University open days: when they take place and what makes each university unique

When is open day? UCC’s open day always takes place on the second Saturday in October. This year it was on Saturday, October 12th. For those who didn’t make it, the UCC website features a virtual tour of the campus along with further information about what the college has to offer. A live CAO Webinar is planned for 15 January 2025 from 4-5.30pm.
What makes us unique? UCC prioritises “work-integrated learning” to prepare students for a successful career. Students attending the university will study among 25,000 students from more than 100 countries.
Accommodation: UCC offers six campus accommodation options, ranging from €5,500 to more than €9,000 per academic year. There are also privately owned student apartment complexes close to the university, as well as house shares and digs.
Web: ucc.ie
When is open day? Upcoming open day takes place on November 9th, from 10am-4pm.
Registration details: ucdopenday.ie/register
What makes us unique? UCD boasts excellent facilities such as an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a theatre and cinema, has a range of societies to suit everyone, and is a “research-intensive” university.
Accommodation: There are several on-campus accommodation options, with priority given to first-years for places. There are also private rental, digs and house share options within walking distance or on bus routes close to the university.
What not to miss: More than 100 talks across the day, course overviews and insights from UCD’s leading academics, and tours running every hour. Performances from the UCD societies will take place at the lake throughout the day.
What’s new? A new undergraduate stream in sustainable systems engineering, providing students with skill sets on how to implement sustainability engineering across a range of sectors.
Web: ucd.ie
When is open day? Upcoming open day takes place on November 2nd, from 10am-5pm.
Registration details: tcd.ie/cao.
What makes us unique? The university’s city centre location, and access to almost 170 sports clubs and societies.
Accommodation: Trinity has rooms on campus and rooms in Trinity Halls, located in Dublin 6. These are reserved specifically for first-year students.
What not to miss: Free guided tours of the campus, talks on all courses and opportunities to learn about student supports. There is also a Trinity Open Day app (iPhone users can download it here; Anrdoid users here) which prospective students can download for detailed information about the plans for the day.
Web: tcd.ie
When is open day? Upcoming open days take place on October 17th and 18th, and January 18th.
Registration details: ul.ie/opendays
What makes us unique? UL has the most extensive work-placement programme in Europe, with students getting between six and nine months of paid work placement as part of their degree to stand out from the crowd when starting their careers.
Accommodation: University of Limerick has almost 3,000 accommodation places on campus. Incoming first-year students can apply via the accommodation office, which will work to accommodate them, particularly those travelling some distance. There are also approximately 3,000 off-campus spaces vetted by the university’s accommodation office in the local area. Prices range from €5,000 to €7,000 for the academic year.
What’s new? The university’s Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Science has two new programs: BA in Professional Pathways and BA in Global Politics. These courses will offer students pathways into employment in the public and private sectors, including communications, policy and consulting.
What not to miss: Academics have subject talks for every undergraduate programme offered within the university. There will also be talks on sports scholarships and a chance to meet some of the university’s clubs and societies.
Web: ul.ie
When is open day? Upcoming open days take place on Friday, November 22nd (9am-1pm) and Saturday, November 23rd (10am-2pm). Spring open day is on April 12th, 2025, and Summer open day on June 28th, 2025.
Registration details: mu.ie/opendays
What makes us unique? Situated in the heart of Ireland’s oldest university town, just 25km from Dublin city, the university is Ireland’s one of Ireland’s fastest growing universities. It is a hub of cutting-edge research, spanning the natural sciences, social sciences and more.
Accommodation: Currently 50 per cent of all campus accommodation is reserved for new first-year students. The average annual cost for a room in student residences on campus runs from between €5,500 to €7,000 depending on choice of room and facilities. Scéim Chónaithe rooms are reserved for Irish language speakers. Short-stay accommodation is also available on the South Campus.
What not to miss: Attend programme talks, delivered by world-leading academics who teach at Maynooth University. Chat with faculty and current students at departmental stands to ask detailed questions. Take guided tours to explore Maynooth’s campus, with tours led by students themselves.
Web: mu.ie
When is open day? The next open day takes place on March 22nd, 2025, from 9.00am to 3.00pm.
Registration details: universityofgalway.ie/opendays
What makes us unique? University of Galway is ranked in the top 2 per cent of universities globally. It has more than 60 internationally recognised undergraduate degrees to choose from, and 90 per cent of courses offer a work placement or study abroad opportunity. Tá beartas dátheangach ag Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus baintear úsáid rialta as an nGaeilge i ngnóthaí acadúla agus sóisialta.
Accommodation: Accommodation options can be viewed at campusaccommodation.ie. The university has frozen its rate for on-campus accommodation for half its beds for two years in a row to attempt to limit the cost.
What not to miss: Drama master classes for drama lovers, visits to the nursing and midwifery facilities, replicating a real courtroom experience at the School of Law, and tours of the other buildings.
Web: universityofgalway.ie
When is open day? Upcoming open days take place on November 15th and 16th, and April 5th, 2025.
Registration details: dcu.ie/studentrecruitment/Nov24OpenDay
What makes us unique? DCU puts an emphasis on the development of skills essential for success in the workplace, with its internship work placements providing students with crucial hands-on experience in their chosen fields. Another unique feature at DCU is its Care & Connect initiative. Its services promote students’ health and wellbeing and is the first of its kind in Ireland.
Accommodation: On-campus accommodation starts at €165 per week, and DCU’s StudentPad website provides a database of other rental accommodation close to the university.
What not to miss: Panel discussions with DCU alumni, about their time at the university and the career path they have chosen, as well as talks by academic staff and student-led tours.
What’s new? A new course, the BEd in Home Economics and Technology, which qualifies graduates to teach home economics and technology at post-primary schools. The university is also offering a direct pathway to the BSc in Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence while maintaining entry via the Biological Sciences General Entry route.
Web: dcu.ie
When is open day? The next open day takes place on January 10th, 2025, from 10am to 4pm.
Registration details: rcsi.com/dublin
What makes us unique? RCSI is one of only a few universities worldwide to focus exclusively on the health sciences. With its focus on clinical and patient-centred research, it is continually seeking out groundbreaking discoveries to address the health challenges of our time. It ranked first in the world for “good health and wellbeing”, according to the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2023.
Accommodation: Mercer Court Apartments are specifically for first-year students, as well as Scape Accommodation which is for students across all years.
What not to miss: Second-level students with an interest in studying medicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy, dentistry and advanced therapeutic technologies programmes at RCSI will have the opportunity to tour the campus and hear from current students, graduates and RCSI faculty.
Web: rcsi.com