University College Cork

Application Process

After acceptance to the Illinois study abroad program in Ireland at University College Cork, you will need to submit a university application with the University College Cork as an exchange or incoming study abroad student. You may access the application form here. Please email mb.murphy@ucc.ie should you experience any issues with your application.

To apply successfully, you will need to include the following supporting documents:

1. Academic Transcript

2. Copy of Passport/State ID/Government ID

3. English Language Test Scores (IELTS or TOEFL iBT) - If you are from a non-English Speaking Country, you must submit one of the following:

   • IELTS Test Score: 6.0 (with no individual score lower than a 5.5)

   • TOEFL iBT: 79-80

For more information, view the Visiting Student Approval Form

The minimum GPA required is normally 3.0 or above. However, applications between 2.8 and 3.0 will be considered in exceptional circumstances. Thus, if a student who wishes to study History at UCC has good grades in history or a related topic but an overall GPA of less than 3.0 because of lower grades in an unrelated subject, their application will be treated sympathetically. UCC regrets that applications with a GPA of less than 2.8 cannot be accepted.

Confirmation of Acceptance

Once your application has been approved you will receive a letter confirming your acceptance at University College Cork. You must bring a printed version of your letter of acceptance with you when you enter Ireland to begin your studies. If, for some reason, you are unable to accept your place at UCC please inform the International Office as soon as possible.

Program Dates

• • Spring Semester 2021: January 25- May 7, 2021 (CANCELLED)

  • Summer 2021: July 1, 2021-July 26, 2021 (tentatively)

  • Fall Semester 2021: September 6, 2021-December 17, 2021

  • Academic Year 2021-22: September 6, 2021- May 6, 2022

Arrival Transportation

Specific arrival information details, including where to go for your airport pick-up on the scheduled days will come from UCC. Therefore, do not book your airline tickets until first verifying the expected arrival and departure dates with them.

Most likely, you will fly into Shannon, Dublin, or London Airport then catch a connecting flight to Cork Airport (there are no direct flights from US/Canada/Asia/Australia to Cork). These and other European airports have frequent direct connections with Cork.

• • Cork Airport is 6 km (4 miles) from the city center. Bus Eireann is one of the only bus companies that provide travel to and from Cork Airport directly into Cork’s city center. You may also take a taxi from the airport to the city center for €20-€25, depending on traffic.

  • Regular bus services connect Shannon Airport and Limerick, from where you may take a 2-hour bus or train to Cork.

  • From Dublin, there are frequent connections by train (from Heuston Station: there is a direct bus from Dublin Airport as well as regular city services) or bus (Busáras, the central bus station, also connected with the airport by bus).

  • There are two direct bus services operated by Aircoach and GoBe direct to Cork from the Arrivals Terminal in Dublin Airport.

For information on bus and train connections please consult the following websites:

• • Bus Eireann

  • Irish Rail

  • Air Coach

  • Go Be

Passports and Immigration Control

At the port of entry into Ireland, all students must pass through passport and immigration control. To receive official permission to enter Ireland you will need the following documents:

• • Your valid passport

  • Your original UCC acceptance letter, and planned housing arrangement

  • Proof of financial coverage for your entire stay in Ireland

Visas and Immigration

For information on visa and immigration please click on the following link: Visa and Immigration

Irish Bank Account

Please click on Opening an Irish Bank Account

Orientation

The orientation for Spring Semester 2021 is Thursday, January 7th through Friday, January 8, 20th orientation for students entering in the Fall of 2021 is the first week of September, Wednesday-Friday. For information on orientation and registration please click on the following link: Orientation and Registration

Visiting Non-EU Students Information Guide

Study Abroad Information guide 2016/2017

Housing Application Process

Register with UCC StudentPad and contact UCC Office of Accommodation & Community Life for further information or details on housing options for international students attending UCC. StudentPad is a student accommodation search engine. Once registered on StudentPad, you can view and book available student houses, apartments, and lodgings in Cork.

