What Students Say
Likes
- The main attraction of the campus is its scenic beauty. The campus is known as Green campus, it is filled with trees, garde and the River Lee flows through the campus, giving us a peaceful and positive environment.
- UCC has a well structured library with a wide variety of books for all disciplines. Each floor is assigned to each field. And have large places for studying and separated spaces for group discussions. The studying area is again divided as red zone(no sounds allowed), green zone, providing a quiet and focused place to prepare for exams.
- In the case of academics, UCC has well established classrooms, computer labs and faculties with high professionals. Professors are so helpful, approachable and always willing to support whenever we need help or career advice.
Dislikes
- From my personal experience, I havent any issues with college that I would consider disliked. But some students are concerned with accommodation rents. On- campus accommodation is quite expensive.
- And all programs dont;t have internship options along with the course, so students have to find out on their own. But UCC conducts career fairs and also has a career site to support students to find jobs.
- Some courses in UCC are intensive. So they have to attend classes all 5 days in a week. And loaded with assignments, exam pressure. It may sometimes feel difficult to balance
Course Curriculum
10
- My course is a bit intense. It's a one-year course with two semesters and we have a project thesis after the second semester; then only we receive our master's degree. The curriculum is a mix of theoretical and practical learning with lectures, hands-on labs, assignments and exams. The course involves programming languages like Python and SQL, which are required for data analysis. I have classes all 5 days a week; they can be scheduled in the morning or evening.
- After the second semester, they will assign a professor and give us a project topic for our final thesis. It is a 3-4 month project and there will be a final presentation for the thesis. These formats can vary for different programmes; it's not the same case for all the courses. But in general, this is the usual pattern. The number of Indian students also varies from course to course. In my programme, there are only 6 students from India.
Admission Experience
- I got offer letters from University College Cork (UCC) and Dublin City University (DCU). I didn't receive any update for my application from University College Dublin (UCD). The main reason was that I applied late and they offered only a limited number of seats. So try to apply early with a strong CV and SOP that can increase your chances to receive an offer letter.
- One main reason is its ranking; it is one of the top-ranking universities in Ireland, making it a reputable choice for higher education. I opted for a masters in bioinformatics. The syllabus for this course is well structured. It covers a strong theoretical foundation in bioinformatics, genomics and computational biology. And we have exposure to hands-on learning for essential programming languages, which are required for data analysis and research in bioinformatics.
- UCC has a good faculty member; we are getting the right guidance and mentorship and have access to a wide range of research opportunities and industry connections. For admission, all processes are through their website. We have submitted all our academic certificates along with our CV and SOP. And there is an application fee to be paid. If you have a bachelor's and have a good academic score, then you are eligible for the application. If selected, you will receive an offer letter through mail. Once the offer letter is accepted, students have to pay deposit fees to secure seats. I cleared the IELTS exam with a score of 6.5. And not sure about other accepted exams. But over all, the application process was smooth and easy. Only thing you should be very careful while applying to avoid mistakes and try to apply before deadlines.
- I applied for the September intake. My course is offered only for this intake, which was the main factor that influenced my decision. Initially, I started with shortlisting the university and prepared for IELTS. When I cleared IELTS, I submitted my application in the month of March, and in 2-3 weeks I received my offer letter. It didn't take much time. Once we receive the offer letter, we have only 28 days to accept it. Within that, we should accept and pay the deposit to secure the seats. Then you submit your application for visa processing
Class Schedule
10
- The class size is small, with an average of 30 students. In the first semester I had 6 subjects and the same for the second semester. For each subject we have to submit assignments; sometimes there will be a midterm and then final exams. All of these marks are considered for the final evaluation. We should get 40% and above in order to get considered for a pass. If you fail in the exam, you have to rewrite it, and then only you are allowed to do your thesis.
Faculty
8
- The faculty-to-student ratio is very small, as it provides personalized attention and better interactions with professors. The teaching approach is a mix of practical and theoretical learning, making the course relevant.
- While UCC doesn't offer direct placements, faculty assist students through research collaborations, networking and connecting to industry professionals, sharing job opportunities. We have a career site where they post job vacancies.
