What is Trinity College Dublin Like? Iconic, historic, and studious…but also fun
- Originally published
- Last updated on October 24th, 2023 at 11:21 am
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From the city center to accommodations and academics, we wanted to know what it’s like at Trinity College Dublin, the nation’s iconic university. We gathered the basics in one place, and focused on the needs of international students. We also talked to some current Trinity College Dublin students about what made them choose Trinity, and what they want new applicants to know.
What’s it like? What’s Dublin itself like? Historic? Grueling? How do you get an A+ education in a party town? Trinity College Dublin has multiple personalities, so no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find a little slice of it here. Let’s take a look.
Basics to Study at Trinity (University of Dublin)
Degrees: BA, BA Honors Bachelor Degrees, with many dual major combos (“joint honors” programs, which are replacing the longstanding “two subject moderatorship” TSM degree program)
Majors: 60 undergraduate degrees in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences; 43 in Engineering, Mathematics, & Sciences; 18 in Health Sciences. Noted for a dual degree program with Columbia University for those who want to spend a couple of years in New York. Students in the program attend Trinity College Dublin for 2 years and finish their degrees at Columbia in liberal arts and sciences (General Studies at Columbia).
Notable programs: Standout programs include the #55 globally ranked (by US News) Immunology alongside its similarly esteemed cousins like chemistry, biology, and materials science (there is a 5-year engineering and materials science degree offered). There are also prestigious programs in arts and humanities, neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy.
Location: City center, Dublin
Cost for out-of-EU: €20,609-€26,985 in 2021-2022 depending on program of study. There are some exceptions (both more and less expensive) in Health Sciences.
On-campus housing cost: In 2021-2022, €7013 for a single room with an ensuite bathroom within an apartment in Trinity Hall for the academic year (summer not included). Kavanaugh Court accommodations that year were €10,070.
FAFSA Funds: Yes
Abroad from abroad: Yes, 250+ partnerships abroad for Trinity students for either a semester or a year
Student body: 18,000 total students (13,500 undergrad), 27% from outside Ireland
Five adjectives: Historic, friendly, energetic, inspirational, witty
The City Centre and Life in Dublin
Student Hangouts Around Town
Oscar Wilde said that “life is too important to be taken seriously,” and his sentiment echoes in his hometown of Dublin. Here, many students describe their city as “playful” and “easygoing.” It’s a place to have good “craic,” or fun in Irish. Maybe it’s just all those pubs.
New Dubliners will find the city drenched with live music, Guinness, and impromptu busking on Grafton Street. It seems the west and south sides of campus are an extensive, albeit cloudy and drizzly, shopping district with plenty of familiar landmarks.
I LOVED every second there. The staff, students, the environment, the courses… everything was what I hoped for and even more!
Need some familiar haunts? There’s also an Urban Outfitters, Starbucks, and Mongolian barbeque. Missing Jarritos Mexican soda and a burrito to die for? You’re also covered at Mama’s Revenge Burrito Hut for all your late-night study sessions. One aspect of Dublin worth noting is that many students find their international transition simple, with gobs of American influence in Ireland and vice versa.
After you’ve stuffed yourself at these quintessential student eateries, wade through the crowds on Grafton Street heading south toward St. Stephen’s Green, the best-known oasis in the central city.
Because Trinity College Dublin lies in the most vivacious corner of Dublin, you’ll eventually learn to stop going to the Temple Bar with the tourists and figure out where the local student hangouts are. The Pav is Trinity College’s student bar, made for cheap beers. For dancing, you’ll inevitably find yourself at Copper Face Jacks, which can only be described as a national legend.
Culture, Safety, and Costs in Dublin
For students with a more cultural mindset, head north of campus and stroll O’Connell Street where you can marvel at the post office, riddled with bullets from Ireland’s fight for independence. Check out Oscar Wilde’s house just a block from campus and try to walk jauntily across the street to his colorful statue in Merrion Park. The National Gallery is also across the street, free, and a perfect spot to contemplate Dublin’s rich artistic history.
Dublin is rated one of the safest cities in the world, but you still may want to leave once in a while. Outdoorsy students can kayak the River Liffey or head out to the rugged coast and take a dip at places like the Vico baths or High Rock.
There’s plenty to do around Dublin. But exploring is likely to put a dent in your savings account. Dublin is expensive, even by European standards. In addition to food and drinks, rent is skyrocketing. After all, Dublin is a vibrant, booming small city with a lot of demand, especially if you prefer living in the city center near all the action. The price of renting in Dublin is on the rise, and increasingly called a “crisis” where renters can count on €1,400 to rent an apartment and live alone, or around €600-€900 for a private room in a shared apartment.
Our largest non-EU cohort is from America, followed by India. International students tend to get integrated into the rest of the university pretty fast, there are loads of events for students to get to know each other and the campus. The Irish are kind and welcoming people who are always ready to help.
Campus + Housing
It’s impossible to discuss Trinity College Dublin’s prestigious campus without stepping into its history.
Once home to Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett, and Bram Stoker, TCD feels like an extension of Ireland’s literary and mythological past. It goes without saying that the rich history of the campus adds to the Trinity experience. Book nerds take notice: Trinity boasts one of the largest academic libraries in Europe, and its magnificent, Harry-Potter-fantasy long room is rimmed with tourists queuing out the door and around the block to glimpse the famous medieval manuscript, the Book of Kells.
The original 12th-century priory on this land, and even the buildings dating from Queen Elizabeth I’s charter for the college in the 16th century, do not remain. Instead, the stone buildings and (decorative?) canons around TCD’s central quad give way to a mix of original Georgian buildings and modern structures, like Berkeley Library where you’ll find most of the law, history, and psychology holdings.