University-owned campus housing is not guaranteed for all students. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, the semester before they plan to secure housing in order to be included in the housing lottery system. Other housing options include off-campus university owned apartments, off-campus private residences, and homestay options with local families. Here is a great resource for securing housing, provided by the students union advice team. You may also visit here for more detailed information.

Please follow instructions carefully for registering on the portal and completing your application. Pay special attention to your emails from UCC, which will contain necessary information for your housing application process.

Rooms will be offered to successful applicants by email in the first round of the lottery. Successful applicants must officially accept their room offer within the specified time and pay the Booking Deposit of €300 to confirm. Once the initial room offers have been made by computer-generated software, all remaining applicants are placed on a Waiting List.

Expectations

At the core of the UCC Campus Accommodation housing experience is a powerful sense of community. Every location offers its own rich social network, lifestyle, and perspective. To view the location of the five UCC Apartment Complexes (Victoria Lodge, Victoria Mills, Castlewhite Apartments, Mardyke Hall, and University Hall) click the link: UCC Campus Accommodation Map.

Housing Options

• • University Hall is managed by UCC for full-time UCC Students and is specifically designed for student life; located just 10 minutes’ walk from the University. Each apartment has double bed study bedrooms (single occupancy only) and a spacious kitchen/living room. All bedrooms have a shower room/WC, with one bedroom in each apartment having the shower room adjacent to the bedroom, this is strictly for the sole use of the resident of this room. Click here for Virtual Tour of University Hall.

  • Victoria Lodge is owned and managed by Campus Accommodation (UCC) for full-time UCC Students. It is specifically designed for student life and is located only 10 minutes’ walk from the main University campus. Each apartment is fully equipped with contemporary kitchen/living room and single study bedrooms. One bedroom in each apartment does not have an en-suite-however the non-en suite shower-room/WC is strictly for the sole use of the resident of this bedroom. Click here for the Victoria Lodge Virtual Tour.

  • Victoria Mills is managed by Campus Accommodation UCC for full-time UCC Students and comprises 90 apartments in total with on-site Reception and Residential Assistants, underground private parking (subject to availability), and a convenience store located on the complex. Apartments are specifically designed for student life and are located approximately five minutes’ walk from UCC main campus. Each apartment is equipped with single en-suite study/bedrooms and a spacious well-appointed kitchen/living room. Accommodation is available for 1st Year to post graduate level students; with a designated postgraduate block. Click here for Victoria Mills Virtual Tour.

  • UCC Castlewhite Apartments were built in 1991 and refurbished to a high standard in 2007 and 2009. Castlewhite is conveniently located adjacent to University College Cork main campus and comprises 63 apartments; in total the complex accommodates 298 students. Please note that there are no en-suite bedrooms at Castlewhite, each bedroom is equipped with a 4ft bed, study desk, ample storage space, and wash-hand basin. Click here for the Castlewhite Virtual Tour.

  • UCC Mardyke Hall is owned and managed by Campus Accommodation (UCC) for full-time UCC Students. It is specifically designed for student life and is located only 5 minutes’ walk from the main University campus and five minutes walk to Cork city center. Each apartment is fully equipped with a kitchen/living room and single study bedrooms. One bedroom in each apartment is en-suite; all remaining bedrooms are not en-suite. UCC Mardyke Hall comprises 14 apartments, ranging in size from 2 bedrooms to 4 bedrooms, with 48 bedrooms in total. Mardyke Hall apartments are located in a charming courtyard minutes walk from UCC main campus and Cork city center.

Students who wish to live in Green Campus, Alcohol Free/Substance Aware and Quiet Housing at UCC Campus Accommodation are required to agree to the terms and conditions in advance of taking up residence.

