside the EU/EEA? and the follow-on questions about three of the last five years lived outside the EU/EEA, non-EU/EEA nationality and earlier third-level study. A yes to any of them means you should complete UCD's online fee assessment, which decides whether you are eligible for EU fees.

Once the status is set it binds both sides: Non-EU applicants will not be considered via CAO. Likewise, those eligible for EU/EFTA fees will not be considered through non-EU application routes. An applicant who thinks the label is wrong therefore has to contest the assessment, not switch routes.

UK citizens

On the A-level page UCD writes that Students with UK citizenship and who meet the criteria for EU/EEA fees should apply via the CAO, and on the same page that Prospective applicants presenting A-levels who are assessed for non-EU fees should apply direct to UCD. The CAO page puts the first group in a sentence of its own: All EU/EEA/UK applicants for first year of undergraduate degree courses (excluding distance and online learning) should apply via CAO.

Agents for some countries

UCD adds a country rule for the direct route: For some courses applicants from Botswana, Canada, China, India, Malaysia, Russia and USA should apply via UCD's agents in those countries. None of the other countries on this page's list appear in that sentence.

Read the table as a first guess, not a verdict. A certificate from an EU country does not by itself give EU fee status, and the reverse also holds: a UK citizen who meets the criteria for EU/EEA fees uses the CAO. Only the fee assessment settles the route.

• The fee status rules are written for EU fees, not for citizenship: a Polish, Romanian or Italian citizen whose family has lived outside the EU/EEA for 3 of the last 5 years is told to take the fee assessment before choosing a route.
• Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Vietnam have UCD country pages for non-EU applicants (chapter 8).

According to the UCD Registry page as of October 2026, EU-fee applicants enter through the CAO under one rule: EU applicants must meet the same minimum entry requirements as Irish school-leavers. UCD adds that admission is competitive based on a points system, and that results are read from any one examination taken in a single sitting.

The EU Applicants page describes two stages: The first stage of the evaluation process requires you meet the minimum matriculation and specific programme requirements of a programme. The second stage scores your results against other EU applicants using the equivalence tables UCD points to. Admission is competitive (i.e. there are more applicants than places) and, other than access routes (e.g. mature years or QQI-FET), is based on the Leaving Certificate points system or equivalent.

The CAO procedure and offer rounds

• Opening: Applications open in November each year for entry the following September.
• Closing: The normal closing date is 1 February, although there is a reduced application fee for applying before 20 January.
• Choices: You can select up to 10 different level 8 (honours degree) courses on the CAO form.
• Offers: Offers to applicants being assessed on the basis of school-leaving qualifications issue following the release of the Irish Leaving Certificate results in mid-August with a reply date about a week later.
• Round 1 covers Round 1: Mid-August All remaining applicants - this includes Irish Leaving Certificate, EU, DARE and HEAR. UCD adds that it does not make conditional offers.

Documents

CAO applicants send Certified true copy of official transcripts of academic results. and, for any certificate not issued in English, A certified English translation of qualifications not issued originally in English, in addition to the certified copies of the documents themselves.

Abitur, Baccalauréat, Matura and other EU certificates

UCD does not print a score table for each EU certificate on its own admissions pages. It states the method: For standard EU second level qualifications UCD uses the Agreed Entry Requirements Criteria which is jointly prepared by Admissions Officers in the Universities in Ireland. The UCD Global page for EU applicants points readers the same way: European Union applicants can find undergraduate entry requirement information on the UCD Registry website. The per-certificate minimums for Italian, French, Polish, Romanian, Spanish, Greek, German or Dutch certificates therefore sit in that agreed criteria document, which is not on a UCD page.

For other subjects UCD says For other EU qualifications, generally the subjects recognised in the Leaving Certificate and A-level are recognised. A numerus clausus may apply to the most requested courses: In the case of high demand programmes, a numerus clausus may operate between Leaving Certificate holders and holders of other EU qualifications. Applicants whose exams are outside the EU but who hold EU fee status are told that Your qualifications will be compared to the Irish School-leaving examinations and an appropriate score arrived at.

Two further rules apply to CAO applicants. In the standard case UCD says that for CAO applicants it does not require personal statements (with the exception of Veterinary Medicine which requires evidence of work experience) or interviews. And for Medicine the HPAT-Ireland results are taken in combination with the school-leaving results.

