Business is one of the most popular fields at University College Dublin. Undergraduate business degrees are run through the Quinn School of Business on UCD's Belfield campus, a large, campus-style setting a few kilometres from Dublin's city centre. For international students, the appeal is a broad business education in a major European business hub, access to employers in finance, consulting and multinational services, and the Stamp 1G post-study work pathway for graduates.
This guide covers the undergraduate business route, including the Bachelor of Commerce (BComm). It looks at what is known about selectivity (and what UCD does not publish), what the programme costs, the admission requirements, the English tests UCD accepts, and how Stamp 1G works after graduation.
Acceptance Rate
UCD does not publish an acceptance rate for its undergraduate business programmes, and the official UCD pages we could access do not give one. Third-party sources do not provide a verified figure either, so this guide does not quote a percentage.
What is clear from UCD's international guidance is the process: non-EU applicants apply directly to UCD, with applications opening on 1 October for entry the following September. Business programmes are competitive, and places are limited. Your academic record against the programme's entry standard is what matters most, so build your application around those requirements rather than around a headline statistic.
Tuition and Cost of Attendance
UCD publishes official non-EU fees on its fees pages, which were not readable during this review. The figures below are third-party estimates for 2026/27 and vary by source, so confirm the exact fee for the BComm or your chosen business programme on UCD's official page before you budget.
| Cost item | Estimate (third-party, 2026/27) |
|---|---|
| Non-EU tuition, Business and Law (one source) | About €22,000 to €32,000 per year |
| Non-EU undergraduate tuition, general range (another source) | About €21,000 to €29,000 per year |
| Living costs in Dublin (shared accommodation) | About €1,330 to €2,090 per month, or roughly €16,000 to €25,000 per year |
The two tuition ranges come from different third-party sources and do not fully agree, which is why the official UCD fees page should be your reference point. The living cost range comes from a 2026 study-abroad agency guide and covers rent, food, transport, utilities and personal spending. Accommodation is the biggest cost.
For a Stamp 2 student visa, Irish immigration guidance expects you to show access to at least €10,000 per year for living costs, in addition to tuition. This is a third-party summary and should be checked against official INIS guidance.
Mandatory charges beyond tuition may also apply. These were not verified against UCD's official pages in this review, so check the full list before you commit.
Admission Requirements
For international (non-EU) undergraduate applicants to the Quinn School, the sources we reviewed indicate:
- Completed secondary education with transcripts that meet the programme's entry standard. One third-party source cites an 80 percent average for the BComm International route for 2026 entry from Indian applicants, but this could not be confirmed on a UCD page and will differ by country
- English language proficiency (see the English section below)
- The application fee, reported by UCD's international guidance as €70 for most application types
- Programme-specific requirements, which should be checked on the current BComm course page, since they vary by intake and by country
UCD's international pages direct applicants to check country-specific entry guidance and the Registry's list of recognised English tests. Requirements change between intakes, so confirm them before you apply.
Deadlines and timing: applications open on 1 October for entry the following September. UCD advises international applicants who need a visa to apply before 1 July.
How to Get Into UCD's Business Programme
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Check the entry standard for your country. Requirements for international applicants depend on your secondary qualification, so confirm the exact standard for your country on UCD's international pages before you put time into the rest of the application.
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Apply before 1 July if you need a visa. This gives you time to arrange documents, English test results and visa paperwork.
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Give yourself a margin on English. Aim above the stated minimum, so that a delayed result or a poor day does not put your place at risk.
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Show a clear reason for choosing business. Mention a specific interest, such as a school enterprise project, a part-time role, a club or an area like finance or marketing. Concrete examples are more persuasive than general statements.
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Prepare transcripts and certified translations early. Missing or uncertified documents are a common cause of delays.
IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Duolingo Requirements
UCD's international guidance refers applicants to the recognised English tests on the Registry website. The minimums reported by third-party guides for UCD's undergraduate programmes are:
| Test | Reported minimum |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall, with no band below 6.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 90 |
| PTE Academic | 63 |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 |
These figures were not confirmed on an official UCD page in this review, so check the current Registry requirement before you book a test. Confirm the exact requirement for your business programme, as thresholds can differ between courses.
For UCD's wider English and admissions picture, see our University College Dublin guide.
Career Outcomes and Stamp 1G Relevance
UCD does not publish graduate employment or salary figures specific to undergraduate business that we could verify, so this guide does not quote a percentage or a salary. The Higher Education Authority's Graduate Outcomes survey is the official national source for graduate outcomes in Ireland and reports by institution and by field. Check it for current UCD business results before you decide.
The main post-study route is Ireland's Stamp 1G, the Third Level Graduate Scheme. Bachelor's graduates can stay for up to 12 months of full-time work rights after graduation, with no employer sponsorship needed. The application fee is €300, you must apply within six months of the university notifying you that your programme is complete, and you must be physically in Ireland when you apply. Private health insurance bought in Ireland is required.
So for a UCD bachelor's business graduate, the realistic Stamp 1G window is 12 months, not two years. For the full rules, see our Ireland Stamp 1G guide.
FAQ
Does UCD publish an acceptance rate for undergraduate business? No, not in the official sources reviewed for this guide. Third-party figures could not be verified, so no percentage is quoted here.
How much does UCD business cost for international students? Third-party estimates for non-EU business and law tuition range from about €21,000 to €32,000 per year, depending on the source. Living costs in Dublin are estimated at around €16,000 to €25,000 per year. Confirm the exact fee on UCD's official fees page.
What IELTS score do I need for UCD business? The reported standard is IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0. Confirm it on UCD's Registry page before you book.
Can I use TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo instead? Third-party guides list TOEFL iBT 90, PTE Academic 63 and Duolingo 120 as accepted alternatives. Confirm these with UCD before relying on them.
Do I apply through the CAO? No. International (non-EU) applicants apply directly to UCD.
Can I work in Ireland after a UCD business degree? Yes. Bachelor's graduates can apply for Stamp 1G, which allows up to 12 months of full-time work rights after graduation.