UCC is ranked 9th globally in the UI Green Metric World University Ranking of sustainable universities and was the first higher education institution in the world to achieve ISO 50001 certification for energy management. In 2018, UCC 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

UCC Campus Accommodation is delighted to introduce Green Living Accommodation options for students at all locations-Castlewhite, Mardyke Hall, Victoria Mills, University Hall and Victoria Lodge. You may apply for Green Living Accommodation by choosing this option in your Application and Booking. The principles of Green Living at Campus Accommodation include an active awareness of the consumption of water and energy, ensuring recycling and waste disposal is efficient, and encouraging your fellow students to take part in ongoing initiatives. Please find details of UCC Green Campus here https://greencampus.ucc.ie/about/

Green Campus involves a seven-step program and a cycle of continual improvements across themes such as energy, waste, water, biodiversity and transport. You can read about specific actions undertaken in UCC, under these themes, in the pages of the website.

Online Enrollment

Accepted Fall/Full Year students will receive emailed instructions in mid-August. Accepted Spring students will receive emailed instructions in mid-November. Online enrollment must be completed in order to select your courses.

Module/Course Selection and Confirmation

Accepted students will receive instructions for course selection in mid-August for the Fall Semester and mid-November for Spring Semester. Since students can choose courses across majors and year levels, it is possible that exam schedules may conflict. If this issue occurs, alternative arrangements can be made through the UCC International Office. Please contact Karen McSweeney, International Office: k.mcsweeney@ucc.ie

Grading Scale

The marking scale used in UCC ranges from 0-100%. The following marking system is used:

1H - First Class Honours: > 70%

2H1 - Second Class Hons, Grade 1: 60% - 69%

2H2 - Second Class Hons, grade 2: 50% - 59%

3H - Third Class Honours: 45% - 49%

Pass: > 40% - 44%

Final Exam Results for the Fall Semester will be available to view online (My Student Admin) in February. Results for the Full Academic Year and Spring Semester will be available to view online (My Student Admin) at the end of June.

*Please note examination results will be available on the student portal prior to release of transcripts. Please contact Karen McSweeney, Email: k.mcsweeney@ucc.ie with any concerns.

Transcripts

For students who study only during Fall semester, transcripts will be issued in late February. For students who study abroad during the Spring semester or for the full academic year, transcripts will be issued in early July. Transcripts will be sent to Illinois automatically after the end of the program. However, the time for receipt and processing can take a few months. Be patient. You can track when your transcript is received by the Office of the Registrar when the digital copy is uploaded into your My Study Abroad documents.

Academic Culture

In some respects, the Irish system is different from the United States system. In general, greater reliance is placed here on the formal lecture rather than the seminar-based approach. Only certain elective courses with very small numbers may function as seminars and in some departments, lectures are supplemented by practical, tutorial and language laboratory sessions as appropriate. The difference in systems tends to increase the amount of private study required to pass a course, compared to what might be required on an American campus.

The academic year at UCC is divided into two semesters, Semester 1 and Semester 2, which are equivalent to the Fall and Spring Semesters, respectively. Courses are called modules in Ireland and schedules are called timetables.

The size of a module is indicated by its credit weight. The number of credits allocated to each module will vary depending on the fraction of work it accounts for. A module may equal 5, 10, 15 or 20 credits. A standard 5 credit module offered in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, could, for example, consist of 24 lecture hours, plus associated tutorials, essays and reading, although in certain subjects the lecture load may be greater than 24 hours. UCC students take module/course loads of 60 credits per academic year and no more than 35 credits in any one semester.

It is important to note that these credit weights are not equivalent to the credits awarded by an American institution. In general, a 5 credit UCC module will be awarded either 2.5 or 3 credits in the American academic system.

As a broad rule of thumb, a student going to Ireland for a full academic year may expect to take 60 UCC credits; this amount should be 30 for each semester. For advice on changes in module choices, course loads etc., consult the UCC International Office. They can assist students in putting together an appropriate package of modules or course plan.

Please keep in mind that it is not always possible to guarantee admission to particular modules, have a back up plan. Modules get filled quickly during registration time.

Visiting students usually wish to be placed in tutorials at UCC which present the opportunity to address the material under discussion in a more informal and detailed way than in the larger lecture group. Generally, places in tutorials are offered on the same basis as for local students. Advocate for yourself, if you wish to be placed in tutorials. Contact the International Office or speak with your professors for assistance with being placed.

