University College Cork - Courses, Admissions, Fees, Scholarships and Placements

University College Cork, based in Cork, has operated as the National University of Ireland's constituent university since 1845. The university was initially set up as one of the three Queen's Colleges based in Cork, Belfast, and Galway under the Irish Universities Act of 1908. The university went through multiple name-changing processes, and finally, it became known as University College Cork.

The university is large enough to accommodate more than 20,000 students at any given point in time. While a majority of these students are engaged in undergraduate programs, some are enrolled in postgraduate and research-based programs. The academic, research, and administrative staff comprises more than 2,500 individuals.   

University College Cork Highlights

University College Cork has been spoken of very highly by several reputed publications over the years. The Sunday Times has declared University College Cork the Irish University of the Year on five occasions. The U-Multirank system declared UCC to be the top-performing university in the region.

According to the QS Rankings, University College Cork is the third-best global university in Ireland and among the top 200 universities in Europe. Apart from its high-quality educational programs, the university has been appreciated for its emphasis on research and innovation. 

Ever since the university was established, it has constantly expanded. While the Alfred O'Rahilly building came up in the late '90s, the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, the Brookfield Health Sciences Center, and the Cavanagh Pharmacy Building were set up in the year 2004. The tastefully designed Western Gateway Building was constructed in 2009. The School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences on the North Mall Campus can be spotted. 

University College Cork serves as the home to one of the largest research institutes in Ireland. The university's research facility is noted for having the highest research income in the region. In 2016, the institution managed to raise more than 90 million dollars for research. 

According to a research report, University College Cork finds a place for itself in the top 3% of educational institutions throughout the globe for research. 

In 2018, the first plastic-free café in the country was set up on the premises of University College Cork. 

University College Cork Admissions

The application process laid out for undergraduate students is slightly different from the one designed for graduate students. An individual who wishes to apply for an undergraduate course will have to visit the central application office or CAO and get an application form from there. Those interested in applying for postgraduate courses will have to go to the postgraduate application center. While the application fee for UG courses is 45 EUR, students applying for PG courses would pay 50 EUR.

While submitting academic transcripts is mandatory, applicants must also submit their degree and school leaving certificate. Depending on the course they are applying for, applicants might also have to submit their ACT or SAT scores. The applicant must also submit two academic references, a statement of purpose, a copy of their passport, and proof of ID.

Every international student must submit a document that serves as proof that they are proficient in reading, writing, and communicating in English. If a student appears for an IELTS test, they must score a minimum of 6.5. 90 is the minimum score required in a TOEFL (iBT) test. A student appearing for a PTE test needs to score at least 63. 

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University College Cork Programs

University College Cork allows students to choose from 200 postgraduate courses and 120 undergraduate courses. Some of the most sought-after courses offered at the University College Cork are medicine and surgery, laboratory technology, nursing, marketing, and human resource management.

University College Cork Cost

While trying to figure out their overall educational expenses, an international student must take into account the cost of living along with the tuition fees. The course fee includes examination fees and several other expenses related to the course. The cost of living, on the other hand, comprises the money to be spent on accommodation, books, supplies, and transportation, among other things. 

University College Cork Cost of Course

The amount of money an international student has to pay for a particular course depends on the nature of the program. If a student wants to do a BA in applied psychology, they will have to pay 13,000 EUR. An undergraduate course in law and business will cost a student 15,000 EUR. To do a BSc in Finance, a student has to pay 17,850 EUR. On the other hand, doing a BSc in Data Science & Analytics would cost 22,000 EUR.

When it comes to doing a postgraduate course, a student gets multiple options to choose from as well. While doing an MSc in Pharmacy costs 15,000 EUR, undergoing an MSc course in Computing Science costs 18,000 EUR. To do an LLM, a student would have to pay 17,000 EUR. 

University College Cork Cost of Living

A large part of an international student's living expenses would go into paying rent. If a student opts for an on-campus accommodation facility, they should be ready to pay between 300 and 650 EUR a month. On the other hand, an off-campus accommodation facility would cost anywhere between 500 and 700 EUR. 

While taking any kind of accommodation facility, a student would have to pay a security deposit of 300 EUR. They will be paying between 75 and 100 EUR for books and supplies. Other expenses could amount to 200 EUR. Students can take up part-time jobs to cover their expenses while studying at University College Cork. The university, however, does not want the students to ignore their studies because of work. 

University College Cork Scholarships

University College Cork guides students with acquiring scholarships that could help them cover their entire or a part of the tuition fee. Some of the scholarships help students cover their living expenses as well. 

If a student gets the SEFS Postgraduate and Undergraduate Scholarship, they stand to get a maximum amount of 500 EUR as prize money. The much sought-after ACS Excellence Scholarships are designed to cover the entire tuition fee of a student. If a student gets the Quercus Masters Scholarship, they get a 50% discount on their tuition fee. International students can apply for the government scholarships as well. 

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University College Cork Placements 

Every year, a majority of students who graduate from the University College Cork manage to secure good jobs or professional opportunities for themselves. Apart from their academic achievements, the confidence displayed by the student during the interview process plays an important role in their success during the placement season. 

One of the major companies with which the university has a tie-up is Cytrea, an organization involved in creating pharmaceutical formulations. Firecomms, an optical communications company, is very active when it comes to hiring talent graduating from the university. 

In the last few years, a biotech healthcare company called Alimentary Health has hired several graduates from University College Cork. Biosensia, a company that manufactures integrated micro-system analytical chips, has been visiting the campus during every recruitment season. Another company that makes it a point to visit University College Cork during the placement season is Luxcel. 

You might also interested in Other Universities for Studying in Ireland:

• Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin
• University College Dublin
• National University of Ireland
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
• Dublin City University
• Maynooth University
• Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin)
• Dublin Institute of Technology
• Cork Institute of Technology
• Athlone Institute of Technology