Planning around a points system

The CAO route turns results into points and ranks applicants against each other, so a minimum is only the first gate. UCD's wording is that admission is competitive based on a points system and that the first stage requires you meet the minimum matriculation and specific programme requirements of a programme before your results are scored. For A-level holders the points scale is in the A-level chapter; for other EU qualifications UCD uses the Agreed Entry Requirements Criteria.

Because the CAO sends offers in rounds, the date your results arrive matters: Round 1: Mid-August All remaining applicants - this includes Irish Leaving Certificate, EU, DARE and HEAR. A certificate that is issued late still has to reach the CAO in time, and UCD sets different cut-off dates by certificate type on its General Requirements page.

UCD is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and its matriculation rule, according to the Registry page as of October 2026, is the baseline against which EU certificates are compared: Applicants presenting the Irish Leaving Certificate (established) must have six recognised subjects, selected according to course requirements, and must obtain Grade H5, or better, in two subjects and Grade O6/H7, or better, in the remaining four subjects.

The six subjects have one further condition: For all courses in UCD, this must include Irish (unless exempt) and English. The Applied Leaving Certificate does not qualify: Please note: the Applied Leaving Certificate does not meet matriculation and entry requirements.

Mathematics Foundation Level and Irish

Mathematics at Foundation Level counts only partly: the page says Mathematics Foundation Level’ will be accepted for matriculation registration purposes. However, points will not be awarded for this subject and it cannot be used as a substitute for the subject Mathematics where a course requires it. The Irish Foundation Level subject is not accepted: (Irish-Foundation Level) will not be accepted for matriculation registration purposes or points.

Who is exempt from Irish

The Irish requirement is stated for applicants born in Ireland: Generally, a minimum grade of O6/H7 in Leaving Certificate Irish is required for all applicants born in Ireland. An applicant educated abroad is covered by an automatic exemption: you are exempt if you were born outside Ireland (32 Counties) and are permanently resident outside Ireland and are presenting qualifications other than the Leaving Certificate for matriculation. Others can apply to the National University of Ireland: Applicants not born in the Republic of Ireland or based outside Ireland for an extended period of their education may apply to NUI for an exemption from the Irish language requirement.

A related exemption concerns the second language: Applicants with specific learning difficulties affecting language acquisition (dyslexia) may apply for exemption from the requirement of presenting another language.

Laboratory science subjects

Some programmes need a laboratory science. UCD lists them: The following subjects in the Irish Leaving Certificate/A-level are recognised laboratory science subjects: Agricultural Science Biology Chemistry Physics and Chemistry (Joint) Physics In addition Science at GCSE (grade C or better) is recognised.

The IB route is a direct, non-EU route: UCD Global asks for 24 or more total points and the award of the IB Diploma. as the general floor, and each programme then lists its own 2027 entry points. Commerce asks IB 33 Standard 6, Economics & Finance IB 39 Higher 5 and Medicine IB 39 + Interview.

The page is written for one audience: This page provides information and guidance on entry requirements for international (non-EU/non-EEA) students only. If you hold EU fee status you enter through the CAO, whatever diploma you present.

These points are a gate, not the level of admitted students; UCD says of Medicine that Successful applicants often present with a stronger academic background. The Law row, which reads IB 33 with no subject condition, is the shortest of the five.

Which IB mathematics course counts

UCD accepts both courses: Both Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches and Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation are acceptable for meeting the stated Math requirements. For programmes with a Higher Level Mathematics requirement, UCD strongly recommends Analysis and Approaches. In the Maths column the table lists Standard 6 for Commerce and Computer Science and Higher 5 for Economics & Finance.

English inside the IB

The IB page sets its own English levels: Language A: 3 at Higher Level or 4 at Standard Level. Language B or Ab Initio: 4 at Higher Level or 6 at Standard. (4 at either level if presenting IB through English) Chapter 10 sets this beside the test scores UCD accepts.

