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Application Guide & Prospective Students FAQs

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Application Process Summary

  1. Create your UCD application account. See the "Start Your Application" section below.
  2. Enter the necessary information on the application system and submit the required documents. See the "Application Documents" section below.
  3. Pay the application fee. Please note that your application won't be assessed until you pay the fee.
  4. It will take up to three weeks to assess your application.

Irish/EU Applicants

Your application is assessed by staff in the School of Politics and International Relations.

Note: Holding Irish or EU citizenship does not automatically qualify for the EU Fee rate; eligibility depends on the applicant's residency.

Irish/EU citizens who have lived outside of the EU may have to go through the EU Fee Assessment process before their application is assessed. This process takes a few weeks.

The application deadline for EU applicants is Monday, 7 September 2026 (The first day of the term). However, we recommend students receive a firm offer sooner so they can secure a place in their desired modules, since module registration starts in mid-August.

Non-EU Applicants

Your application is assessed by the UCD Global's Regional Teams. 

Note: Non-EU citizens who have lived within the EU in recent years may have to go through the EU Fee Assessment process before their application is assessed. This process takes a few weeks.

The application deadlines vary depending on your country. Please refer to the Application Deadlines section.

Applications for the Graduate Diplomas and the MSc Sustainable Development are assessed by the School of Politics and International Relations regardless of your country.

Entry Requirements

A primary degree (Honours Bachelor's Degree, (opens in a new window)NFQ Level 8 or equivalent) with at least Second Class Honours Grade 1 (2H1) in any discipline. (2H1 is equivalent to 60 per cent, B minus or 3.08 GPA - in American system: B or 3.00 GPA) 

Applicants whose first language is not English should have met UCD's English language requirements. Applicants who obtained a previous degree from an English-speaking university may be exempted from this requirement. Please see the relevant section below on this page.

  • Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the English language requirements may enter the programme upon successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. 
  • We use an international qualification service to check 2H1 equivalencies for each country. We primarily assess applications based on the applicants' undergraduate results.

Application Documents

For applications to our programmes, the following is required:

  • Academic transcripts of your current/previous degree(s) in English
  • English proficiency certificate (if relevant). Please refer to the UCD English language requirements.
  • The College Details and References sections are mandatory.
  • The name and contact details of one academic referee (Uploading an actual reference letter is NOT required.)
  • The application fee - €70.

You are welcome to submit a CV or any other supporting documentation that may strengthen your application; however, our primary assessment is based on applicants' undergraduate results.

Applications FAQs

The application fee is €70 and covers multiple applications within the same year. This fee must be paid before the UCD Application System will allow us to review your application.

In most cases, the application fee cannot be waived. However, Asylum Seekers, Refugees and those with subsidiary protection or Leave to remain are not required to pay the application fee. Please contact the applications team if you are in one of these categories.

You can find more information on the UCD Registry website.

You do not have to provide a reference letter itself. You only need to provide the name and contact details of one academic referee in the References section of the application system. We may contact your referee if any questions arise regarding the documents you submit with your application.

You can upload additional documents such as a personal statement, a letter of motivation or my CV (resume). As part of the admission process, most emphasis is placed on applicants’ academic transcripts.  However, relevant work/life experiences will also be taken into account.

Completing the online application form- FAQ's

Applicants who have obtained a previous degree in recent years or are currently pursuing a degree at an English-speaking university in an English-speaking country are exempt from submitting an English Proficiency Test result.

If you completed a previous degree in recent years or are pursuing a current degree at an English-speaking university in a non-English-speaking country, you must provide a letter from your university confirming that the medium of instruction was English.

However, applicants from non-EU countries are strongly advised to complete an English Proficiency Test and obtain a valid result for visa purposes.

Application Process & Timelines

Applications for September 2026 are now open, and we receive applications on a rolling basis until the deadlines specified below.

You can begin your application by clicking the "Apply" button located at the bottom of the course catalogue pages.

If the Apply Button Brings Back to the Search Page:

Please navigate to 'My Applications' at the top of the screen. 

If the issue persists,  please contact the Admissions Office via the Student Desk. 

* Irish/EU citizens who have lived outside of the EU and Non-EU citizens who have been living in Ireland or the EU must go through the EU Fee Assessment process before their applications can be assessed. This process takes a few weeks. 

Please note that online module registration starts in mid-August. We recommend students receive a firm offer before then so they can secure a place in their desired modules. 

We endeavour to make admission decisions within three weeks of receiving complete applications and the application fee.

Note: Irish/EU applicants who have lived outside of the EU and non-EU citizens who have lived within the EU in recent years must go through the EU Fee Assessment process before their application is assessed. This process takes a few weeks.

Applicants in the final year of their undergraduate degree whose results to date are a 2H1 or over will receive a conditional offer. The condition is the completion of their degree with a 2H1 result.

To accept a conditional offer, no deposit payment is required.

Once your final transcript becomes available, please (opens in a new window)log back into the system, upload it as an additional document, and notify us by email at (opens in a new window)graduatespire@ucd.ie so we can review it promptly.

