Mary Immaculate College - MIC vs University College Dublin - UCD vs University of Limerick - UL vs EM Normandie - EM Normandie vs Kemmy Business School - KBS

Side-by-side comparison from 175 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Technological University of Shannon - TUS (4.50)
Mary Immaculate College - MIC: wins 2/6 categories
University College Dublin - UCD: wins 3/6 categories
University of Limerick - UL: wins 0/6 categories
EM Normandie - EM Normandie: wins 0/6 categories
Kemmy Business School - KBS: wins 0/6 categories
Griffith College Ireland: wins 1/6 categories
Technological University of Shannon - TUS: wins 0/6 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Secondary Education
Best programme: Computer Science
Best programme: Accounting
Best programme: MSc International Logistics and Port Management
Best programme: Physical Education
Best programme: Accounting and Finance
Best programme: Cybersecurity Engineering
Category ratings
Facilities
2.00
4.31
Win
4.20
4.00
4.00
3.71
4.00
Location
2.00
3.99
4.01
3.57
4.00
4.17
Win
3.50
Professors
5.00
Win
4.50
4.30
4.00
4.00
4.29
4.50
Internationality
1.00
4.29
Win
4.21
4.14
4.00
4.29
4.00
Student life
2.00
4.28
Win
4.23
3.71
4.00
3.50
4.00
Value
5.00
Win
4.22
4.34
4.00
4.00
3.86
4.00
Accommodation
3.00
3.63
3.95
3.50
4.00
2.88
4.00
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Close-knit community and personal lecturer relationships
  • +Strong sense of togetherness and unity among students
  • +Excellent teaching programs and student support
  • +Engaging academics and expert faculty
  • +Vibrant international campus and social life
  • +Attractive environment and welcoming community
  • +Emphasis on practical, real-world skills and career preparation.
  • +Welcoming atmosphere and strong sense of community for all students.
  • +Excellent lecturers and dedicated academic support.
  • +Connecting theory to practice through real-world cases.
  • +Diverse international environment and global opportunities.
  • +Relevant industry-focused courses and knowledgeable faculty.
  • +Expert faculty and supportive environment
  • +Modern facilities and accommodation
  • +Supportive guidance throughout the student journey
  • +Practical, skill-focused education with industry-experienced professors
  • +Affordable programs and welcoming community atmosphere
  • +Supportive and accessible faculty
  • +Well-structured and accommodating courses
  • +Welcoming and convenient campus environment
Cons
  • -Administrative and management issues cause significant frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and resources hinder the learning experience.
  • -Lack of clear communication and responsiveness from staff is a recurring problem.
  • -Administrative and management issues, particularly regarding international student support.
  • -Difficulty in forming social connections due to large student numbers and established social circles.
  • -Teaching styles that are perceived as monotonous and unengaging.
  • -Poor faculty engagement and guidance on career prospects and research.
  • -Lack of quality and value despite seemingly lower fees.
  • -Perceived as a money-making scheme with mediocre teaching.
  • -Administrative and management issues create frequent problems.
  • -Facilities are often outdated and poorly maintained.
  • -Communication and transparency are lacking from leadership.
  • -Lack of essential university facilities and student support services
  • -Poor teaching quality and insufficient practical application
  • -Inadequate building maintenance and uncomfortable conditions
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are prevalent.
  • -Ineffective administrative and management practices cause frustration.
  • -Lack of student support and career services is a significant concern.
Rating summary
What students say

This institution shows a stark contrast in its ratings. It excels significantly in **Professors** and **Value**, both receiving perfect scores. Conversely, its **Internationality** is a clear weak point, scoring only one. Facilities, Location, and Student Life also received low marks, indicating areas for considerable improvement. Accommodations sit in the middle with a moderate rating.

Analyzing the university's performance reveals a profile with notable strengths and areas for improvement. Professors receive the highest marks, indicating a strong academic core. Facilities and student life also score well, suggesting a positive overall campus experience. Accommodation, however, stands out as the weakest area, receiving a considerably lower rating. Internationality and value are also rated positively, contributing to a generally favorable assessment.