The gap between programmes

Economics & Finance asks IB 39 Higher 5 where Commerce asks IB 33 Standard 6, so the same Diploma opens one door and not the other. Medicine sits at IB 39 + Interview with a laboratory science, and Law has the lowest listed condition at IB 33. If you are choosing between Commerce and Economics & Finance, the choice is therefore a mathematics decision as much as a points decision: Higher Level versus Standard Level Mathematics is the difference between the two rows.

A-levels are read two ways. For CAO applicants UCD requires six recognised subjects, selected according to course requirements, and must obtain Grade C, or better, in two subjects at A-level (A2) and Grade C, or better, in the remaining four subjects at GCSE. For international applicants the UCD Global table lists, for 2027 entry, AAC / ABBC / ABB + E AS Level for Commerce and A*A*A / A*AAB / A*AA + B AS Level + Interview for Medicine.

The CAO page adds a warning about competition: However, admission to all courses is competitive and candidates will generally need at least 3 A-levels to have a competitive points score. The score is built from a) their best 4 A level subjects from one academic year or b) their best 3 A level subjects from one academic year plus one AS in a different subject from the same or the preceding academic year only.

Mathematics earns extra points: 25 additional points will be awarded for a grade E or better in Mathematics at A2 level. For Medicine the sitting matters: For DN400 Medicine, the requirement is that the score must come from the same sitting in which matriculation is met.

The international A Level table

For non-EU applicants UCD Global writes the general rule as At least three subjects at A Level Grade C or better and Grade C, or better, in the remaining subjects at GCSE. A total of six distinct subjects required. It accepts papers from several boards, starting with AQA Assessment & Qualifications Alliance: and Pearson (Edexcel), OCR, WJEC and CCEA, and it adds the caveat that The equivalences are provided as guidance and are indicative only. The English condition is Grade C at GCSE Level.

Each row offers three ways to the same offer: three A Levels, four, or three plus an AS. These are gates for consideration, not the grades of the admitted students.

Comparing the five rows

Commerce and Computer Science share the grade pattern AAC / ABBC / ABB + E AS Level, with a D in A Level Mathematics. Economics & Finance raises both the grades and the maths bar: A*A*B / A*AAD / A*AA + D AS Level C in A Level. Law repeats the Commerce grades with no maths column entry, and Medicine adds the interview and the highest grade pattern. For every row the UCD Global page repeats that the equivalences are guidance, so a conversation with UCD Global is sensible when your grades sit on the edge.

UCD Global publishes a page for each non-EU country, with a general rule for the certificate and a programme table headed 2027 Entry Requirements. Pages exist for Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Vietnam, and for the French Baccalauréat, IB, A Level and US curriculum; the EU markets (Italy, France, Poland, Romania, Spain, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands) have no such page because European Union applicants can find undergraduate entry requirement information on the UCD Registry website.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam list no programme thresholds for the five programmes: their pages stop at the general rule and the Foundation Year. Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Algeria and Turkey do list them, below. Read each row as a gate, and note that UCD's own caution applies to all of them: The equivalences are provided as guidance and are indicative only.

Brazil

The Brazil page asks for the school certificate and ENEM required for competitive programmes. The 2027 entry rows:

Indonesia

Indonesian applicants need a pass in the SMA/MA graduation certificate, and the page warns that the Social Science stream cannot be used for programmes with a Lab Science requirement.

Japan

Japanese applicants present the Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate; the table counts credits, so every figure assumes five credits per subject.

Algeria

The page's general rule for the Algerian Baccalauréat is Award of Baccalauréat with overall 10.

Turkey

Turkish applicants hold the Lise diploma; the rows combine Lise percentages with first-year degree results or SAT scores.

French Baccalauréat (international students)

French Baccalauréat holders assessed as non-EU use their own UCD Global page: Diplôme du Baccalauréat Général Option Internationale du Baccalauréat Overall 10 with a minimum of 6 acceptable subjects. A French student with EU fee status applies through the CAO instead (chapter 4).

Readers from Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Greece, Germany or the Netherlands with EU fee status follow the CAO chapter, and those assessed as non-EU use the IB, A Level or country tables above.

Comparing certificates

The country tables do not use one scale, so do not compare numbers across pages. Each page uses its own grading terms: averages with ENEM points for Brazil, percentages for Indonesia, credit-weighted averages for Japan, Baccalauréat marks for Algeria, and Lise percentages with SAT or first-year results for Turkey. Inside each page, the useful comparison is across the five rows: Economics & Finance and Medicine carry the highest bars, and Commerce, Computer Science and Law usually sit together.