At that point, assuming you meet the above requirement, we will issue a 'Firm Offer'. To accept the firm offer, a non-refundable deposit of €500 (EU) / €750 (Non-EU) is required.

Accepting an Offer
  1. Please (opens in a new window)login to your online account to accept you offer.
  2. To accept a firm offer, a deposit payment is required (€500 for EU applicants and €750 for non-EU applicants).
  3. From late July onwards, please proceed to the confirmation of attendance step outlined in the Current Students' FAQ page.

Please note that any deposit paid is non-refundable. (To accept a conditional offer, no deposit payment is required.)

Qualification Check Process

The transcript you uploaded to the application portal is for application review purposes only. You still need to complete the Qualification Check Process.

A separate, dedicated qualification check team within UCD’s central admissions unit will review all incoming students’ transcripts to confirm their validity. Further queries to this process can be addressed to the Student Desk via www.ucd.ie/askus (by picking the 'current/incoming student' and 'Admissions' query options).

To accept a conditional offer, no deposit payment is required.

To accept a firm offer, a deposit payment is required (€500 for EU applicants and €750 for non-EU applicants).

Requests for an extension of the acceptance deadline* 

* Please note that extensions for applicants from non-EU countries may not be granted after May or June due to visa-related reasons.

EU Applicants: Please email (opens in a new window)graduatespire@ucd.ie with your application number. 

Non-EU Applicants: 

Your application is handled by UCD Global's regional offices. Please contact the team in your region for any queries related to your application process. Please include your application number in your email.

Please note the deposit is not refundable.

Applicant Type     Contact Details
Irish & EU Applicants Please contact the School's Graduate Administrator at (opens in a new window)graduatespire@ucd.ie.  Include your application number, if known.
International (Non-EU) Applicants

Please contact your regional team, including your application number:
Applicants to Graduate Diplomas Please contact the School's Graduate Administrator at (opens in a new window)graduatespire@ucd.ie.  Include your application number, if known.
Applicants to the MSc Sustainable Development Please contact the Programme Director, Professor Patrick Paul Walsh at (opens in a new window)ppwalsh@ucd.ie, and CC the Graduate Administrator at (opens in a new window)graduatespire@ucd.ie. 

Applications Other FAQs

Applicants in the final year of their undergraduate degree will receive a Conditional Offer if their results to date are equivalent to or above a 2H1.

Once your final transcript becomes available, please (opens in a new window)log back into the system, upload it as an additional document, and notify us by email at (opens in a new window)graduatespire@ucd.ie for a prompt review.

Assuming your final result is a 2H1 or above, the conditional offer will be converted to a firm offer. 

The final transcript will then be required for verification. For more details, please refer to the Qualification Check - UCD Registry.

Note:

To accept a conditional offer, payment of a deposit is not required.

To accept a firm offer, payment of a deposit is required. Please note that the deposit is non-refundable.

(opens in a new window)Applications from non-EU countries are assessed by the UCD Global Regional Teams. 

Please contact them directly. If you have already applied, please quote your Application Number when you do. Here is a list of our UCD Global Centres and their contact information:

Further Information for International Students

(opens in a new window)internationalenquiries@ucd.ie can also be used for more general queries related to registration, accommodation etc.

We only offer a September intake, except for the MSc in Sustainable Development (ONLINE), where students can join in either September or January. 

Fees and Scholarships

A number of scholarship opportunities are available for international students. Updated information for the September 2026 intake will be posted in the links below.

Irish and EU students are eligible for (opens in a new window)SUSI Student Grants.

1. (opens in a new window)Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme

Application Deadline: 23rd October 2025

This scheme is for PhD and Master by Research programmes, not Taught Masters Programmes. All of our Master's degrees are Taught Masters Programmes, which means they are not eligible.

2. (opens in a new window)Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships

Calls will open shortly.

According to the information provided on the above link, our Master's programmes (MA and MSc) are eligible, with the exception of the MSc in Sustainable Development (ONLINE), the Graduate Diploma, and the Professional Certificate programmes.

This scholarship is offered by the Higher Education Authority of Ireland. Please read the documents available on the website above. If you cannot find the information you need in any of the documents provided, please feel free to email (opens in a new window)goi-ies@hea.ie.

Course Structures & Timetables

Some courses have the option of either an MA or MSc version of the same programme

Students opting for the MSc variation of the programme will, in addition, take core modules in research methods and statistics. This will provide a solid understanding of doing research and critically evaluating claims made by academics and other researchers. Those considering further study at PhD level or a career in research, policy analysis or journalism should certainly consider the MSc variant.

The MA track is broader and most will allow you to choose to complete a thesis or to apply for an internship to develop your professional skills in the field.

In general, all MSc programmes require a thesis, with the exception of the MSc Human Rights and the MSc Politics and Data Science, both of which offer the option of undertaking a thesis or internship .

