UCD is Ireland's first choice university among Level 8 CAO applicants. Internationally, UCD continues to rank in the top one per cent worldwide of higher education institutions. Since 2017 UCD is No 1 in Ireland for graduate employability. It is one of Europe's leading research-intensive universities and ranked No 1 in the US News & World Report's Best Global University Rankings. UCD has been chosen as University of the Year 2020 by The Sunday Times.
UCD provides students with an extensive range of degree programmes and opportunities to specialise later in their studies. Offering more than 60 undergraduate courses spanning the arts and humanities, social sciences, law, business, sustainability, science, health sciences, agriculture, engineering, architecture, and veterinary medicine with 41 separate entry routes. UCD is Ireland's most globally engaged university with 25 per cent international students and has 400 prestigious partner universities worldwide for student exchange programmes.
UCD provides a state of art learning facility with an excellent standard of teaching complemented by an equally high standard of support. The UCD Horizons programme allows each student the ability to customise his/her own degree by studying modules outside his/her chosen subject area. UCD’s Access and Lifelong Learning Centre offers extensive support and services for students with disabilities. Other supports include peer mentoring for all incoming students, student advisers for all study programmes, health and counselling services, and numerous other learning supports.
The university's main Dublin campus occupies an extensive parkland estate of 133 hectares, offering world-leading facilities for students. Secure accommodation is mainly on campus and first year students get priority. Sport and societies are a key element of student life and UCD has 60 sports clubs and 90 societies. The sports clubs provide a huge range of opportunities to train, play, and compete in sport, at all levels. Facilities include 30 full size external rugby, soccer, hockey, and GAA pitches, as well as synthetic all-weather and five-a-side pitches and tennis courts. Notable facilities are the sports centre, student centre, a 50m Olympic size pool, gymnasium, the National Hockey Stadium, and the UCD Bowl. This year the university can offer online student guided campus tours to see the facilities in more detail.
In 2020, UCD helped to ease the points inflation pressure caused by the use of calculated grades by increasing first year entrants' places by 323, a 7.5 per cent increase from the year before. This will continue for 2021. The number of students coming from DEIS schools has also increased by 7.4 per cent in 2020.
UCD provides an environment for all individuals to grow, develop, and hone their skills and is proud to have alumni who have risen to inspiring positions such as presidents, taoisigh, chief justice, attorneys general, CEOs, Olympians, Oscar winners, international athletes, social justice champions, educators, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
See www.myucd.ie for virtual events and course information. Student guided virtual campus tours are available at www.myucd.ie/visiting-ucd
