UCD Global Excellence Scholarship
The UCD Global Excellence Scholarship is University College Dublin's flagship merit award for international undergraduate students — Ireland's largest university and consistently QS top 200. Awards are tiered: €2,000, €5,000, or €10,000 per year, applied across the standard duration of the Bachelor's. Selection is automatic during admission review — no separate application required. UCD has a strong English-taught Bachelor's catalogue across Business (Smurfit), Engineering & Architecture, Computer Science, Veterinary Medicine, Law, and Health Sciences. Strong fit for Sri Lankan A/L students with strong results (3As or 3 distinctions in relevant subjects) looking for an English-speaking EU undergraduate route with full post-study work rights.
Open for September 2027 entry — international undergraduate applications close 31 July 2027 (earlier for select programmes like Medicine and Veterinary). Dates follow the same annual pattern — confirm the current round before applying.
University College Dublin (UCD)
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Tiers
€2,000 / €5,000 / €10,000 per Year
Duration
3-4 Year Bachelor's
Selection
Automatic at Admission
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University College Dublin (UCD) — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
€2,000-€10,000 Tuition Reduction (Tiered). This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Non-EU/EEA Citizen
Reserved for non-EU/EEA international students paying the full international undergraduate tuition rate. Sri Lankan passport holders qualify automatically.
Admitted to a UCD Bachelor's
You must hold an admission offer to a full-time UCD Bachelor's programme. Most undergraduate programmes participate — exceptions and amounts vary slightly by college (Business, Engineering, Science, Arts & Humanities, Law, Veterinary Medicine, etc.).
Strong Secondary-School Academic Record
Selection ranks applicants on A/L (Cambridge / Edexcel / local) or equivalent secondary qualification grades. The tier of award depends on your grade profile — typically 3As/3 distinctions for the €10,000 tier; 2As/2 distinctions for the lower tiers.
English Proficiency
IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 (most programmes). Sri Lankan A/L students who took A/L English (or whose secondary education was English-medium) can typically request a waiver — confirm with UCD admissions.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to UCD
Submit your international undergraduate application via the UCD Online Application System. Include: A/L (or equivalent) results, English certificate, personal statement, and one reference. The application fee is €50 (waived for some applicants).
Automatic scholarship consideration
Every eligible international applicant is automatically considered for the Global Excellence Scholarship at the point of admission decision — no separate form. UCD's international office assesses your academic profile against the tier thresholds.
Offer letter includes scholarship
If awarded, your admission offer letter will explicitly state the scholarship tier (€2,000 / €5,000 / €10,000 per year). Awards are renewable annually contingent on maintaining good academic standing (typically a C+ average / equivalent).
Acceptance + visa
Accept the offer by paying the deposit. The scholarship is applied automatically to your tuition invoice each year. Apply for the Irish Stamp 2 student visa via VFS Ireland (operating from New Delhi for Sri Lankan applicants).
Why UCD?
UCD is Ireland's largest university with the country's most international student body — over 9,500 international students from 144 countries. The university has produced 4 Nobel Laureates and counts current Taoiseach (PM) and multiple presidents among alumni. UCD Smurfit Business School is Ireland's leading business school with a global QS top 100 ranking.
#168
QS World Ranking 2026
9,500+
International Students
2 yrs
EU Stay Back Work Visa (for Master's)
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat Ireland actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Ireland, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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