To view the modules, please:

  1. Navigate to the Prospective Masters Students page and select the "View All Programmes" section.
  2. Click on your programme of interest.
  3. Check the "View All Modules" section.

All students must complete 60 credits from taught modules, as well as a thesis or an internship (30 credits), over the course of the programme. Full-time students complete the degree in one year, while part-time students spread the workload over two years.

  • The majority of our modules are worth 10 credits.
  • Each programme includes 2-4 core modules.
  • Each module typically involves two hours of lectures per week.
  • Lectures typically run from Monday to Friday, between 09:00 and 18:00.
  • Your timetable will depend on your module choices. 
  • Refer to UCD Term Dates for the exact trimester start dates. 

Full-Time MA/MSc Programmes:

Trimesters Months Typical Workload
Autumn September-December 30 credits (approx. 6 hours of lectures per week for 12 weeks)
Spring January-April 30 credits (approx. 6 hours of lectures per week for 12 weeks)
Summer May-August Thesis or Internship (30 credits, No lectures)

Full-Time Graduate Diploma Programmes:

Graduate Diploma students take a total of 60 credits. 

  • Autumn Trimester – 30 credits of modules = roughly 6 hours per week for a duration of 12 weeks.
  • Spring Trimester – 30 credits of modules = roughly 6 hours per week for a duration of 12 weeks.

Depending on their performance, aspirations and selection of modules, students may be able to transfer from the graduate diploma into a Masters programme after the first trimester.
For more information, and to see which programmes are eligible for transfer, please look at the 'Transfer from Graduate Diploma to Masters' section on this page.

All students must complete 60 credits from taught modules, as well as a thesis or an internship (30 credits), over the course of the programme. Full-time students complete the degree in one year, while part-time students spread the workload over two years.

  • The majority of our modules are worth 10 credits.
  • Each programme includes 2–4 core modules.
  • Each module typically involves two hours of lectures per week.
  • Lectures typically run from Monday to Friday, between 09:00 and 18:00.
  • Your timetable will depend on your module choices. 
  • Refer to UCD Term Dates for the exact trimester start dates. 

Part-Time MA/MSc Programmes:

  • Part-time students also complete 90 credits but over two years instead of one.
  • Part-time students are strongly advised to complete the core modules as soon as they become available.
  • Most students take 1-2 modules per trimester during the Autumn and Spring trimesters, equating to 2-4 hours of lectures per week.
  • The 30-credit Thesis/Internship module is completed in the second year of study.

Modules typically run from Monday to Friday, between 09:00 and 18:00. Please note that we do not offer any weekend or evening modules.

Trimesters Months Typical Workload
Autumn Year 1: September-December 10-20 credits  (approx. 2-4 hours of lectures per week for 12 weeks)
Spring Year 1: January-April 10-20 credits  (approx. 2-4 hours of lectures per week for 12 weeks)
Summer Year 1: May-August No Workload
Autumn Year 2: September-December 10-20 credits  (approx. 2-4 hours of lectures per week for 12 weeks)
Spring Year 2: January-April 10-20 credits  (approx. 2-4 hours of lectures per week for 12 weeks)
Summer Year 2: May-August Thesis or Internship (30 credits, No lectures)

A module generally consists of two-hour lecture sessions every week for 12 weeks on campus. Most lectures take place between 09:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday.

We do not offer any weekend or evening lectures.

All of our Master’s degrees require in-person attendance in Dublin, as they cannot be studied online. The only exception is the MSc Sustainable Development, which is online-only.

Graduate Taught Timetable 2025-26 (PDF)

This is for information purposes only. Please note that the module range and timetables are reviewed annually. The 2026-27 timetables will be different.

To check other modules' timetables: Go to the UCD Module Search, click on the module, and then refer to the 'When is this module offered?' section.

Thesis and Internship

While submitting your thesis proposal, you will have the opportunity to nominate three academics that you would like to work with. The final assigned supervisor is determined by the School.

Generally, you do not need to stay in Ireland, as you can contact your supervisor over Zoom if necessary, but it is up to the discretion of the supervisor.

Students are responsible for securing their own internship placements. All advice and guidance on how to source an internship place will be available on Brightspace once you register for the internship module.

SPIRe Internship Programme

You can complete your internship anywhere in the world, provided the work is directly relevant to your field of study and the internship agreement is signed.

Please be aware of the different employment laws and visa requirements of the country you choose.

Other FAQs

The UCD School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) is committed to fostering a welcoming and positive environment for everyone who works and studies with us.

While SPIRe fully supports the University's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policies and initiatives, we also strive to go beyond these commitments to promote inclusivity among our faculty, staff, and students.

Prior knowledge of programming is not required. The course offers two streams: one for students with technical backgrounds and another for those with non-technical backgrounds. Students from non-technical backgrounds are required to take modules that cover basic programming.

Many of our students start without a coding background but successfully acquire these skills during the first two terms.

Students who wish to apply for a mid-year transfer must complete the core modules of the programme they wish to pursue. 

Here are the details on what you can transfer to:

UCD School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe)

School Office: G301, Newman Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.