Student Info Hub

Moving to a new university, new city, and new country is exciting, but not without challenges. Student Support Information is designed to give you as much assistance as possible before you arrive in Ireland, after you arrive at UCC and when living in Cork. You may also view this Study Abroad Information guide 2016/2017 for more details.

UCC is also known for having a very strong sports culture. Many sports teams, equipment, and facilities are available for students, including you! The campus is also home to over 140 different student organizations/societies, an art gallery, and a state of the art health and leisure center.

Welcome Program

The Welcome Program is organized by the International Office for newly arrived international students. It is specifically designed to help them with their initial adjustment to living in Cork and studying at UCC. The program is full of events and activities providing a great opportunity to make new friends and to familiarize you with UCC and Cork. The range of activities includes a tour of the UCC campus, a practical walking tour of Cork city, cinema, day trips, a table quiz as well as Irish music and Irish dancing. Participation is free of charge. However, there are a limited number of places for some events and they book up quickly.

Student Union

The Student Union common room is located behind the O’Rahilly Building and is attached to the Students’ Union building. Every student can avail of the services provided in the Common Room. It is a great place for all students to go and chat, have lunch, and just generally relax.

The Common Room is a large open plan area with sofas, 4 large screen TVs with SKY+ and PS3s, a pool table, and a kitchen with tea/coffee making facilities and a microwave. All students are invited to the daily lunchtime showing if the cult show Home and Away, and if that isn’t your thing, you can go to another part of the room and grab a board game to pass some time with friends.

The Common Room is renowned for its lunchtime gatherings and all kinds of activities and social events.

Student Center: Áras na Mac Léinn, The Student Centre at University College Cork is at the heart of the campus. Áras na Mac Léinn provides numerous facilities to the staff, students, and visitors to UCC.

• The Information Desk, located on the ground floor is your first port of call for information about the student centre, UCC campus, and general queries.

• Devere Hall, or the Multifunctional Hall as it is also known, can be hired for specific functions or accessed regularly by students as an informal common room. Meeting rooms, computer labs, and the pool room can all be found on the upper levels while UCC’s Radio Station, UCC 98.3FM, is also located on the second floor of the building. Located on the ground floor, is a First Aid room.

• There are a number of retail and dining facilities available in the Student Centre.

• Visit An Stad for stationery, newspapers, and other UCC branded goods such as hoodies, t-shirts and other gift items.

• An Siopa is the place to go for quick snacks such as ice cream, crisps or packed sandwiches.

• It also has two Cafés – Cafés Oasis and Upstairs; Cafés Oasis serves hot and cold food and upstairs serves gourmet sandwiches, wraps, baguettes, and panini with a wide range of fillings.

• Club Áras, or the New Bar as it is sometimes known, serves a full carvery during the week as well as hot breakfasts and evening suppers.

• John Smiths & Sons is the on-campus book shop while banking services are provided by Bank of Ireland.

For more information, please view the resources below:

• • Library Services

  • Visiting Student Guide

  • Student Travel Card

  • Student Union

  • Student Services

  • Student Vlogs

  • Disability Support

• UCC has a housing service that will connect you with a student accommodation company. I'd recommend taking what they offer you, it's very hard to find housing on your own.

• Having most of my classes only once a week was nice as it allowed me to schedule my course readings over the whole week. Grading was interesting in the sense that for some of my classes the only grade I ever received was my final grade. All of my classes were based around one or two assignments accompanied by an exam. All of my exams were essay style. Once I got over the accent and learned some Irish slang, I had no issue with language.

• I spent more on my housing than was predicted (out of choice, not necessity) and less on school materials than I predicted. I lived in a new row house with five other international students. The house was finished to US standards and everyone had their own bedroom with en suite. This did come at the cost of about a thousand dollars a month which was steep compared to my Champaign rent, but Cork has a housing shortage so you get what you pay for.

• I was able to join UCC's choir for the semester and compete with them around Europe.

• The UCC library is a great place to study and get work done in. Their gym is nice and located close to the campus. Our orientation was brief, but the international student society had several events in our first couple weeks that helped us at least get to know other internationals.