University College Cork - UCC vs Dublin City University - DCU vs University College Dublin - UCD vs University of Galway vs ONCAMPUS Global

Side-by-side comparison from 277 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: ONCAMPUS Global (4.80)
University College Cork - UCC: wins 0/7 categories
Dublin City University - DCU: wins 0/7 categories
University College Dublin - UCD: wins 0/7 categories
University of Galway: wins 0/7 categories
ONCAMPUS Global: wins 7/7 categories
EM Normandie - EM Normandie: wins 0/7 categories
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland: wins 0/7 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Arts
Best programme: Accounting and Finance
Best programme: Computer Science
Galway, Ireland
4.10
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62 reviews
×
Best programme: Digital Marketing
London, The United Kingdom
4.80
Top
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20 reviews
×
Best programme: Undergraduate Foundation Programme
Best programme: MSc International Logistics and Port Management
Category ratings
Facilities
3.91
4.27
4.32
4.06
4.44
Win
4.13
Not rated
Location
4.09
3.75
4.00
4.18
4.74
Win
3.75
Not rated
Professors
4.05
4.35
4.50
4.41
4.75
Win
4.13
Not rated
Internationality
3.72
4.18
4.30
4.11
4.60
Win
4.13
Not rated
Student life
4.19
4.24
4.29
3.98
4.56
Win
3.63
Not rated
Value
4.21
4.30
4.23
4.18
4.50
Win
4.13
Not rated
Accommodation
3.43
4.07
3.63
3.56
4.32
Win
3.57
Not rated
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +High-quality programs and academic excellence
  • +Supportive faculty and enriching research opportunities
  • +Vibrant campus life and diverse extracurricular activities
  • +Dedicated and supportive lecturers
  • +Welcoming and friendly student community
  • +Positive and smooth overall university experience
  • +Strong academic programs and engaging courses
  • +Vibrant campus life and social opportunities
  • +Welcoming environment and helpful staff
  • +Supportive and engaging faculty
  • +Vibrant campus life and location
  • +Excellent academic programs and facilities
  • +Supportive and knowledgeable faculty
  • +Excellent facilities and convenient location
  • +Strong academic and personal development support
  • +Practical, industry-relevant courses and inspiring professors
  • +Rich international environment and diverse student body
  • +Personal and professional development opportunities

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Cons
  • -Ineffective teaching and lack of support.
  • -Administrative and management issues.
  • -Outdated facilities and resources.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause constant frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and a lack of necessary resources are major drawbacks.
  • -Ineffective teaching methods and insufficient support hinder learning.
  • -Administrative and management issues, particularly regarding support for international students.
  • -Inflexible and traditional teaching styles that hinder engagement.
  • -Difficulty in fostering social connections within a large student body.
  • -Administrative & management issues cause frequent problems.
  • -Outdated facilities and insufficient resources are a common complaint.
  • -The curriculum is often perceived as irrelevant or poorly delivered.
  • -Administrative and management issues are a recurring problem.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor upkeep frustrate students.
  • -Lack of resources and inadequate support services are common complaints.
  • -Financial concerns and perceived low educational value.

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Rating summary
What students say

Overall, this institution receives favorable reviews, with its strongest areas being **Value** and **Student Life**, both exceeding 4.1. **Location** also scores well. The weakest area is **Accomodation**, which falls below 3.5. Other categories, including **Professors**, **Internationality**, and **Facilities**, generally fall within the mid-to-high 3s and low 4s.

This university garners favorable ratings across most aspects, with **Professors** and **Value** standing out as the strongest areas, both scoring above 4.3. **Facilities** and **Student Life** also receive high marks, exceeding 4.2. **Accomodation** and **Internationality** are well-regarded, with scores around 4.0 and 4.1 respectively. The **Location** is the weakest performing category, though still respectable at 3.75.

Overall, this institution garners favorable reviews across several key areas. Professors are exceptionally rated, indicating strong academic instruction. Student life and internationality also received high marks, suggesting a vibrant and diverse campus environment. Facilities and value are also well-regarded. The weakest area, however, is accommodation, which has a noticeably lower score compared to other aspects of the university experience.

This institution receives excellent marks for its **professors**, with a rating of 4.41. **Value** and **location** also stand out positively, both scoring above 4.18. **Student life** and **internationality** are well-regarded, while **facilities** are rated solidly at 4.06. The area with the lowest rating, though still respectable, is **accommodation** at 3.56.

Overall, the university garners strong ratings across various aspects. Professors are exceptionally well-regarded, achieving the highest score. Location and Internationality also stand out with excellent marks. Student Life, Facilities, and Value also reflect positive sentiment. Accommodation, while still strong, receives the lowest rating among the surveyed categories.

This institution garners excellent marks in several key areas. Facilities, Professors, Internationality, and Value all received high scores of 4.125. Student Life and Accommodations are rated lower, at 3.625 and approximately 3.57 respectively, indicating these are areas with more room for improvement compared to its other strengths. The Location score sits at 3.75.

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Reviews summary
Highlights

Nearly all (approximately 100%) of the 51 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.12/5. Students highlight academic excellence, strong research, and faculty expertise. No negative reviews were recorded.

With a 4.49 average rating from 61 reviews, ~100% of feedback is positive. Students highlight excellent lecturers, a welcoming community, and a positive academic experience.

University reviews are predominantly positive (~93%), praising the great campus, amenities, lecturers, and social/cultural opportunities. A small fraction (~3%) of feedback expresses concerns, such as difficulty making friends and feeling like a second-class citizen as an international student.

With ~93% positive reviews and an average of 4.1/5, students highlight supportive atmospheres, engaging lecturers, and vibrant campus life. Modern facilities and challenging academics are frequently praised.

University reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with ~100% of 20 feedback entries rating 4–5 stars. Students praise friendly, supportive teachers, excellent facilities like the library, and effective student support services that build confidence.

Most reviews praise the inspiring professors, practical learning, and international environment, contributing to a ~74% positive sentiment. One review expressed dissatisfaction, calling it a money-making scheme with mediocre teaching.

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Rating distribution
5★
27%
51%
40%
19%
75%
38%
0%
4★
57%
48%
53%
71%
25%
38%
0%
3★
16%
2%
4%
10%
0%
13%
0%
2★
0%
0%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1★
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
13%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked
Academic brilliance

My time as a student at University College Cork (UCC) has been truly transformative. UCC's unwavering commitment to academic brilliance, alongside its lively campus life, has made my experience here unforgettable.

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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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