While you will find many boxy, glass buildings, the historic vibe is what many students say distinguishes TCD, including its 18th-century campanile, Trinity’s iconic bell tower which calls students to dinner and exams.
I had roommates form all over the world! We were five, Chinese, American, French, Indian and me.
Living on Campus
Because international students are guaranteed housing, new students will likely find themselves in Trinity Halls, a 20-minute bus ride away from the central campus in the sleepy suburb of Dartry. The halls are structured like large, multi-bedroom apartments that share a kitchen. You can save on housing by opting for a double room or an older residence, but the doubles are few and far between. Most rooms are singles with their own bathrooms. The halls boast WiFi, staff, and 24-hour security.
Second-year residence hall students host events for first-year hall residents, so you can get involved and meet people without leaving your building. This will be useful because you may not be able to access campus housing after your first year. Gather some friends and look to the private market to rent a student house or your own private apartment. There are also two private student housing apartments.
Trinity’s societies date back to the 16th century, offering hundreds of chances for newcomers to find their tribes in clubs and societies. There’s campus radio, knitting, horse racing, and juggling. Sports societies welcome amateurs, so don’t be afraid to try new things, like Ireland’s national sport, hurling.
We are a student-led university and have a very active Student Union that pushes student agendas. For example, this year, they worked to implement period products in 10 washrooms across campus to increase accessibility amongst those who menstruate.
Academics and Ranking
Trinity College Dublin has two primary academic claims to fame.
One is its storied place in Irish higher education history. Trinity is ranked Ireland’s #1 school by US News, while the Times ranks it 8th in the world. A litany of famous alumni solidifies that argument. There is a 4-year program that splits student time between TCD and Columbia University, in New York City, suggesting the sister schools share their commitment to academic rigor.
The other oft-cited academic draw is that Trinity allows for more scholarly breadth than typical European schools while reading for one of many available 4-year undergraduate degrees. One of its most popular draws is the interdisciplinarity that comes with a Dual Subject Moderatorship (DSM) or Joint Honors pathway. The system lets you read (“study”) two subjects as you decide on the one that resonates with you most. Not all combinations are available.
Dual Programs and Other Unique Student Academic Opportunities
One version even allows students to read equally in two subjects, with what is basically a double major, plus open modules approved by your program as complementary. The complementary courses might dovetail very well with your major. For example, ancient art and archaeology students have the option of choosing many open modules in classics such as “Herodotus” and “Virgil Through Time.” But students can also choose approved open modules from subjects a little less relevant, like English (“Irish Writing”) or religion (“Ethics in Sport and in Media”).
The best part is the freedom involved.
This breadth can mean students stick to a perfect-for-me course path or strike out on their own, combining in order to graduate with a unique combination for their career aspirations. There are also Trinity electives that offer interdisciplinary students a chance to come together to discuss some cutting-edge research areas happening at the university. Recent offerings included classes on the cosmos, the patient journey of cancer patients, and the art of megacities. Trinity offers these unique experiences to prepare students for the ever-changing challenges that await them post-graduation.
It must be working. Trinity has been named Europe’s leading university in Ireland, and students told us its reputation across the continent was part of how Trinity helps students succeed in later life.
At Trinity, I’ll be studying law. I’ll essentially skip the whole major part. At UCLA and other American schools, I was accepted for psychology pre-law.
As far as grading, American over-achievers should beware. You’ll want to figure out the grading system (what does it mean to be graded “first” versus earning a “2-1” or “2-2”? All are “honours”). A word to the wise: though a 70 -100 is a “first” in many programs, you’ll find it tough, if not impossible, to achieve one. And finding they don’t have the top mark can throw many a high-achieving high school student into a tailspin.
Considering Trinity? Here’s how to Apply.
You won’t be able to apply to TCD using the Common App, so go to the third-party portal and apply for up to three Trinity programs. There is an SAT minimum requirement of 1290 on two of the three sections of the general exam with no score under 500 or an ACT over 29 (though some courses accept 28s). TCD expects to see an unweighted GPA of 3.3. Required courses differ by department. You’ll also submit two letters of recommendation, a CV (European-formatted resumé), and an essay about why you want to study at Trinity.
Apply October 1 – February 1 to get a decision by April, but applications do not close until July 31. There is rolling admission from May until the deadline, but students applying before February will be given the strongest consideration.
International students will have to pay a deposit to hold their spots, and first-year students will have to pay tuition upfront in their first year, while future years can be paid in installments.
There are Trinity scholarships as well as student loans. The scholarship program is large, and there are multiple awards for American students to support their tuition fees to the tune of €5,000 in their first year only. Almost all academic majors are eligible. There are also prestigious Foundation Scholarships available to continuing students who excel on the scholarship exams held annually.
Looking at Colleges in Britain and Ireland?
What’s Trinity College Dublin like? Trinity is one of many amazing colleges in Ireland. We had scads of students wanting to tell us all the good parts (and very few who had anything negative to say). Still not sure? First, look at the university basics that apply all over Ireland. Check out England if you haven’t decided between these two destinations.
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Jessica Share
Jessica is the writer, Ph.D., and mom-of-an-abroad-student-in-the-UK at the helm of College Abroad Guides. When she's not asking college students where the coolest place to hang out in their city is, she's figuring out how she can make $60 imported Greek oregano potato chips and £50 British bacon potato chips appear on her doorstep for the cost of a local bag of Lay's.