For a reader from a country with no page, UCD Global gives two exits: the IB, A Level, French Baccalauréat or US curriculum pages, or the International Foundation Year described in the programmes chapter. For EU markets the CAO route and the agreed criteria apply.

For US high-school applicants UCD Global lists Cumulative GPA 3.2 out of 4.0 unweighted. and says that tests are optional in the sense that Standardized tests are not required for all programs, but will be considered. SAT, ACT, AP and IB subject exams are all named as extra evidence.

UCD's wording for the extra evidence is: Also considered: ACT or SAT AP, IB Subject Exams, and college/university GPA are also considered. The English condition on the same page is English Language Requirements C in High School Diploma (Grade 11 or 12).

Home-schooled applicants

Home-schooled applicants must be assessable on records: UCD's comparability note says If applicants are studying in the US system, they must have an official High School transcript together with SAT I scores. For more competitive courses SAT II will be required and for very competitive courses AP scores are also required.

Sending scores

When scores go through the College Board or ACT, UCD gives its codes: Designated Institution (DI) code is 6675-University College Dublin and The ACT college code number is 5512.

In the country tables, SAT figures appear as alternatives for some certificates, for example 97% Lise & 1360 SAT for Economics & Finance from Turkey; the tests chapter collects them.

According to the Registry page as of October 2026, UCD sets one English standard for all levels: An average score of 6.5 over all components and a minimum of 6.0 in each band. Retake scores are not accepted. on IELTS Academic, or iBT: 90 (no less than 21 in writing and at least 19 in every other section) on TOEFL. Applicants from Irish, UK, IB or many European school systems can meet it through school English instead.

UCD states the principle first: teaching is in English, so English is the teaching language of the university so all applicants must show proficiency in English. The minimum standards Generally tests of English are evaluated against the CEFR framework and must be at C1/C2 band level on an academic rather than vocational certificates.

Validity rules apply to every test: For all proficiency tests the results must normally have been issued within the last two years (i.e. for entry in September 2026, results must have been attained since 1 February 2024). UCD adds a single-sitting rule: Applicants are assessed on the results of a single sitting only - this means that the minimum requirements for all components must be met at the same time as the required overall score is attained. For 2026 only, UCD accepts the IELTS indicator test, and an equivalent note covers TOEFL Home Edition, with a review pending.

English without a test

• Irish Leaving Certificate: presenting the Irish school leaving certificate you are required to have attained a H7/O6 in English.
• School-leaving exams: Matriculation/school-leaving examinations from most European Countries and many non-EU countries will meet the requirements where English is presented as a subject at an acceptable level; but Where the examination has been taken more than 2 years previously candidates may be required to take a proficiency test.
• IB: Language A: 3 at Higher Level or 4 at Standard Level.
• A Level and GCSE: English Language Requirements Grade C at GCSE Level. and GCE O Level English Language at Grade C/4 or above.
• French Baccalauréat: English Language Requirements 13 at coefficient ≥ 16 or 15 otherwise.
• UCD's own pathway: UCD Pre-Sessional Programmes Overall grade C+ with at least grade C- in all components.
• Other evidence: Other evidence of proficiency in English may be accepted, e.g. degree through English.

English on the country pages

The country pages repeat the university standard with local variants. Indonesia says TOEFL/IELTS unless at University Level, Japan TOEFL/IELTS, Algeria TOEFL/IELTS or 1st university, Turkey 3.0/4.0 in 1st University and Egypt C at GCSE Level IB 4 at Standard Level/3 at Higher Level or equivalent. Brazil defers to the university standard: Teaching in UCD is through the medium of English; therefore, you must demonstrate a high level of competence in the English language to be admitted.

An interview can be added at any point: Please note an interview may also be required in addition to the minimum standards above, at the discretion of the Programme Board.

