Studying at Trinity College Dublin
The most prestigious
University of Ireland
Established in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I on the model of Oxford and Cambridge, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is the oldest university in Ireland and is also the most renowned in the country. Ranked 88th in the 2018 QS World University Rankings, Trinity’s illustrious alumni include Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker, author of Dracula. Once reserved for young Protestant men, Trinity is now a modern, multicultural university located in the heart of one of Europe’s most dynamic capitals.
Trinity’s campus with its many historic buildings is very beautiful and really impressed us. Some elements such as the dining hall or the stairs of the Museum Buildinginspired some of the sets of the Harry Potter movies.
Schooling
Located on College Green, just across from the Irish Parliament, the huge campus covers 190,000 m2 in the heart of Dublin and its many cafes, bars and pubs. It is also only fifteen minutes away from the European headquarters of the world’s largest technology companies: Facebook, Google, Linkedin, Microsoft and Airbnb!
The majority of bachelor‘s degree programs offered at Trinity are four years in length, and some engineering and medical programs can take up to five or six years.
The university is divided into three main faculties, which are further divided into 25 schools: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics and Science and Health Sciences.
Trinity College has an excellent reputation in all areas and all of its programs are among the most selective in the country. Its faculty of “Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences” is internationally recognized for modern languages, literature, politic
The teaching in Bachelor’s degree is done both in the form of lectures and tutorials in small groups of less than 15 people. The number of class hours is generally quite limited and a great deal of independent work is expected of students.
In addition, Trinity also gives students the opportunity to learn an additional modern language during their studies (Mandarin, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, German…).
In addition, Trinity’s “broad curriculum” allows students to take 10% of their courses in other departments of the university (literature, film, languages, philosophy, psychology…).
To consult the complete list of courses offered, click here
A campus on a human scale
In our discussions with students, one of the characteristics of Trinity that was often emphasized by students was the small number of students in each Bachelor’s class. The university has only 10,000 students at the Bachelor’s level, which allows for an excellent integration of students within their department.
The largest library in Ireland
The ancient Trinity Library contains over 6.2 million printed volumes and a significant amount of ancient manuscripts and sacred texts, including the famous “Book of Kells. The university has 3 other libraries for the arts (Berkeley, Ussher and Lecky) and 2 for the sciences (the William Hamilton Science and Engineering Library) and medicine (John Stearne), located in St James Hospital.
Guaranteed student accommodation for non-Irish students
Accommodation in a student residence on campus or in Trinity Hall (“Halls“, a student residence located 20 minutes by transport from the campus where 1000 students live) is guaranteed for non-Irish students in their first and last year. In fact, it is sometimes possible for some students to obtain free on-campus housing by committing to an Irish language program.
Centuries-old traditions
One of Trinity’s most famous traditions is the Foundation Scholarship examination. These exams, which take place just after Christmas in the middle of the second year, are designed to distinguish the best Bachelor students.
In fact, all students who score above 70% on these exams automatically become “scholars” from Trinity, which entitles them to exceptional benefits: their tuition, student housing and all meals at the university are fully paid for the next 4 years!
A very dynamic community life
Trinity also has 120 student associations in fields as varied as sewing, fashion, Europe… There are also 48 sports associations and numerous sports facilities on or near the campus that allow students to practice sports as varied as field hockey, cricket, ultimate frisbee or American soccer. The university also has two highly regarded associations: “the Phil“founded in 1683 is the oldest debating society in the world, and “the Hist“ or “Historical Society” founded in 1770.
Trinity also has five student newspapers covering the financial press (“the Bull”), the arts (“Icarus”, Ireland’s oldest literary journal), a satirical newspaper (“The Piranha”), the oldest student publication (“TCD Miscellany”), and the “Trinity Film Review”.
In addition, numerous conferences with personalities from the world of politics, business, science, sports or the arts are regularly held on campus. Recent guests have included Joe Biden, Nelson Mandela, Angela Merkel, Bono, Al Pacino, John McCain, film director Martin Scorsese, author Margaret Atwood, British politician Nigel Farage, Apple President Tim Cook and John Lasseter of Pixar.
In addition, each yearthe “Trinity Ball” is held on the campus lawn, one of the largest galas in Europe, with more than 7000 students and international artists performing.
Each year the Trinity Ski trip attracts 500 students to the Alps. The university also has 4 theaters and 3 museums.
Finally, the DUISS (“International Student Society”) organizes at least 3 events per week to ensure a good integrat
A university with a strong reputation for quality research
Trinity College is the most internationally recognized and productive research center in Ireland. In fact, the University has an innovation center that aims to foster innovation. It also provides patent counseling and research informationa and facilitates the creation and operation of industrial laboratories and businesses on campus.
Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have recently made a major breakthrough that could greatly contribute to the development of therapies for people with Alzheimer’s disease!
What is the selection process at Trinity College Dublin?
Admission criteria vary greatly from program to program
Admission requirements to Trinity may vary by program. For the most selective courses, such as history, literature and mathematics, it is best to obtain at least a mention Très Bien au Bac (more than 16/20), or even the Congratulations of the jury (more than 18/20) for medicine or law.
For less selective programs such as languages or sociology, an average of 13 or 14/20 can generally be enough to be admitted.
Among other selection criteria, a good command of the English language is required (6.5 on the IELTS, 90 on the TOEFL, 180+ on the Cambridge English scale).
As with all Irish universities, students must apply directly through the CAO system by going to www.cao.ie and include a certified copy of their academic record.
Are you ready to study at TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN?
We are here to
help you