Trinity College Dublin

Founded in 1592, Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s oldest university and its highest-ranked one: 75th in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Teaching is in English on a historic campus in the middle of Dublin.

The deciding question for most international applicants is their school-leaving qualification. Trinity admits A-level, IB and US diploma holders (with SAT or ACT) directly, while students from systems such as the Russian Attestat enter through its one-year International Foundation Programme.

• 2026/27 non-EU tuition: $25,640 (€22,580) a year for arts, law and business programmes and $33,580 (€29,570) for science, engineering and computer science.
• September 2027 timeline: the portal opens on 1 November 2026, the priority deadline is 1 February 2027 and the final one is 30 June 2027.
• Good fit: strong students whose family can plan at least $37,000 a year — arts tuition plus the visa living-cost minimum.
• Look wider if: you need direct first-year entry with a national diploma that Trinity does not accept on its own.

Trinity is a public university that awards degrees of the University of Dublin. On 18 June 2026 it announced that it had held 75th place in QS 2027, the best result of any Irish institution.

Many undergraduate options are Joint Honours degrees that pair two subjects, such as Law and Business or Computer Science and Business. This structure suits students who want breadth before narrowing their specialism.

• QS World University Rankings 2027 — 75th
• Established 1592, Ireland’s oldest university
• English-taught degrees of the University of Dublin

The main campus sits at College Green, Dublin 2, a walled quadrangle a few minutes on foot from the city’s main streets. The Old Library, home of the Book of Kells, draws visitors through the grounds every day.

Only final-year students may live on the historic campus. First-years are housed at Trinity Hall or in partner student residences and commute in. Central Dublin puts technology and finance employers within reach, but its rents are among the highest in Ireland.

Non-EU fees depend on the programme group. The table shows first-year rates for 2026/27 from Trinity’s official fee schedule; 2027/28 rates have not been published yet.

Under its Fee Certainty policy, Trinity applies a set annual increase for continuing non-EU students, so later years cost somewhat more than year one.

Your qualification decides the route. A-levels (A*A*A to ABB), the IB (30–40 points) or a US diploma with SAT 1250–1400 allow a direct application. Students with a Russian Attestat can join the International Foundation Programme with an average of 4.0 or above and progress to year one after reaching the required grades.

Each degree application costs €55 and each Foundation application €50; your first listed course counts as first preference.

Mistakes that cost a year

• Applying to Medicine, Dental Science, Music or Drama after 1 February.
• Assuming a national diploma is enough for direct entry and learning otherwise after Foundation places have filled.
• Meeting the overall IELTS score but missing the 6.0 minimum in one band.
• Holding an offer past 1 May, the acceptance date Trinity recommends for priority applicants.

• Passport
• School transcripts and, once issued, the final certificate with a certified translation
• A-level, IB or SAT/ACT results for direct entry
• English test report
• Personal statement and reference where the course asks for them
• Health screening and Garda vetting for Medicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and other clinical courses

For direct entry Trinity accepts IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in every band, Duolingo 120/160 or TOEFL iBT 90 with 21 per section. Foundation entry starts at IELTS 5.0 (5.0 in writing) or Duolingo 80, rising to IELTS 6.0 with no band under 5.5 for the Law, Pharmacy and Psychology streams.

There is a minimum age rule as well: for 2026 admission, applicants had to be born before 15 January 2010, so early school-leavers should check the equivalent date for their intake.

Irish immigration requires students who need a visa to show immediate access to at least €10,000 for living costs on top of tuition. Private rent in central Dublin usually pushes real spending above that floor.

The Global Excellence Undergraduate Scholarship reduces year-one tuition by €2,000–5,000 for selected non-EU entrants. Medicine, dentistry, acting, engineering, natural sciences and computer science are excluded. The 2026/27 round has closed, the 2027/28 terms are not yet published, and Trinity alone decides awards.

Trinity Hall is the official first-year residence with about 850 places. Rooms are allocated by random selection rather than first come, first served, and demand always exceeds supply, so no applicant is promised a room.

Students may apply either to Trinity Hall or to a partner residence, not both. Kavanagh Court is a 15-minute walk from campus and Here! Cork Street about 20 minutes; both are run by private operators with their own cancellation rules.

Applicants under 18 enter the same random selection and will usually share with older students. Room charges are invoiced monthly through my.tcd.ie, with the first instalment due on check-in day.

Russian and many other non-EU citizens need an Irish long-stay study visa; Ireland is outside Schengen, so a Schengen visa does not cover it. On arrival, students register for Stamp 2 immigration permission.

Graduates can use the Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G): 12 months after a Level 8 bachelor’s, and 12 months renewable for another 12 after a Level 9 master’s. A long-term work permit then depends on an employer and a separate government decision.

To test whether direct entry or Foundation fits your profile, request a consultation. You can compare Trinity with other options on our study in Ireland page.