Choosing a test

Two details separate the main tests. IELTS Academic requires a minimum of 6.0 in each band on top of the overall average, and TOEFL iBT requires no less than 21 in writing and at least 19 in every other section. A candidate who is strong in writing but weaker in listening should check the section floors before the overall score, because a test that meets the overall number but misses a floor does not count. Plan the test date as well: results older than two years can fail the currency rule above, whose own example is written for entry in September 2026.

The tables put mathematics next to the grade gate. In the Maths column the IB table lists Standard 6 for Commerce and Computer Science and Higher 5 for Economics & Finance, while the A Level table lists D, C and D in the same order, so Economics & Finance carries the highest maths bar of the four non-medical programmes.

Law lists no maths condition in either table. Medicine lists maths and a laboratory science at a lower level than Commerce: Standard 4 in each for IB and E in A Level for each, next to the highest grade gate of the five.

IB mathematics course

Both Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches and Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation are acceptable for meeting the stated Math requirements. For Higher Level requirements UCD recommends Analysis and Approaches.

Leaving Certificate and A-level mathematics

For CAO applicants, Mathematics Foundation Level’ will be accepted for matriculation registration purposes. However, points will not be awarded for this subject, and A-level candidates earn 25 additional points will be awarded for a grade E or better in Mathematics at A2 level. Laboratory science subjects are listed in the matriculation chapter.

Mathematics on country pages

Some country rows put the maths figure in the Maths column after the average. Brazil lists Ensino Médio 7 for Commerce and Computer Science and Ensino Médio 9 for Economics & Finance; Turkey's Commerce row ends C2 3rd level / 4.5 Lise and its Economics & Finance row B3 3rd level; the French table gives coefficient-dependent minimums such as If co-efficient is less or equal to 16, 13 is required.

UCD's pages name tests mainly for Medicine. CAO applicants to Medicine also sit the HPAT-Ireland, since In the case of Medicine, the HPAT-Ireland results are taken in combination with the school-leaving results., and every Medicine row in the 2027 tables carries an interview, as in IB 39 + Interview. For Commerce, Economics & Finance, Computer Science and Law the pages list no own entrance exam.

In the standard CAO case, UCD does not require personal statements (with the exception of Veterinary Medicine which requires evidence of work experience) or interviews.

Medicine

• IB: MDSA Medicine IB 39 + Interview
• A Level: MDSA Medicine A*A*A / A*AAB / A*AA + B AS Level + Interview
• French Baccalauréat: MDSA Medicine 16 Average + Interview
• Brazil: 9 Average, 3200 ENEM & 1200 SAT + Interview; Indonesia: 75% Average in 6 subjects & 1040 in SAT (541) + Interview
• Japan: 4.5 Average across 6 Subjects (assuming all 5 credits) + 3.2/4.0 in 1st Uni + Interview; Algeria: Overall 13.6 in Baccalauréat & 12 in 1st Uni + Interview; Turkey: 90% Lise & 3.3/4.0 in degree or 99% Lise & 1500 SAT + Interview

Graduate-entry Medicine is a different door: all applicants are required to submit a current GAMSAT* or MCAT* score (minimum 57 and 503 respectively). Applicants to Medicine from outside the EU should also read the Medicine chapter.

SAT scores in the country tables

Some non-EU rows count SAT as an alternative route. Examples: Brazil's Economics & Finance row ends 8.5 Average in 6 subjects, 3500 ENEM & 1180 SAT, Indonesia's 71% Average in 6 subjects & 1020 in SAT, and Turkey's Law row 83% Lise & 1220 SAT. For US applicants the general rule is that Standardized tests are not required for all programs, but will be considered.

UCD lists no own entrance exam for the four non-medical programmes: its pages ask for school results, English evidence and, for Medicine, an interview.

What the pages do not list

Besides the interview and the HPAT-Ireland for Medicine, the entry pages list no UCD-set written exam, portfolio or admissions test for Commerce, Economics & Finance, Computer Science or Law. The only non-school evidence named for them is English proficiency, and for some countries an SAT score or first-year university results as an alternative route.

According to the UCD pages as of October 2026, non-EU applicants submit directly: UCD Global writes that From October 1st, you can submit applications at the course application page for the following September, assessed on a rolling basis, with Visa-required students are recommended to submit their applications before July 1st. CAO applicants follow the national calendar, with The normal closing date is 1 February.

