The first universities in Ireland were founded by order of Queen Elizabeth in the late sixteenth century. And for a long time they were only engaged in the promotion of British culture, education, and nationalized only after Ireland gained independence in the middle of the last century. Despite this, over fifty years, the educational sector has achieved significant success and has become leading not only in the UK, but also in Europe.
Why choose Ireland?
Universities in Ireland are actively engaged in research activities. The state allocates subsidies for the development of science, which attracts scientists from all over the world. And modern support, freedom of action and excellent graduate programs, which are much cheaper than in the Ivy League, make Ireland a “gold mine”.
According to the forecasts of extras, Dublin will soon become the second California in the number of programmers per square meter. There are already branches of giants such as Google and Facebook, and Twitter is preparing to join them. Every year, the capital of Ireland hosts one of the largest technical conferences.
The process of applying for studies has been greatly simplified for students. For this, there is a single system that divides bachelors, masters and graduate students into three streams. Attractive are the minimum requirements for the applicant, giving the opportunity to get a better education.
And the last point can be called the friendliness of the Irish, their sociability and openness. A foreigner will never sit gloomily alone, especially in a student environment.
World Rankings
For the past ten years, universities in Ireland have reached the top 400 universities in the world. And Trinity College is on the world’s hundredth list. If you look at specific areas and disciplines, then most Irish universities appear in the TOP 50 around the world.
A wide selection of disciplines from exact to humanitarian, a high probability of getting a job in any corner of the world after graduation, as well as qualified teachers make Ireland competitive along with the oldest universities in Europe.
Top universities in Ireland
We can say with confidence that in this case, the quantity has passed into quality. It is understood that the best university in Ireland is as follows:
- Trinity College. It was founded at the end of the sixteenth century, in 1592, and became the first in the country. At the request of Elizabeth the First College was to unite several educational institutions under its roof. But at that time, the authorities were able to build only one university and subsequently did not change anything. The college specializes in the humanities, especially in sociology.
- The second place is occupied by Dublin College, formed in the mid-nineteenth century as a Catholic University, renamed it in 1905. The main subject at this university is history and veterinary medicine.
- The next most popular is Cork College, which is part of the National University of Ireland (NIE). The main area of study is pharmaceuticals and pharmacology. NUI also includes a university in Galway. The leading place in it is taken by the medical program.
- Closes the top five of the best Irish universities at the University of Dublin. In 1975, it was created as an institute, but fourteen years later received the status of a university, and it still remains. The main direction of training is information technology and management.
Benefits of Studying in Ireland
All the universities of Ireland, the list of which is headed by the famous Trinity College, offer their applicants the best education in Europe. The state invests well in this area so as not to doubt the quality of future specialists.
For students, the most comfortable conditions for training and work are created so that the costs of education are feasible, and the time spent in the university is remembered not only by cramming and exams. For those applicants who are not confident in their knowledge of English, courses are provided to help overcome these problems. There is a basic or general, exam and academic English course.
Scholarships and grants are often provided to foreigners, which allow them to study for free in the most prestigious educational institutions.
Admission requirements
Universities of Ireland for Russians put forward the most important requirement - this is knowledge of the language. But, in addition to this, you may need to pass additional exams to confirm the level of secondary education. The university may require the applicant to work out the difference in the deducted academic hours in order to correspond to the level of a school graduate in Ireland.
As a rule, serious documents are not required for applying. It is enough to have a certificate of maturity or documents about secondary special education, a certificate confirming that the future student is fluent in English, as well as a certificate from the bank about the solvency of the applicant or his parents.
The entire list of documents must be submitted before the first of February, so it is recommended to begin preparation no later than a year before the planned receipt.
Admission Options
Universities of Northern Ireland provide their applicants with two main ways to become a student:
- After graduating, you can take language courses and collect all the necessary documents for admission.
- Immediately after school, get a certificate for the required language level, pass the academic difference and also prepare all the necessary documents.
The development of events is less likely when the university itself invites the student to study or exchange studies, when the university of one state sends its students to study abroad, and itself accepts foreigners instead.
Studying in Ireland is free for local residents, but a foreigner can count on capitulation, that is, covering his expenses. To do this, there is a system of grants that fully or partially pay tuition, and also pay a scholarship to the student to maintain his financial situation in an unfamiliar country.