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Scholarships

Academic Funding for International Students

UCD Scholarships for International Students

At UCD, we offer a variety of scholarships specifically for international students. To be eligible for a scholarship, you must hold an offer to study at UCD so it’s important to apply to your chosen UCD programme as early as possible, through the  UCD Application Portal. Once you receive an offer for an eligible programme, you can then apply for the scholarships that interest you. 

To explore all the scholarships available for international students, simply scroll down and select your country from the drop-down menu. You will also find a helpful, step-by-step guide to assist you in the scholarship application process.

Current Students

If you are a current student at UCD or EU Student, you can explore the range of scholarships available on the  UCD Scholarships and Awards page.

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UCD Global Scholarships

The scholarships administered by UCD Global are for students who will be charged non-EU fee rates only. If a student is charged EU fees following an assessment, they are not eligible for the scholarships advertised through UCD Global (though they may still be eligible for other UCD scholarships). For queries on this, please contact UCD Global.

There are two scholarships administered directly by UCD Global.

  1. UCD Global Excellence Scholarships which cover 50% or 100% of the tuition fees. Prospective students must submit an application for the Global Excellence Scholarship.
  2. All programme applications are assessed at the point of offer for International Student Scholarship (ISS) eligibility. No application is required.

Scholarships and Funding

To explore all the scholarships and funding opportunities available for international students, select your country from the drop-down menu below.

UCD Global Excellence Scholarship

All successful applicants to eligible full-time programmes are invited to apply to our prestigious Global Excellence Scholarship. Applications are open to applicants who already have an Offer or a Conditional Offer.

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Government of Ireland Scholarship

Annual competition to select 60 Government of Ireland International Education Scholars across Ireland. Education Scholars across Ireland. Applications are open to applicants who already have an Offer or Conditional Offer to study at an Irish institution.

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Lochlann Quinn School of Business VPI Discretionary Scholarship

Lochlann Quinn School of Business applicants with the statuses; Offer, Conditional Offer, Accept or Conditional Accept on their application are automatically considered for partial tuition scholarships by our admissions and scholarship committee.

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Past Exchange & Study Abroad Scholarship

Applicants with the following statuses (Offer, Conditional Offer, Accept or Conditional Accept status) on their application are automatically considered for partial tuition scholarships by our admissions and scholarship committee. Decisions are made based on your submitted application materials.

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UCD IFY Scholarship

The UCD International Foundation Year Scholarship is awarded to students entering UCD through the International Foundation Year pathway programme. The scholarship is awarded at entry to the Foundation Year and lasts for the duration of the student's programme.

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UCD Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship

Students starting a PhD within the UCD School of Politics and International Relations are invited to apply for the UCD Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship. Applications from all areas of the discipline including political science, political theory, international relations, European governance, computational social science, development and international political economy are welcome. Click on the Terms and Conditions for more information.

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UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Scholarships

Students at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School are invited to apply for a range of scholarships for international students. All scholarships are advertised on the UCD Smurfit Scholarships website.

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Universitas 21 Alumni Scholarship

Applicants with the following statuses (Offer, Conditional Offer, Accept or Conditional Accept status) on their application are automatically considered for partial tuition scholarships by our admissions and scholarship committee. Decisions are made based on your submitted application materials.

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Aryabhatta Science Scholarship

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LPDP-UCD Scholarship

Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP) and University College Dublin (UCD) Scholarship Programme is jointly funded by the Indonesian Government and UCD, designed to attract high-achieving Indonesian students to pursue Master's programmes at UCD.

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Brian Mullins Ambassador Award for Gaelic Games

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HRH Princess Scholarship

The HRH Scholarship (HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand Scholarship Programme) aims to attract excellent Thai candidates to UCD, and to develop closer relations between Thailand and UCD.

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BECAL

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FUNED (Fundación Mexicana para la Educación, la Tecnología y la Ciencia)

FUNED (Fundación Mexicana para la Educación, la Tecnología y la Ciencia) offers scholarships and grants for high-achieving Mexican students to study postgraduate masters degree programmes.

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Fulbright

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue.

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Naughton Foundation

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Ireland Fellows Programme

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Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme

Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme, as one of Türkiye’s longest and most prestigious project, have been carried out with an agreement between the Republic of Türkiye and the European Commission in 1989.

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Bolashaq Scholarship Programme

The Bolashaq Programme provides fully funded scholarships for high-achieving students from Kazakhstan to study masters or PhD courses at selected universities in other countries before returning to work in Kazakhstan.