The dates above are the page's standing rules, not a published 2027 calendar for each programme: the CAO and UCD Global pages describe the cycle without printing a dated 2027 timetable.

The direct application

• Fee: Yes, an application fee is required for most application types. The fee is €70.
• Documents: The preferred method of document submission is via the upload facility which is available once the application has been submitted. and Official translations must be provided with the original/copy documents where documents are not in English.
• Completeness: Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Conditional offers: In certain cases a ‘conditional offer’ may be made while you are waiting on your final results.
• Entry year: Normally, non-EU applicants should apply to Stage 1 (Year 1) of their preferred programme.

A minimum age applies to both routes: Students must normally be seventeen years of age by 15 January following entry: i.e. for entry in 2026, date of birth must be on or before 15 January 2010.

Admission statistics

UCD publishes no applicant, offer or admit-rate figures for non-EU undergraduate entry on the pages that describe the application. What it does say is that Admission to all courses is competitive (i.e. there are more applicants than places), and that Medicine for non-EU applicants is highly competitive. A published minimum such as IB 33 is a gate, not the level at which offers are made.

A practical order of steps

• Settle your fee status with UCD's online fee assessment, since it sets the route.
• Find your certificate: the IB, A Level, French Baccalauréat, US curriculum or country page, and read the 2027 entry row for your programme.
• Book an English test or collect school-English evidence, and check that the result will still be current at entry.
• Gather transcripts and translations; the direct application takes uploads after you submit.
• Submit and pay the application fee; for the direct route this opens from October 1st, and for visa-required students the advice is to apply before July 1st.

Medicine is the narrowest door. UCD says that UCD School of Medicine allocates most places to students applying via existing partner organisations and that Direct applications will also be considered. The 2027 tables set the gate at IB 39 + Interview and A*A*A / A*AAB / A*AA + B AS Level + Interview, and non-EU tuition is 63,890.00 euro a year in the 2026/2027 table.

The competition is described in UCD's words: Admission to Medicine is highly competitive. Applicants must present with an excellent academic profile. Emphasis is placed on performance in the sciences, in particular chemistry.

What the Medicine rows ask

Every row carries an interview. UCD adds that Successful applicants often present with a stronger academic background, so the table is a gate, not the profile of a typical admitted student. The A-level route also has a sitting rule: For DN400 Medicine, the requirement is that the score must come from the same sitting in which matriculation is met.

Graduate-entry Medicine and health screening

A graduate programme exists for applicants who already hold a degree: all applicants are required to submit a current GAMSAT* or MCAT* score (minimum 57 and 503 respectively). Admitted students in several health programmes face a check: You will be required to pass a health screening following admission and from time to time thereafter.

What Medicine costs

The 2026/2027 fee table lists Medicine at 63,890.00 euro a year for non-EU students and 8,958.00 euro for EU students, the highest line among the five programmes.

UCD publishes tuition by programme in two tables for 2026/2027, the latest published. A non-EU student pays 22,600.00 euro a year for Law, 23,170.00 for Commerce and Economics & Finance, 29,500.00 for Computer Science and 63,890.00 for Medicine; the EU table lists 5,880.00 for Commerce.

Published fees include a levy: Fees published for the Colleges below are inclusive of a Student Centre Levy which must be paid by all students. The EU page gives its size: The Student Centre Levy for 2026/2027 is €254. A separate student-union levy is outside the tables: has applied a levy of €5 to students registered for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Do fees change during the degree

For non-EU students the entry-year rate is the rule: if you started a multi-year programme on a non-EU fee rate in, or after, the 2014/2015 academic year, your fees will remain the same as the year you started the programme in (providing you remain on the same programme). EU fees move: Students in a multi-year programme should note that their fees can be subject to change from year to year.

Where fees are official

UCD says its Registry pages are the only official webpages where UCD fees are published. Fees quoted by a School or programme page are for guidance only. The 2026/2027 tables are the latest published there, so the figures show the current level, not a confirmed 2027 price. The direct application also carries a €70 application fee.

Reading the two tables

The tables list one line per programme and one number a year, in euro, for full-time study. The 2026/2027 tables are the latest published on those pages. When you budget a multi-year degree for a September 2027 start, use the 2026/2027 line as the reference figure and allow a margin for an increase, since the EU page itself notes that fees can change from year to year.