Campus Life
10
- We have one main campus where most academic and admirative buildings are located. Other campuses are Brookfield Health Science for medicine, nursing and health science. Kane building for labs. Western gateway building for computer science and data science. Tyndall National Institute for Research Centre of Microelectronics.
- UCC has a well-established library. sports facilities with gym centers, swimming pools, courts for basketball, badminton, and tennis. Student Health Services offers medical check-ups, counseling, and mental health support. Multiple canteens, food courts, and cafés are on campus. And UC offers 50+ clubs and societies.
Part Time Jobs
- TA and RA positions are highly competitive. Typically, 10–20% of students secure these roles. pay range is between 13 and 20 euros per hour. There are other opportunities like library assistant, campus tour guide, student union assistant, sports and gym attendant. Maximum hours allowed per week is 20. but during summer and winter breaks we can work up to 40 hours per week. Since on-campus jobs are in high demand, it is difficult to secure. TA/RA positions require a good academic score and previous research experience. These jobs are posted on the website or we can directly approach professors.
- For off-campus part-time jobs, we have to apply through Indeed, Glassdoor. Also, you can drop your CV in retail shops. Many students work in McDonald's, KFC, Domino's, and various retail shops. The minimum pay starts at 13 per hour. Once you submit the application, if you are selected, they will call you for an interview. Be well prepared for that; try to know about the company or shop you have applied for. then they will ask for your availability. Getting off-campus part-time jobs is very easy.
Placement
6
- There are no direct placemats from UCC. But UCC conducts career fairs where top companies come and we can interact with them and inquire about details on how to apply for the jobs. Also, UCC has a career site where the job openings are posted. Most applications are done through the respective company website. Also, there are recruiting agencies; students also apply through them. Professors also help us to get connected with industry professionals.
- If you are applying for a research area, either you can directly approach a specific professor or through email. Try to get connected with alumni and professionals through LinkedIn to get referrals. The average salary range varies by field and level of experience. It can be around 30,000-50,000 euros per annum.
- Roles in IT, engineering, and pharma sectors get high payment. Most of our seniors shared positive feedback on placements. They all got placed in different companies. The major companies that come here for hiring are Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, and GSK.
Accommodation
Off Campus
6
- Finding accommodation in Ireland is a bit challenging due to high demand. On-campus accommodations are there but they're expensive. These accommodations are near the university. Most students prefer to stay in rented houses or as paying guests, as it is often more affordable than on-campus housing.
- Some students share apartments to reduce costs. Popular websites for househunting include Daft.ie (the most widely used) and Rent.ie. Many students find accommodation through WhatsApp groups where landlords or tenants post vacancies. But be cautious of fake listings asking for advance payments without viewing the property. Start early to find out accommodations, as its a time-consuming process.
Exams
- We should clear the IELTS exam. They accept scores from 6.5 and above. The documents required are: academic certificates, work experience certificates (if you have), CV, SOP and two LORs from your professors, proof of English proficiency, and passport. SOP should be original, well structured, and clearly mention your motivation and career aspiration. There was no interview process for admission. Purely based on marks, CV and SOP.
Fees
- For my course (Msc in Bioinformatics), total tuition fees are 23,000 euros. First, we have to pay 1000 euros as a deposit to secure our seats. This $1,000 is deducted from the total fees. The remaining amount can be paid in two installments.
- UCC charges fees yearly or semester-wise, depending upon the program. Estimated monthly expenses (euro) include: rent (550-750), utilities (50-100), groceries and food (200-300), and transportation (40-60).
Scholarship
- Yes, I received a scholarship. SEFS (Science, Engineering and Food Science) Merit Scholarship. It is open to all international students applying for masters within the SEFS department. It is awarded on a merit basis; there is no other application for this scholarship; eligible students are automatically evaluated for the scholarship. The awarded amount was 4700 euros and this amount got reduced from the tuition fees.
- Most of my batchmates received this scholarship. UCC provides strong support in cases of financial to academically strong canditates. Apart from this, UCC has other scholarships. All information about scholarship details is listed on the UCC website.
- Each scholarship has different criteria and eligibility conditions. You have to go through each and check which is applicable to you. The amount varies from programs that you have opted for, but it can range from 2000 to 5000, or may be above that.
