Dublin Institute of Technology - DIT vs University College Dublin - UCD vs ICD Business School Dublin vs American College Dublin - ACD vs DCU Business School

Side-by-side comparison from 104 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 2/7 categories
University College Dublin - UCD: wins 5/7 categories
ICD Business School Dublin: wins 0/7 categories
American College Dublin - ACD: wins 0/7 categories
DCU Business School: wins 0/7 categories
ABC Business Academy: wins 0/7 categories
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland: wins 0/7 categories
Comparing
Best programme: International Business
Best programme: Computer Science
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Best programme: International Business
Dublin, Ireland
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Toronto, Canada
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Category ratings
Facilities
3.81
4.31
Win
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2.87
Not rated
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Location
4.20
Win
3.97
Not rated
3.20
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Professors
4.19
4.49
Win
Not rated
3.86
Not rated
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Internationality
3.94
4.29
Win
Not rated
3.71
Not rated
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Student life
4.50
Win
4.27
Not rated
2.87
Not rated
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Value
3.88
4.22
Win
Not rated
3.71
Not rated
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Accommodation
3.38
3.62
Win
Not rated
2.93
Not rated
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Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Practical, applied learning with real-world focus.
  • +Accessible faculty and strong student support.
  • +Central location and active academic atmosphere.
  • +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.

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  • +Passionate and supportive faculty with personalized attention
  • +Strong focus on student success and career development
  • +Welcoming city environment and convenient accommodations

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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  • -Outdated and poorly maintained facilities are a significant issue.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, particularly for international students.
  • -Large student population hinders social connection and a sense of belonging.
  • -Inflexible and traditional teaching styles dominate the learning experience.

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  • -Administrative and financial mismanagement, including delayed refunds and staff turnover.
  • -Concerns about academic stability and frequent changes in teaching staff.

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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 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.

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This institution's strengths lie in its **Professors**, with a solid rating of 3.86, and its **Internationality** and **Value**, both scoring 3.71. Conversely, areas requiring improvement include **Facilities** and **Student Life**, each receiving a 2.87 rating. **Location** and **Accommodation** fall in the mid-range, with scores of 3.2 and 2.93 respectively.

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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.

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.

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Most (approximately 86%) of the 14 reviews are highly positive, praising knowledgeable and supportive faculty, small class sizes, and career development. A small percentage (~7%) of feedback mentioned financial issues and staff retention.

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Rating distribution
5★
29%
38%
0%
7%
0%
0%
0%
4★
47%
55%
0%
79%
0%
0%
0%
3★
24%
4%
0%
7%
0%
0%
0%
2★
0%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1★
0%
0%
0%
7%
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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