Top Universities in Ireland A small island nation in Europe, Ireland is famous for international banking excellence, leading tech and pharma companies, agricultural advancements, art, entertainment and other diverse industries. Considering such achievements, education in Ireland is at par with excellence. The educational institutions of Ireland rank in top 5% globally and the countrys higher education system is counted in top-20 all around the world. The Irish universities offer over 5,000 study programmes to students to choose from. The most popular disciplines are business management, science & technology, language, arts and humanities. The qualifications earned while studying at the universities of Ireland are qualitative and internationally-recognised. There are top universities in Ireland that attract many international students who visit the country to not only pursue quality higher-education but also explore its rustic beauty and experience its rich culture and hospitable environment.
In this article, we have listed some top universities in Ireland to help students wishing to study higher education in Ireland to make informed decision about institutions before applying for admission into them. Also, details regarding their world rankings, popular courses, average tuition fees, application procedure and popular scholarships are mentioned in this article. 
Top Universities in Ireland World University Rankings 2019
Graduating from one of the top universities in Ireland opens doors of opportunities in employment market or academia. Students learn to think creatively, seek innovative methods to tackle problems, become adaptable, efficient and skilled to make new opportunities available to them. The post study visa procedure in this European country allows international students to work in the country for up to 1 year after completing studies. Home to several leading multinational companies and indigenous industries, Ireland offers great prospects for students graduating from top universities in Ireland. Some of those universities are listed below.
List of top universities in Ireland
| Name of University | QS World University Rankings 2019 | THE World University Rankings 2019 |
| Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin | 104 | 120 |
| University College Dublin | 193 | 201-250 |
| National University of Ireland Galway | 260 | 301-350 |
| University College Cork | 338 | 301-350 |
| Dublin City University | 422 | 401-500 |
Top Universities in Ireland Popular Courses
Reputed for high quality of education, Irish higher education instituitions offer a number of study programmes at different levels of studies such as ordinary and Honours Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate levels, undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas. Highlighted below are some popular courses that international students apply for.
Popular courses offered by top universities in Ireland
| S.No. | University Name | Popular Courses |
| 1. | Trinity College Dublin |
Founded in 1592, Trinity College Dublin is the oldest university of Ireland. It is one of the leading research-intensive universities in the world. Some of the courses that are very popular among students are as follows:
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| 2. | University College Dublin |
Reputed for providing quality higher education, University College Dublin is ranked #1 in Ireland for graduate employability. Some of the famous courses opted by students are as follows:
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| 3. | National University of Ireland, Galway |
Established in 1845, National University of Ireland, Galway is one of the best universities in Ireland. The courses that popular among students are listed below:
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| 4. | University College Cork |
Founded in 1845, University College Cork is the first university in the world to receive the international Green Flag for its environmental sustainability. The courses that are mostly opted by students here:
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| 5. | Dublin City University |
A vibrant young university, Dublin City University is known for introducing new methods of learning into the Irish education system. The most-sought after courses in this university are listed below:
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Besides the institutions mentioned above, there are other universities in Ireland that provide quality education such as University of Limerick, Dublin Institute of Technology, National University of Maynooth and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
To know everything about studying in Ireland, read our Study in Ireland article here.
Top Universities in Ireland Average Tuition Fees in College
The tuition fees of every institution in Ireland differs from one another. For EU students, the cost of education is lower while for non-EU students, the tuition fee is relatively higher. Lets take a look at the average tuition fees international students need to pay if they wish to study in Ireland. Given below is a brief account of tuition fees of top universities in Ireland.
For undergraduate non-EU students
- Arts and humanities: EUR 10,000 16,500
- Business: EUR 10,000 16,000
- Engineering: EUR 10,000 21,600
- Medicine: EUR 31,000 50,000
- Sciences: EUR 10,000 21,600
For postgraduate non-EU students
- Arts and humanities: EUR 10,500 20,000
- Business: EUR 10,500 30,000
- Engineering: EUR 10,500 19,500
- Medicine: EUR 12,000 52,000
- Sciences: EUR 10,500 18,000
Top Universities in Ireland How to apply to an Irish University
Before applying for any Irish university, international students must gather as much information as possible about the institution they wish to get into, programme they wish to study, funding options, scholarship availability, criteria for student visa, accommodation options and their costs and other such details. These information help students make sound decision about studying in any foreign country and also, helps them prepare for every step of admission procedure. Highlighted below are some steps to help those students who wish to go to Ireland to pursue higher education.
- Non-EU students applying for undergraduate courses need to apply directly to the host institution through their online application portal. As for postgraduate applicants, they can apply for the desired course of study through either the graduate studies office of a university or Postgraduate Application Centre (PAC) website.
- Also, the entry requirements vary from university to university. So, students are advised to contact the Admission or International Office of the host institution to gather information regarding eligibility criteria pertaining to course of studies they wish to apply for.
Top Universities in Ireland Scholarships for International Students
Several scholarship opportunities are available for international students to help them study in the universities of Ireland. A few of them are listed below.
List of scholarships for international students
| S.No. | Scholarship Name | Award Details |
| 1. | UCC Ireland Meritorious Scholarship |
College of Science, Engineering and Food Science (SEFS)-
UG & PG level: Up to 25% scholarship on the annual fee College of Business and Law (CBL)PG level- EUR 3000 scholarship (for courses with fee >17k) Additional benefits
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| 2. | Trinity College Dublin Scholarship | Up to EUR 5,000 |
| 3. | Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme | Up to EUR 45,925 |
| 4. | Cork Institute of Technology International Scholarship | Tuition fee waiver up to 25% |
Studying and Living in Ireland is affordable. To know more read Cost of living in Ireland article here.