UCD's merit awards for international students are the Global Excellence Scholarships: 100% and 50% tuition fee scholarships. The 2027 round is not open yet: Applications for the 2027/28 Global Excellence Scholarships will open in November, dates TBC.

Eligibility is narrow: This scholarship is ONLY open to incoming students who are classed as non-EU for tuition fee purposes. You also need an offer first: To apply for the Global Excellence Scholarship, students must first have received an offer (or a conditional offer) to study on an eligible UCD course.

The previous round

The 2026/2027 round closed on three dates by region: 1 February 2026 for undergraduate applicants from North America, 28 February 2026 for undergraduate and graduate taught applicants from the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, and 31 March 2026 for all other applicants. Those are 2026 dates for the 2026/2027 round; the 2027/2028 dates are not yet set.

Planning around the scholarship

The order of events is fixed by the rules above: an offer first, then the scholarship application, then the decision. For a September 2027 start, that makes an early direct application the sensible move for a non-EU applicant, because the scholarship cannot be requested until an offer exists.

A non-EU student needs the immigration steps on top of the offer. UCD Global's page says that non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss, or non-UK national, you will need to follow the student immigration process, and that If you require a visa to study here, the process for student immigration starts with applying for a student-entry visa.

Once in Ireland the permission is tied to full-time study: If you are a full-time student, you should hold a valid Stamp 2 or 2A permission. After the degree there is a route to work: When you graduate, you can apply for post-graduate permission, allowing you to work in Ireland for a fixed period of time.

The how-to-apply page adds a timing link to the visa: Visa-required students are recommended to submit their applications before July 1st.

When you arrive in Ireland, the immigration page recommends carrying evidence that you have access to at least €10,000 for a course with more than eight months of residence in Ireland.

Working while you study

Stamp 2 also allows casual work. UCD Global's working-in-Ireland page states the limits: up to 20 hours per week during term time and up to 40 hours per week during holiday periods. The holiday periods run from June to September (inclusive) and from December 15 to January 15. Students on Stamp 2A permission may not work.

UCD Global publishes a monthly cost table for one student in Dublin. At the median the total is €2,445 a month, within a range of €1,735 to €4,035.

The total row also covers the lines this table leaves out: utilities, books and copying, clothing and hygiene, internet and mobile, and miscellaneous costs. Accommodation is the largest single item at every level.

On-campus residences

UCD Residences publishes its own 2026-2027 price list, and the monthly payment depends on the residence and room type. For a two-trimester stay in a Village 3 ensuite room, the total monthly payment for licence and utilities is €1,407.94.

Official pages of University College Dublin (UCD), UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

How to Apply - UCD Global · Applying via CAO - UCD Registry · Print · Print · Minimum English Language Requirements - UCD Registry · International Baccalaureate Diploma - UCD Global · EU Applicants - UCD Registry · General Requirements (Undergraduate) - UCD Registry · UCD Global Excellence Scholarships for International Students · Direct Applicant FAQs - UCD Registry · Saudi Arabia - UCD Global · A-Level Entry - UCD Registry · Entry Requirements - UCD Global · Brazil - UCD Global · Indonesia - UCD Global · Japan - UCD Global · Egypt - UCD Global · Algeria - UCD Global · Turkey - UCD Global · Vietnam - UCD Global · https://www.ucd.ie/registry/t4media/Comparing%20International%20Qualifications.pdf · Minimum Entry Requirements (matriculation) - UCD Registry · Cambridge A Level - UCD Global · French Baccalauréat - UCD Global · US Curriculum - UCD Global · International (Non-EU) Undergraduate Fees 2026/27 - UCD Current Students · EU Undergraduate Fees 2026/27 - UCD Current Students · Visa and Immigration - UCD Global · https://www.ucd.ie/global/currentstudents/workinginireland/ · https://www.ucd.ie/global/study-at-ucd/scholarshipsfinances/livingcosts/ · https://www.ucd.ie/residences/t4media/2026_27AccommodationPrices.pdf

Photos: Belfield campus, University College Dublin: photo Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons · Arts block, Belfield campus, University College Dublin: photo Sarah777 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons