The professors in UCD degree programs stand out as one of its best qualities. I’ve had the privilege of learning from exceptionally intelligent and talented teachers who are deeply passionate about their profession. The campus, characterized by its beauty and tranquility, serves as the perfect backdrop for concentrated study.

At UCD, students are presented with extraordinary educational possibilities. The professors and lecturers, renowned for their expertise, play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting students throughout their academic journey. The university’s diverse academic programs are thoughtfully designed to cater to the specific needs of each student, complemented by unwavering faculty assistance. Moreover, the campus facilities are top-notch, fostering an environment that nurtures effective learning.

The atmosphere at UCD is welcoming and vibrant. The campus is large and has a diverse student body, which creates a lively and inclusive environment. There are many events and activities happening on campus at all times, which makes it easy to get involved and meet new people. The staff and professors are also friendly and approachable, which helps to create a supportive and collaborative atmosphere. Overall, UCD is a great place to learn and grow both academically and personally.

I really appreciate that UCD has many online and part time courses available for people who work, but still want to continue their studies. The pricing for the part time and online courses are also very reasonable for the degree you get out of it!

Large student population (~30k), difficult to make friends because of irregular lecture structure (at least in humanities dept.) and most Irish students having known others for some time—not to say they aren’t friendly or open to making new friends, just a bit harder to fit in.

Professors know what they are talking about and want you to learn, however the overall teaching style at UCD (and most universities)—is composed of listening to someone talk for 45 minutes, taking notes, and then writing an essay worth over half your grade—can feel like pursuing an overwhelmingly exhausting and pointless daily routine. Because of it, I was put on antidepressants.

Prepare to replace your identity with an eight-digit number. Unlikely that professors will recognize you due to large lectures, so if you are like me and need to connect with your teachers in order to be a more productive learner, avoid UCD.

There are mixed opinions about this, but I personally think that the campus is ugly. Not only is it littered with awful 70s architecture, but they also keep building new things so it is constantly under construction, which is not the most pleasant sight to observe every day. Although, some of the newer buildings, like the science building (which is massive), are nice. The campus is about a one-hour bus ride from the city centre, located in a middle-of-nowhere suburban area of Dublin, so it feels somewhat dull and isolated.

Dorm rooms/suites are fantastic except for the fact that most do not have ovens and the showers are as narrow as you are (but perhaps that is to be expected in a dorm). Otherwise, good balance between privacy and sociability, most students have their own rooms but share a common space. Although, rent and goods are expensive and keep getting worse.

Student Union fails to fulfil its promises, holds non-competitive elections and prevents foreign students from running for positions, all while the school prides itself on its global diversity.

It is a very diverse school, though, that much is true. People from all over the world come here to study, so you’re bound to meet someone from a different culture/background.

Absolutely dead on the weekends.

There is a myriad of societies to join that are fun and free to be a part of, but it can be difficult to balance schoolwork and club activities.

Relatively easy to change subjects, variety of modules and subjects to choose from (Archeology was my favourite).

The food market every Thursday was the best part of being here. Kind of expensive, but totally worth it.

Every year in February they celebrate the Chinese New Year with a small light festival, and it is… awesome. Good food, cool lantern setup near the lake, an art show, and they host amazing dance, singing, and musical performances.

UCD is #1 for graduate employability in Ireland, so if you are a career-oriented student, this might be a good place for you. Lots of career options and help from the school.

Dublin is truly an amazing city and Ireland is a beautiful country. I do not regret coming here at all and seeing the island, but University College Dublin was not a good fit for me, and if you are anything like me and these issues bother you, it probably would not be a good fit for you either.

This college is very good and very easy to learn. It can be difficult to travel to this college tho as there are not many forms of transportation from where I live. The professors are very good and the student life is good.

My college experience has been unique for a multitude of reasons. My first year was interrupted by covid and now I’m back finally for my last year. Studying under both the School of English, Drama and Film as well as School of Classics, among others (electives), has provided me with different ideas of my third level experience. Under the general sector of arts in UCD I feel as though having such huge classes from 1st year made it very intimidating and quite lonely for those who did not know anyone beforehand. There is a disconnect with lecturers who didn’t know your name, classmates who you could easily never see twice because of such large groups and there is not much hands-on interaction. I have enjoyed some modules but overall I was not particularly happy studying English at UCD.

However, fortunately, I have greatly enjoyed studying under the school of classics. The class groups are about 1/3-1/4 of the size. The lecturers are very engaging as are their lectures. The tutorial groups were much more purposeful in helping students clarify and specialise. I have enjoyed the school of classics so much so that I am considering an MA degree in it within UCD.

Societies are a huge part of student life and fun on campus. I was late to join many but felt right at home once I had. My favourite element was signing up for one of the student newspapers and have worked my way up since to a section editor role. I would highly recommend students to but the bullet and join any and every society/club/extracurricular that interests them in the first year and give them a try.

Overall, what I have been able to experience in UCD in such uncertain times has been engaging and helped me progress academically. I would highly recommend studying classics or archaeology here as these have been the highlight of my time at UCD.