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UCD China Scholarship Scheme

UCD and the China Scholarship Council (CSC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2007, renewed in 2011, for the purposes of providing high-quality research training to qualified Chinese students from Chinese universities/research institutions.

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Ellucian PATH Scholarship

Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,900 customers across 50 countries, serving 20 million students.

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COLFUTURO

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FIDERH - Banco de México

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Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA)

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US Federal Student Aid

Students are always advised to familiarise themselves with their respective governments' regulations and policies for financial student aid loans.

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Canadian Provincial Loans

Students of UCD who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents may be eligible for loans funded by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Student Loan Program.

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Sallie Mae

US loan providers.

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Earnest

US private loan providers.

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Ministry of Education

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Ministry of Education

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Ministry of Education

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Ministry of Education

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Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology

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Ministry of Finance

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Ministry of Higher Education

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World Bank Scholarships Programme

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Chile CONICYT (Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica Y Tecnologica) Scholarship

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PRONABEC

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Egypt Qalaa Scholarship

The Qalaa Holdings Scholarship Foundation was created in 2007, out of a strong will to contribute to national development through creating high caliber professionals to help enhance Egypt’s growth in all sectors.

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International Scholarships: Step-by-Step

Not sure where to start with international scholarships? This guide walks you through each stage.

  • Step 1: Apply to Study at UCD

    Apply for your UCD programme at least three weeks before the scholarship’s closing date. Only applicants who have received an offer for an eligible UCD programme can apply for an international student scholarship.

  • Step 2: Review the Terms and Conditions of UCD's Scholarships

    All UCD and UCD Global Scholarship terms are online. Ineligible applications will be disregarded. If awarded multiple offers, the higher-value scholarship applies. Some are for self-funded students only. Apply with your first-choice course only.

  • Step 3: Apply for Relevant Scholarships

    Once you receive an offer for an eligible UCD programme, you can apply for scholarships via SISWeb. Eligible students are automatically considered for the International Student Scholarship. You may apply for multiple scholarships if eligible.

  • Please Note

    Scholarship applications cannot be edited once submitted, and only one submission is allowed. Please review your application carefully before submitting. With your permission, we can delete your application so you can start again if needed.

  • Step 4: Receive an Answer

    You’ll receive an update about your application within 7 weeks of the deadline. To check the status, log into UCD SISWeb, go to ‘UCD Applications’, and click ‘My Applications’ to view your submission status.

  • Step 5: Accept your Scholarship

    If offered a full or partial scholarship, you must accept it by the specified method within two weeks. Non-response is treated as a decline. Scholarships are not retained if you defer or accept your programme offer after the scholarship deadline.

  • Step 6: Keep us Informed

    Most UCD Global scholarships are tied to a specific programme and start date. If you plan to change your programme or defer entry, let us know as it may affect your scholarship. Always check the scholarship terms for any restrictions.

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Maintaining your Scholarship

The terms and conditions will vary depending on the scholarship you are awarded. Please note that there are some general conditions that apply to all UCD Global's scholarships including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Minimum GPA requirements: Students must maintain a Stage GPA of no less than 3.08 to keep their scholarship;
  • Progression: Students must take a standard credit load for the stage they are enrolled in and should progress within the standard timeframe for their programme. Students enrolled in less than 50 ECTS per year may automatically lose their scholarship;
  • Full-time enrolment requirement;
  • The requirement to act as an Ambassador for UCD by participating in student panels, focus groups, blogs and other activities as requested by UCD Global.

University College Dublin is approved by the U.S. Department of Education to certify loans under the ‘William D. Ford Direct Loan Program. Under this Program, eligible students can obtain federally supported Subsidized & Unsubsidized Direct loans and Direct PLUS loans. Federally supported loans are made by the US Department of Education rather than by a private lender/bank.

Gráinne Popen image
I received offers from other fantastic universities, but I ultimately chose UCD due to the robust international program, superlative sports facilities, and graduate employability rankings.
Gráinne Popen, North America, Global Excellence Scholar, Law with Social Justice
Oghenekaro Egbamuno image
I am super excited to be at UCD because of its inclusive environment, the unique courses offered for my programme which I didn’t find in other schools, and the exposure to global career opportunities and learning from other international students.
Oghenekaro Egbamuno, Nigeria, Global Excellence Scholar, MSc Communications and Media