Trinity College Dublin

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin was founded in 1592 by royal charter. The college stands on College Green in the centre of Dublin, on the site of the former Priory of All Hallows.^[1] It is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin and is organised in three faculties with 25 schools.^[6]

Trinity’s facts page puts the student body at about 22,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and lists teaching in arts and humanities, business, law, engineering, science and health sciences.^[1] Wikipedia gives 14,085 undergraduates and 6,405 postgraduates for 2023/24, so the two sources differ in date and rounding; treat 20,000 to 22,000 as the range.^[6]

How is Trinity College Dublin ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Trinity is 75th in the world. Trinity calls this its strongest position in a decade and says it remains by some margin the highest-ranked university in Ireland. In the QS Sustainability category it placed 29th globally.^[2]

The university’s facts page also lists subject results: 10th in the world for Nursing, 19th for English, 28th for Pharmacy and 50th for History. The page does not name the edition of those subject tables, so check the QS subject rankings before you rely on them.^[1] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings. For other Irish universities see our Ireland guide.

What can you study at Trinity College Dublin?

Trinity teaches arts and humanities, business, law, engineering, science and health sciences.^[1] The academic structure is three faculties with 25 schools.^[6]

Trinity’s undergraduate fee list shows the range of degrees. It includes, for example, Business, Economic and Social Studies, Law, Psychology, English Studies, Computer Science and Linguistics, Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, General Nursing, Pharmacy, Medicine and Dental Science.^[3] The postgraduate fee list includes taught master’s programmes in business, engineering, law and education, as well as an MBA and PhD programmes.^[9] For the full course catalogue use the course pages on tcd.ie.

How much does Trinity College Dublin cost in 2026/27?

Undergraduate, first-year fees for new entrants in 2026/27

These are the 2026/27 rows on Trinity’s undergraduate fee page. The fee shown is for the first year only, not for the whole course. Continuing students may face a percentage increase each year under the College’s fee-certainty rules, and every student also pays an annual Student Levies and Charges fee.^[3] Across the 2026/27 list, non-EU fees for degree courses run from €15,060 (Dental Nursing) to €41,210 (Clinical Speech and Language Studies); Medicine and Dental Science are shown as “Max €60,000”.^[3]

EU students and the free-fees scheme

The student contribution applies to EU undergraduates only.^[3] Students eligible under the HEA free-fees scheme pay only the student contribution, not tuition.^[4] Trinity lists the contribution at €2,350 for 2026/27.^[3] The Registry notes that the Government made a permanent €500 reduction of the student contribution in Budget 2026 and does not state the 2026/27 amount on that page, so confirm the figure for your intake year with the Academic Registry.^[4]

Student levies and charges

The levies and charges for 2026/27 range from €179 for a visiting student to €314 for a full-time postgraduate degree. Non-EU undergraduates and all postgraduates pay a deposit when they accept an offer, which is deducted from the total fees.^[7]

Postgraduate taught, first-year fees in 2026/27

The postgraduate page states that the fee covers the first year of the course, not its full length. Fees apply to new students entering in the stated year.^[9] The page also lists later intakes (2027/28) with higher amounts, for example €24,600 for non-EU students on the Masters in Management.^[9]

For living costs, see our Ireland guide.

How do you apply to Trinity College Dublin?

The route depends on your level and on your fee status.

• Undergraduate, EU students: apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO), the national system for Irish undergraduate admissions. Entry is competitive and based on academic merit; CAO applicants must meet the course’s minimum CAO points.^[5][10]
• Undergraduate, non-EU students: apply directly to Trinity using the Direct Applications guide. Your fee status determines how you apply.^[5] You need a pass in English, mathematics and a language other than English plus a full set of valid subjects for your examination system; country pages give details.^[10]
• Postgraduate: apply through the page of the course you want. The online form has nine steps, among them English language proficiency, education, experience, a personal statement and references. You provide transcripts, evidence of English, two letters of recommendation, a passport and a CV, and pay a non-refundable application fee (the page gives no amount).^[11]

The usual entry standard for postgraduate courses is a minimum 2.1 honours degree from an Irish university or an equivalent result from another country; some courses set higher standards, extra tests or interviews.^[12]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. Check the course page and the Trinity admissions pages before you start.

Which English level do you need?

Most undergraduate and postgraduate courses accept Band B; Band C is the higher entry level. Check the course page for the exact band.^[8]

Results must be issued within two years before the course start date. Applicants who miss the band can apply for the CELLT Pre-Sessional Summer Programme. Postgraduate applicants whose primary degree was taught wholly in English may ask the course director for an exemption, with a formal document from the awarding institution.^[8]

More about studying in Ireland

• Ireland: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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