University College Dublin - UCD vs University of Limerick - UL vs University of Galway vs Institute of Technology Carlow - IT Carlow vs Learning People
Side-by-side comparison from 216 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted
- +Beautiful campus and facilities
- +Engaging academics and supportive professors
- +Vibrant student life and 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.
- +Engaging and supportive faculty
- +Vibrant campus life and ample opportunities
- +Modern facilities and strong academic programs
- +Supportive staff and organized, well-structured programs.
- +Excellent library resources for study and research.
- +Handy campus facilities like a gym and practical classrooms.
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- +Dedicated and supportive staff/lecturers
- +Personalized attention and academic assistance
- +Genuine investment in student success
- -Administrative and management issues impact student experience.
- -Facilities are outdated and not well-maintained.
- -Teaching styles are often unengaging and lecture-based.
- -Poor faculty engagement and guidance on career prospects and research.
- -Lack of quality and value despite seemingly lower fees.
- -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
- -Facilities are often outdated and poorly maintained.
- -Lack of effective communication and support from staff is a problem.
- -Administrative and management issues are frequent frustrations.
- -Outdated facilities and technology hinder the learning experience.
- -Course content and teaching methods often fail to meet expectations.
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- -Administrative and management issues
- -Outdated facilities
- -Lack of support
This institution receives its highest marks for its professors, with a score of 4.50. Student life and internationality are also strong points, both scoring above 4.25. Conversely, accommodation presents the lowest-rated aspect, at 3.63. Facilities and value for money are rated moderately well, while location receives a slightly lower score but remains above average.
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 exceptionally well in several key areas. Its professors are highly rated, reflecting a strong academic foundation. Location and value also receive favorable scores. While generally positive, student life and accommodation are the relatively weaker aspects compared to other surveyed categories.
This institution receives outstanding marks for its **Facilities**, **Accommodation**, and **Internationality**, all scoring a near-perfect 4.7. While still very strong, the areas of **Professors**, **Location**, **Student Life**, and **Value** are slightly lower, each averaging 4.3. Overall, the university demonstrates excellence, particularly in its physical and global aspects.
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With an impressive score of 5, the university's professors are a clear standout. It also fares well in internationality (4.5) and location (4). However, areas requiring attention include accommodation (2) and student life (2.5), both of which received lower marks. Facilities and value for money sit in the middle range, with ratings of 3 and 3.5 respectively.
~97% of 72 university reviews are positive, praising beautiful campus environments, kind professors, and interesting lectures. A small number of negative reviews cite difficulties fitting in and issues for international students.
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.
With a 4.1/5 average rating from 59 reviews, nearly all feedback highlights a supportive atmosphere, engaging teachers, and excellent facilities. Vibrant campus life and academic rigor are also frequently mentioned. No negative reviews were recorded.
With an average rating of 4.33/5, 100% of reviews are positive. Students highlight well-organized programs, helpful staff, and good campus facilities like the library and gym.
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With an average rating of 4/5 and all feedback being positive, students highlight exemplary and dedicated staff. Lecturers are described as attentive, approachable, responsive, and invested in student success, offering detailed feedback and support.
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.
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.
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