The Top 4 Best Colleges and Universities in Cork

So you’re thinking about heading to Cork to study, but still don’t know too much about the options when it comes to colleges and universities in Cork?

Well, the good news is that there’s a variety of places to study in Cork that serve various educational purposes.

Let’s take a look at the top 4 best colleges and universities in Cork and see which one takes your fancy…

University College Cork

The University College Cork (UCC) has a fantastic reputation for being Ireland's leading Research Institute and is quite simply not only one of the best universities in Cork, but the cream of the crop.

The UCC is a fantastic choice for any student considering Cork, as it enjoys a certain prestige for its rich tradition of teaching, research and scholarship. It’s a long-established university with distinguished history and has built up a great reputation for the quality of its academic programmes.

Its degrees, conferred by the National University of Ireland, are internationally recognised and at UCC there are four colleges which deliver 70 undergraduate degree programmes. The four campuses focus on:

• Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences
• Business and Law
• Medicine and Health
• Science, Engineering and Food Science

There are also a range of postgraduate programmes, which benefit from teaching by some of the highest peer-reviewed research and making Ireland’s premier research university.

The campus at UCC is beautiful, and is so well looked after that UCC became the first university in the world to be awarded the international Green Flag for environmental friendliness. So just by studying at UCC, you’re doing your bit to keep the emerald isle green.

On top of that, at UCC, there’s an amazing support system which means that you’ll never be left high and dry when it comes to some of the more difficult moments in your uni life.

There’s also an endless list of programmes to get stuck into, not to mention countless clubs and societies.

There are 19,000 students at UCC, and its international reputation attracts 3,000 students from over 100 countries throughout the world, so you’re bound to discover other cultures and make friends with people from other countries too. If you’re an international student, then you can take advantage of the International Education Office (IEO), which provides information on every aspect of the UCC experience, including programmes of study, application, pre-departure information and immigration procedures, registration, and orientation.

Cork Institute of Technology

The Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) forms part of the Munster Technological University, and offers courses in Engineering, Science, Computing, Humanities, Media, Art, and Music.

Here you can study around 73 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as PhD courses. There’s also a ‘ladder’ structure in place here to help you to progress through different stages and levels of qualification.

MTU may be a relatively new institution, but it has already built up a sterling reputation throughout Ireland, and its Cork campus is no exception. Here you’ll find fantastic facilities and friendly, knowledgeable staff.

This university has a solid track record of excellence in research, knowledge transfer, innovation, scholarly activity and engagement that have measurable impact. It’s a student-led research institution, with a strong focus on collaboration and partnerships linked to issues of global relevance.

That’s why if you study at the CTI you’ll graduate with all you need to enter into full time employment in the industry of your choice.

Crawford College of Art and Design

Also forming part of the Munster Technological University, the Crawford College of Art and Design is the place for you if you’re looking for a vibrant learning environment surrounded by Ireland’s top artists, curators, designers, media practitioners, art therapists and art educators.

There are three departments here -  Fine Art and Applied Art; Media Communications and Arts in Health & Education. They offer courses in arts practice, to graphic design, digital media design & production, to art education, art therapy, photography, e-learning, journalism and PR.

Upon graduation from Crawford, you’ll have developed and honed your skills in creative and cultural industries, and be ready to enter into employment in a wide variety of jobs and sectors.

The focus at Crawford is on critical thinking, as a means to boost your employability, as well as teamwork, communication, and problem solving - all transferable skills highly valued by employers.

St John’s Central College - Cork College of Further Education and Training

St John’s focuses on Further Education and Training, so if you’re looking to gain vocational qualifications or start on a completely new path, it’s the place for you.

The college works closely with businesses in order to take advantage of opportunities in the labour market.

You can study courses as diverse as Media Technology, Construction and Engineering, or an apprenticeship in Hairdressing.

At the Douglas Street campus, you can develop your skills and learn new trades before going on to full time employment or to higher education.

Whatever course, university or college you end up choosing, you’re guaranteed to have the time of your life when you stay at our Yugo student accommodation in Cork. Get in touch today to find out more!