University College Cork

Key facts

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

About University College Cork

Queen’s College Cork, now University College Cork, formally came into existence on 30 December 1845 and opened its gates to 115 students in 1849. UCC says its campus covers 42 acres of wooded ground, a ten-minute walk from the city centre.^[7] In 1910 it appointed Mary Ryan as Professor of Romance Languages, the first female professor in Ireland.^[7]

UCC reports over 26,000 registered students and more than 225,000 alumni worldwide.^[1] Wikipedia, using 2021–22 data, counts 24,195 students (16,849 undergraduates and 7,346 postgraduates), so the two figures differ in date and definition.^[2]

The university is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland (NUI) and has four colleges, among them the College of Business and Law and the College of Medicine and Health.^[2][8]

How is University College Cork ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, UCC is 220th in the world, up 26 places from 246th. UCC says it is the fourth year in a row of improvement and its highest position in thirteen years. QS evaluated 8,804 universities and published 1,504.^[3]

In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings published on 18 June 2025, UCC is in the 101–200 band, with a rank of 9 for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and 42 for SDG 16.^[3] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings. For the other Irish universities see our Ireland guide.

What can you study at University College Cork?

UCC teaches in four colleges: Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences; Business and Law; Medicine and Health; and Science, Engineering and Food Science.^[8]

The 2026/27 undergraduate fee schedule lists degrees such as Arts, Anthropology, Applied Psychology, Accounting, Commerce, Finance, Law, Computer Science, Data Science and Analytics, Engineering, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Medicine.^[4] The postgraduate schedule includes taught master’s programmes in accounting, finance, marketing, business analytics, law, arts, nursing and education.^[9]

How much does University College Cork cost in 2026/27?

Undergraduate

Across the 2026/27 non-EU undergraduate list, full-time fees run from €11,700 to €56,100, the latter for graduate-entry Medicine; Dentistry is €52,100 plus bench fees of €1,500 in year 3, €1,500 in year 4 and €1,000 in year 5, payable in the Dental Hospital. A capitation fee of €210 is listed in a separate column. Students who enter through contracted recruitment agencies or on government sponsorship may be entitled to a concession.^[4]

EU students, free fees and the student contribution

The EU total consists of the capitation fee (€210), the student contribution and the EU tuition fee. Under the HEA Free Fees Initiative the HEA pays the EU tuition fee on behalf of qualifying students, who then pay the capitation fee and the contribution.^[5] UCC lists the contribution twice: €2,500 before Budget 2027 and €2,350 after it, with the EU tuition adjusted so that the total stays the same (for BA Arts €3,185 or €3,335, total €5,895).^[5] UCC’s own example shows an overall fee of €2,560 paid in two instalments for the academic year.^[5] The contribution may be funded in whole or in part by SUSI, the national grant agency.^[5]

Postgraduate taught, full-time, 2026/27

A capitation fee of €210 applies to taught programmes (€70 for research students). The non-EU full-time amounts listed in the 2026/27 postgraduate schedule run from €1,700 to €29,000. Discounts and scholarships are calculated from the published fee.^[9]

For living costs see our Ireland guide.

How do you apply to University College Cork?

First establish your fee status: UCC has two categories, EU/EFTA/UK and international (non-EU). Fee status is kept for the duration of a course, and doubtful cases complete the EU/Non-EU Fees Assessment Form for the Fees Office.^[6]

• Undergraduate, EU/EFTA/UK status: apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO), the national admissions system. Offers cannot issue to school-leavers before the Irish exam results are known, so round 1 usually follows in mid-August.^[6]
• Undergraduate, non-EU: apply directly to the International Office through the undergraduate online application system.^[6]
• Courses outside the CAO: some undergraduate courses use UCC Apply instead.^[10]
• Postgraduate: UCC Apply covers master’s degrees, PhDs and diplomas, with separate instructions for EU and non-EU taught and research programmes.^[11]

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

Which English level do you need?

Applicants whose first language is not English must show equivalent competence through their school-leaving examination or a recognised test. Results from tests such as IELTS and TOEFL are valid for two years and must come from a single sitting.^[8]

Undergraduate applicants can also use LanguageCert Academic (an average of 70 overall and at least 65 in each skill); postgraduate applicants can use Cambridge English (176 overall, none below 169). A small number of postgraduate programmes have a higher minimum, and the postgraduate requirements do not apply to applicants whose first language is Irish.^[8][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)
• RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
• 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 Dublin
• University of Galway
• University of Limerick (UL)