Dublin Institute of Technology - DIT vs Trinity College Dublin - TCD vs University College Dublin - UCD vs EM Normandie - EM Normandie vs DCU Business School

Side-by-side comparison from 153 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: University College Dublin - UCD (4.30)
Dublin Institute of Technology - DIT: wins 1/7 categories
Trinity College Dublin - TCD: wins 2/7 categories
University College Dublin - UCD: wins 4/7 categories
EM Normandie - EM Normandie: wins 0/7 categories
DCU Business School: wins 0/7 categories
ABC Business Academy: wins 0/7 categories
Independent College: wins 0/7 categories
Comparing
Best programme: International Business
Best programme: Computer Science
Best programme: Computer Science
Best programme: MSc International Logistics and Port Management
Dublin, Ireland
Not rated
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Toronto, Canada
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Dublin, Ireland
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Category ratings
Facilities
3.81
4.07
4.31
Win
3.83
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Location
4.20
4.60
Win
3.97
3.33
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Professors
4.19
4.26
4.49
Win
3.83
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Internationality
3.94
4.23
4.29
Win
4.00
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Student life
4.50
Win
4.27
4.27
3.50
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Value
3.88
4.39
Win
4.22
3.83
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Accommodation
3.38
3.36
3.62
Win
3.20
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Practical, applied learning with real-world focus.
  • +Accessible faculty and strong student support.
  • +Central location and active academic atmosphere.
  • +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.
  • +Industry-relevant courses for job readiness
  • +Positive learning atmosphere and helpful, knowledgeable professors
  • +Valuable international exposure and personal/professional development

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Cons
  • -Outdated and poorly maintained facilities are a significant issue.
  • -Administrative and management inefficiencies cause frequent frustration.
  • -Lack of clear communication and support creates confusion and dissatisfaction.
  • -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.
  • -Poor quality education and value for money.

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Rating summary
What students say

This institution demonstrates notable strengths in student life and location, receiving the highest marks in these areas. Conversely, accommodation presents the lowest score. Professors and internationality are also positively rated, alongside a solid showing for value and facilities. Overall, the university offers a generally favorable experience, though areas for improvement, particularly in housing, are evident.

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.

This institution garners high marks in several key areas. Its Facilities, Professors, and Value are all rated consistently well at 3.83. Internationality stands out as a significant strength with a perfect score of 4. Conversely, Accomodation is a weaker point, rated at 3.2, with Location also receiving a comparatively lower score of 3.33. Student Life falls in the middle with a rating of 3.5.

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Reviews summary
Highlights

With ~76% positive reviews and an average of 4.06/5, students highlight practical learning, helpful faculty, and strong community. No negative feedback was reported.

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 a 3.67/5 average, most reviews are positive (~74%), highlighting personal growth, industry-relevant courses, and a good learning atmosphere. One negative review (~16.7%) criticizes the school as a money-making scheme with mediocre teaching.

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Rating distribution
5★
29%
32%
38%
33%
0%
0%
0%
4★
47%
54%
55%
33%
0%
0%
0%
3★
24%
14%
4%
17%
0%
0%
0%
2★
0%
0%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1★
0%
0%
0%
17%
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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