- The proportion of staff holding academic or research positions (%) 57.7
- The proportion of academic staff with doctorate qualifications (%) 78.6
- Percentage of research staff aligned with research career structure (%) 99.7
- 4 Colleges
- 28 Schools
- 139 Departments
University College Cork
About
A leading university for teaching excellence and research. Ranked in the Top 1.1% of Universities worldwide* and #1 in Europe for IMPACT*. Safe, friendly and the only native English speaking country in the EU. 2 years 'stay back' work visa for non-EU students and amazing work placement opportunities for all!
Introduction
Study destination Ireland - safe, friendly and the only native English-speaking country in the EU.
University College Cork (UCC), located on the south coast of Ireland, is set on 42 acres of picturesque wooded grounds and is only a 10-minute walk from the vibrant Cork City centre.
UCC has over 22,000 students from over 100 countries. With almost 4,000 students and one-third of our staff from overseas, UCC is a true place of international learning.
Ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide, it was voted Sunday Times University of the Year three times in the last decade, and 8th in the world in the prestigious IMPACT. We were also the first university in the world to be awarded the Green Flag for Environmental Friendliness and we take sustainability very seriously here!
When it comes to our students’ careers, we are different from UCC with a ranking of 100th in the world by recruiters for employability of our graduates. UCC leads the sector in Ireland on Graduate Employability. Over 90% of all our graduates are in employment or further study within nine months of graduating. UCC’s Career Services will enable you to accelerate and advance your careers through UCC’s commitment to championing employability. 2 years 'stay back' work visa for non-EU students and amazing work placement opportunities for all!
University College Cork offers an unparalleled breadth and quality of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across all major disciplines. There are over 100 undergraduate degrees and over 200 postgraduate courses to choose from across our 4 colleges:
- College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences
- College of Business and Law
- College of Science, Engineering & Food Science
- College of Medicine & Health
When you start at UCC, you will begin your third-level education journey at one of the leading Irish universities, you will belong to a vibrant community and we will help you to become the person and professional you want to be #BeginBelongBecome.
Our undergraduate courses are at the bachelor honours level, with some having an integrated master’s option.
Our postgraduate community is built on a foundation of academic excellence. UCC is an environment where you will form enduring professional and personal friendships that will be integral to your intellectual development and your future career. Our postgraduate courses include taught master’s degrees and master’s by research, structured PhD programmes & professional doctorates. Our courses are offered on a full-time or part-time basis. We are proud to have one of the highest postgraduate employment rates in Ireland with 95% of UCC graduates entering into employment after their studies.
Research
Did you know that UCC is also one of the leading research universities in Ireland? In fact, we rank #1 in Ireland for research income from industry sources. We have over 70 Research Centres and Institutes, and we have received nine European Research Council (ERC) awards to date! As an internationally competitive, globally focussed, research-led institution. UCC prioritizes research in areas that are significant at the highest international levels. These include, UCC’s research in food and health, photonics, and perinatal medicine is recognized as world-leading. Several of Ireland’s top research centres are based in UCC: Tyndall National Institute (microsystems, photonics, nanotechnology) and the APC Microbiome Institute (alimentary health, functional foods), both recognized as global leaders. The Environmental Research Institute conducts research on climate action, a sustainable society, and the circular economy.
Here at UCC, we will empower and enable you to observe and question, to discern and reflect, to analyze and act, to enhance your potential, and advance your ambition! You will have your own individual goals, dreams, and hopes for your future and we will be here to help you to achieve them.
Discover UCC – Our Home, Your Home!
Gallery
Rankings
In 2020, University College Cork celebrated 10 years since becoming the first University in the world to be awarded a Green Flag from the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Green Campus involves a seven-step programme and a cycle of continual improvement. Campuses are fully reassessed, by a panel of external experts, every 3 years. UCC has successfully renewed its Green Flag 4 times.
- First University in the World to receive a Green Flag.
- Ranked 9th globally in the UI Green Metric World University Ranking of Sustainable Universities.
- Ranked 1st in Europe for SDGs 2 and 14.
- Ranked 32nd in the World for impact across UN’s SDGs.
- First University Worldwide to achieve ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard.
- 12 Beehives & 700,000+ honeybee pollinators based in our North Mall Campus.
University College Cork is a multi-award-winning institution with a history of independent thinking and we celebrated our 175th anniversary in December 2020.
- Voted Sunday Times' Irish University of the Year for a record-breaking 5 times and 10 UCC Researchers are ranked in the Top 1% of their fields.
- Ranked in the Top 2% of Universities in the world and proud to be a University of Sanctuary.
- Over 90% of our students are in employment/further study and 90% of our programmes have work placement opportunities.
- World’s First Green Campus and in the Top 10 Universities worldwide for Sustainability.
- Over 200,000 alumni worldwide with 5 chapters across 3 countries.
Statistics
Campus Features
UCC's vibrant and open campus has plenty to offer students. We have a total of 57 Clubs and 110 Societies offering more than 4,000 events annually. There is something for everyone at UCC!
UCC boasts a state-of-the-art sporting facility, the Mardyke Arena, and sport plays an important role in connecting students and engaging with the wider community. Our students and alumni won several medals in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, you will be in great company here!
The new Hub at UCC creates an innovative and inclusive social dynamic at the centre of the campus which facilitates learning communities, networking, student interaction, internationalization, and student-friendly service provision.
Student & City Life
Voted the Best Student Experience in 2020 and again in 2021, international students can immerse themselves in the rich social and cultural experience at UCC. Cork offers students all the advantages of a bustling, vibrant and cosmopolitan city while retaining a small-town familiarity, and UCC students can navigate the city on foot with ease. The city and university work well together in providing students with a rich academic and extracurricular experience. Cork is known as the Food Capital of Ireland. The “Lonely Planet” summed it up nicely when they wrote that “Everything good about Ireland can be found in County Cork”. The city is also located along with the world-famous ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ whilst its airport is a true gateway to Europe.
Accommodation
Voted the greenest and also safest campus in Ireland and one of safest in the world. There are five purpose-built student apartment complexes run by UCC Campus Accommodation, all situated within walking distance of the main campus.
Green Campus
Green Campus was the brainchild of our very own Environmental Society (EnviroSoc) Students who, 15 years ago, expressed concern over environmental management practices on campus. The chairperson of that society now serves as co-chair of our Green Campus Committee (GCC). The Deputy President of our Students’ Union is the other co-chair. The GCC is student-led and is strongly supported by the UCC Societies Guild and Clubs Executive. Key members of staff with responsibility for university operations also sit on the Green Campus Committee. The Committee meets fortnightly and is the primary avenue for student participation in university management for sustainability. The GCC feeds into biannual meetings of the Green Forum which is chaired by our Interim University President, Prof. John O’Halloran, and our Director of Buildings and Estates, Mark Poland. The Green Forum takes its membership from across all functions within the University, including colleagues from Buildings and Estates, Procurement, Service Providers, Teaching & Learning, Research, and Student Leaders. The forum ensures continuity and strategic oversight throughout the academic cycle.
UCC consistently performs very highly in international sustainability rankings (UI Green Metric, THE Impact Ranking) and was the first university outside of North America to be awarded a Gold Star from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. We are a member of the EAUC, Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Higher Education, and are signatories of the SDG Accord, higher education’s collective response to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.