Trinity College Dublin - TCD vs University College Dublin - UCD vs National University of Ireland Maynooth - NUIM vs Trinity Business School vs ABC Business Academy

Side-by-side comparison from 148 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Trinity Business School (5.00)
Trinity College Dublin - TCD: wins 2/7 categories
University College Dublin - UCD: wins 1/7 categories
National University of Ireland Maynooth - NUIM: wins 0/7 categories
Trinity Business School: wins 4/7 categories
ABC Business Academy: wins 0/7 categories
St. Patrick's Pontifical University Maynooth: wins 0/7 categories
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland: wins 0/7 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Computer Science
Best programme: Computer Science
Best programme: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
5.00
Top
Read more reviews
1 reviews
×
Best programme: Business Economics and Social Science (BESS)
Toronto, Canada
Not rated
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0 reviews
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Category ratings
Facilities
4.07
4.31
3.60
5.00
Win
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Location
4.60
Win
3.97
4.13
4.00
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Professors
4.26
4.49
4.25
5.00
Win
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Internationality
4.23
4.29
Win
3.94
4.00
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Student life
4.27
4.27
4.00
5.00
Win
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Value
4.39
Win
4.22
4.13
4.00
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Accommodation
3.36
3.62
3.50
5.00
Win
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +High-quality teaching and supportive lecturers
  • +Beautiful campus and convenient location
  • +Rich academic atmosphere and flexible course options
  • +Strong academic programs with international focus and engaging courses.
  • +Welcoming international community and vibrant campus life.
  • +Kind and caring professors within beautiful and safe environments.
  • +Excellent teaching and supportive faculty
  • +Diverse and inclusive campus with engaging student life and events
  • +Comprehensive facilities including library and sports
  • +Strong sense of community and inclusive environment
  • +Opportunities for networking and professional growth
  • +Supportive and collaborative atmosphere

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Cons
  • -Administrative and management issues caused frustration and inefficiency.
  • -Outdated facilities and resources hindered learning experiences.
  • -Lack of clear communication and support from faculty and staff was a recurring problem.
  • -Administrative and management issues, particularly for international students.
  • -Large student population hinders social connection and a sense of belonging.
  • -Inflexible and traditional teaching styles dominate the learning experience.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and a lack of modern resources are a problem.
  • -Course content and teaching methods are often perceived as unengaging or irrelevant.
  • -Administrative & management issues
  • -Outdated facilities
  • -Lack of resources & support

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Rating summary
What students say

This university garners excellent scores, particularly excelling in **Location** (4.6) and **Student Life** (4.27). Professors are also highly regarded (4.26), with strong internationality (4.23) and value (4.39). The weakest area, however, is **Accomodation**, which received a significantly lower rating (3.36). Facilities also scored moderately well (4.07).

This institution scores exceptionally well in its academic offerings, with professors earning the highest marks at 4.49 and facilities also receiving strong praise at 4.31. Student life and internationality are similarly well-regarded. However, accommodation emerges as the weakest area, with a rating of 3.62, while location also scored moderately lower than other aspects.

With a solid overall performance, the university excels particularly in its **Professors**, earning a high rating of 4.25. Student life and location also received positive marks. The areas with the lowest scores are **Accomodation** at 3.5 and **Facilities** at 3.6, suggesting these aspects could benefit from further development to match the university's other strengths.

Exceptional marks are awarded for **Facilities**, **Professors**, **Student Life**, and **Accommodation**, all receiving a perfect score. The university also fares well in **Internationality** and **Value**, both rated a solid 4. The **Location** is its least high-scoring aspect, though still considered good at a 4.

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Reviews summary
Highlights

The university receives strong positive feedback (~86%), with students praising excellent teacher resources, academic achievements, and teaching quality. Many also highlight a beautiful campus and convenient location, with lecturers being knowledgeable and supportive. No negative reviews were recorded.

With a 4.29 average rating from 73 reviews, ~97% are positive, praising international focus, engaging campus life, and interesting academics. A small ~3% of feedback noted difficulties in making friends and a perceived lack of support for international students.

With an average rating of 4.06/5, ~74% of reviews are highly positive, praising contemporary amenities, lively campus environment, and exceptional teaching quality. A small amount of feedback notes location accessibility challenges.

With a perfect 5/5 average rating, the single review highlights a strong sense of community and a supportive, inclusive environment. Positive feedback emphasizes networking and personal/professional growth opportunities.

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Rating distribution
5★
32%
38%
29%
100%
0%
0%
0%
4★
54%
55%
47%
0%
0%
0%
0%
3★
14%
4%
24%
0%
0%
0%
0%
2★
0%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1★
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked

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Not for me

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.

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