RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences is a university in Dublin that teaches only medicine and health sciences. It was founded in 1784 and was authorised to use the title “university” in Ireland on 10 December 2019.[1] Its 2021/22 student population was 4,647.[2]
For EU students on the Free Fees Initiative, RCSI’s fee pages list €3,340 for 2026/27 (student contribution €2,350, IT fee €475, plus once-off charges in the first year).[3] For non-EU students the 2027/28 tuition is €62,000 for Medicine and €64,000 for Dentistry, while Pharmacy and Physiotherapy cost €18,000 a year after a €7,000 scholarship.[3][4][5][6] A QS World University Rankings 2027 position could not be confirmed.[7]
Key facts
| Official name | RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (RCSI; founded as the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland)[1] |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland (123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2)[8] |
| Type | University of medicine and health sciences; a registered charity, governed by a council of 21 surgeons[8] |
| Founded | 1784, by Royal Charter, as the national training body for surgery in Ireland[1] |
| University title in Ireland | Authorised on 10 December 2019 under section 54(3) of the Universities Act 1997 (the first such authorisation)[1] |
| Students | 4,647 in 2021/22; 50% Irish-domiciled and 47% domiciled outside the EU[2] |
| Schools | Medicine; Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences; Physiotherapy; Population Health; Nursing and Midwifery; Dentistry; Postgraduate Studies; plus the Graduate School of Healthcare Management[8] |
| Undergraduate programmes | Advanced Therapeutic Technologies, Dentistry, Graduate Entry Medicine, Medicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and a one-year pathway programme for non-EU students[9] |
| Degrees | Undergraduate degrees are degrees of the National University of Ireland (NUI)[3] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed (not listed in the press report we read)[7] |
| EU students on Free Fees, 2026/27 | €3,340 per year (€990 with a SUSI grant); tuition paid by the State[3] |
| Non-EU tuition, 2027/28 | Medicine €62,000 · Dentistry €64,000 · Graduate Entry Medicine €63,500 · Pharmacy and Physiotherapy €25,000 list price, €18,000 after a €7,000 scholarship[3] |
| English requirement | IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 (Medicine)[10] |
| Official website | rcsi.com/dublin |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
RCSI was founded by Royal Charter in 1784 as the national training body for surgery in Ireland.[1] It had permission to use the title “university” abroad from 2015. On 10 December 2019 the Irish Oireachtas approved the order that lets it describe itself as a university in Ireland too, the first use of the route in section 54(3) of the Universities Act 1997 for providers that do not draw their main income from State funding.[1]
The university teaches through its Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Physiotherapy, Population Health, Nursing and Midwifery, Dentistry and Postgraduate Studies, and through the Graduate School of Healthcare Management. It is governed by a council of 21 surgeons, all Fellows of the College.[8] Its own institutional profile (2023, with data for 2021/22) names three locations: Dublin, Bahrain and Malaysia.[2] This page covers the Dublin undergraduate offer.
How is RCSI ranked?
We could not confirm an overall position for RCSI in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026). A national press report on the Irish results lists eight Irish institutions and RCSI is not among them.[7] We therefore show no QS number for RCSI.
RCSI’s own undergraduate page says it is “ranked in the top 10 in the world for ‘Good Health and Well-being’ by Times Higher Education”, which refers to a single sustainability goal, not to an overall rank.[9] Rankings differ by publisher, year and subject, so treat any single position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at RCSI?
RCSI lists these undergraduate programmes at its Dublin campus:[9]
- Medicine (MB, BCh, BAO), 5 or 6 years, CAO code RC001.
- Graduate Entry Medicine (RC101), 4 years.
- Dentistry (BDS), 5 years, RC007.
- Pharmacy (BSc and MPharm), 5 years, RC005.
- Physiotherapy (BSc), 3 or 4 years, RC004.
- Advanced Therapeutic Technologies (BSc), 4 years, RC006.
- International Medical Commencement Programme: a one-year pathway for non-EU students who are not eligible for direct entry, run with Munster Technological University and OnCampus Ireland, with a guaranteed place in a chosen programme after success.
The September 2027 intake lists 90 EU and 220 non-EU places in Medicine, c. 35 EU and c. 20 non-EU in Dentistry, 90 EU and 35 non-EU in Pharmacy, and 68 EU and 10 non-EU in Physiotherapy.[3][4][5][6]
How much does RCSI cost?
RCSI sorts every applicant as “EU” or “non-EU” by nationality and residency, and the status is kept for the whole programme.[3] The fee pages show EU fees for 2026/27 and non-EU fees for the 2027/28 entry year, so the two columns below are for different years.