Considerable strengths emerge in teaching quality and student experience, with Professors receiving a high rating of 4.3 and Student Life at 4.23. The university also scores well in Facilities (4.2) and Internationality (4.21). Location is positively regarded at 4.01. The weakest area identified is Accomodation, scoring 3.95, while Value is also a strong point at 4.34.

This institution performs well across most aspects, with **Internationality** standing out as its strongest area. Facilities, Professors, and Value also receive high marks. Areas for potential improvement include **Location**, which scored the lowest, and Accomodation. Student life and the overall value proposition are rated solidly in the mid-to-high range.

Across all surveyed categories, this institution demonstrates a consistent and strong performance. Each aspect, from facilities and professors to student life and internationality, has earned a rating of 4. The university excels uniformly, with no single area standing out significantly above others, nor any area identified as a weakness. Its balanced approach suggests a well-rounded educational experience.

Academic and international aspects of the university are highly praised, with Professors and Internationality both receiving a strong 4.29 rating. Location also scores well at 4.17. The university's weakest area is Accomodation, which received a lower score of 2.88. Other aspects like Facilities, Student Life, and Value fall within a moderate range, indicating areas for potential improvement alongside its strengths.

This university presents a generally positive profile, with particularly strong ratings for its professors at 4.5. Other highly-rated aspects include facilities, student life, accommodation, and internationality, all scoring a solid 4. The location is the weakest area, receiving a 3.5 rating, though overall value is also rated favorably at 4.

Reviews summary
Highlights

Reviews are overwhelmingly positive (~75%), highlighting a strong sense of community, close lecturer-student relationships, and excellent teaching. Some mention the college's compact size and limited on-site facilities.

Around 97% of reviews are positive, highlighting engaging academics, a vibrant international community, and a great campus environment. A small percentage noted difficulties with making friends or feeling marginalized as an international student.

With ~99% of 80 reviews being positive, students highlight a lively community, excellent facilities, and practical learning. A single negative review criticized career prospects and faculty awareness.

Most reviews (approximately 71%) highlight a positive learning atmosphere, inspiring professors, and valuable international experiences. A small amount of feedback (around 14%) suggests mediocrity and a focus on profit. The average rating is 3.86/5.

With an average rating of 4/5, reviews praise the vibrant academic community, state-of-the-art amenities, and expert faculty. ~100% of feedback is positive, with no negative reviews recorded.

Approximately 74% of reviews are positive, highlighting supportive guidance, practical learning, and friendly staff. A small percentage of negative feedback mentions a lack of facilities and career support.

With a 4.5/5 average rating, ~0% negative feedback indicates a highly positive student experience. Students praise the welcoming atmosphere, easy navigation of classes and campus, and friendly student-friendly location. Responsiveness of staff and well-structured courses are also highlighted.

Rating distribution
5★
25%
39%
29%
43%
0%
43%
50%
4★
50%
54%
70%
29%
100%
29%
50%
3★
25%
4%
0%
14%
0%
14%
0%
2★
0%
3%
0%
0%
0%
14%
0%
1★
0%
0%
1%
14%
0%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked

Nothing to show

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.

University Life in Limerick

I am currently studying a Masters in International Entrepreneurship Management this programme develops entrepreneurial creativity, awareness and specialist knowledge to help establish, manage and grow innovative new ventures across a variety of industry settings, incorporating a range of in-company projects to give ‘real world’ experience. Participants explore their own entrepreneurial potential and prepare an investor-ready business plan. I have always wanted to start my own business and this programme equipped me with the tools and skills to do this. Throughout the programme, we were able to work with real-life businesses and consult for them on a regular basis. For example in a module called international business consulting we worked for one of the biggest PPE distributors in the EU. We developed a market entry strategy for the company Irema and outlined how they could advance into the US market. Furthermore, for the final year project, we had to work with a small enterprise and establish a two-year commercialisation plan for them. This was really great fun and gave a practical experience that you wouldn’t be able to get in any other programme.

Nothing to show

Nothing to show

Nothing to show

Nothing to show

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our Privacy Policy for more details.
Close