Non-EU students, 2027/28
| Programme | Tuition per year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | €62,000 | plus €135 NUI fee, once off[3] |
| Dentistry | €64,000 | plus €135 NUI fee[4] |
| Graduate Entry Medicine | €63,500 | plus €135 NUI fee[11] |
| Pharmacy | €25,000 list, €18,000 after scholarship | €7,000 RCSI Development Initiative scholarship for privately funded students[5] |
| Physiotherapy | €25,000 list, €18,000 after scholarship | same €7,000 scholarship[6] |
RCSI says non-EU fees for Medicine and Dentistry rise by about 2% a year.[3][4] Medicine places are 220 for non-EU applicants.[3]
EU students, 2026/27
The undergraduate degree programmes (Graduate Entry Medicine excepted) are covered by the Free Fees Initiative for eligible EU students: the State pays the tuition. Those students pay a student contribution of €2,350, an IT fee of €475, a once-off health screening charge of €380 and a once-off NUI fee of €135, which is €3,340 in the first year. Students with a SUSI grant do not pay the contribution, so they pay €990.[3]
EU students who do not qualify for Free Fees pay tuition as well: €6,267 for Medicine, giving €9,607 in total, and €6,500 for Dentistry, giving €9,750.[3][4] Dentistry students also pay €4,000 for consumables over the course.[4] In Pharmacy the fifth year (MPharm) is not covered by Free Fees; for the 2027 entrants RCSI estimates about €9,000.[5]
Graduate Entry Medicine is not covered by Free Fees. For EU students RCSI shows the 2025/26 figure as a guide: €15,080 tuition and €17,070 in total.[11]
Other costs
Fees are only part of the bill. For rent and living costs in Dublin, see our Ireland guide.
How do you apply to RCSI?
For the undergraduate programmes, Irish and EU applicants apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO), the national application system for Irish higher education. Applicants who live in North America apply through the Atlantic Bridge website; all other non-EU applicants apply directly to RCSI.[12]
- Medicine, EU school leavers and mature students: CAO (RC001) plus the HPAT-Ireland admission test.[12]
- Medicine, non-EU privately funded applicants: direct application with certified transcripts, references, a personal statement and the Casper situational judgement test; the HPAT-Ireland is not required.[10][12]
- Other programmes: each has its own CAO code (see Programmes above); non-EU applicants other than those in North America apply directly through RCSI’s website.[9][6]
We give no deadlines because they change every year; the programme pages state the application window. Admission rules for September 2027 are subject to annual review.[10] We did not review RCSI’s postgraduate application routes for this page.
Which language level do you need?
Teaching is in English. For Medicine, applicants whose first language is not English need an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5 with no band below 6.0, taken in a single sitting; the certificate must be less than two years old at admission. TOEFL equivalents are accepted, but the page gives no TOEFL score.[10]
Applicants whose school programme is taught entirely in English (for example IB or A Levels) do not need an IELTS certificate for the first application; A Level applicants need GCSE English at grade 4/C or above.[10]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does RCSI Medicine cost for international students?
For the 2027/28 entry year RCSI lists non-EU tuition of €62,000 a year for Medicine and a once-off NUI fee of €135. Fees rise by about 2% a year.[3]
Is RCSI free for EU students?
Is RCSI a real university?
What IELTS score does RCSI require?
For Medicine, 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, taken in one sitting.[10]
How do I apply to RCSI?
EU applicants use the CAO; non-EU applicants apply directly to RCSI, or through Atlantic Bridge if they live in North America.[12]
More about studying in Ireland
- Ireland: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Ireland
- Atlantic Technological University (ATU)
- Dublin City University (DCU)
- Maynooth University
- Munster Technological University (MTU)
- National College of Art and Design (NCAD)
- Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM)
- South East Technological University (SETU)
- Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin)
- Technological University of the Shannon (TUS)
- Trinity College Dublin
- University College Cork
- University College Dublin
- University of Galway
- University of Limerick (UL)
Sources
[1] RCSI: RCSI granted ‘university’ title (news item of 10 Dec 2019)
[2] RCSI: Institutional profile 2023 (PDF last modified 16 Mar 2023; student data for 2021/22)
[3] RCSI: Medicine, fees and funding (page without a date; EU fees for 2026/27, non-EU fees for 2027/28)
[4] RCSI: Dentistry, fees and funding (page without a date; EU fees for 2026/27, non-EU fees for 2027/28)
[5] RCSI: Pharmacy, fees and funding (page without a date; EU fees for 2026/27, non-EU fees for 2027/28)
[6] RCSI: Physiotherapy, fees and funding (page without a date; non-EU fees for 2027/28)
[7] TheJournal.ie: Six Irish universities rise in global rankings (QS World University Rankings 2027; QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (article of 18 Jun 2026; RCSI not mentioned)
[8] RCSI: About RCSI (page without a date)
[9] RCSI: Undergraduate courses at RCSI Dublin (page without a date; refers to the 2027 prospectus)
[10] RCSI: Medicine, entry requirements (page without a date; September 2027 entry)
[11] RCSI: Graduate Entry Medicine, fees and funding (page without a date; EU fees shown for 2025/26 as a guide, non-EU for 2027/28)
[12] RCSI: Medicine, how to apply (page without a date; September 2027 entry)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.