Applications

Candidates entering the University are required to make a special application to the UCD Ad Astra Academy to be considered for the award of these scholarships. This includes the following criteria:

• To be eligible to apply to the scholarship, candidates must have received:
  
  • 6 x H1s in the first sitting of the Leaving Certificate.
  • In the case of the GCE Advanced (A-Level), applicants must present with four Grade A* at A level in the first sitting.
  • In the case of the International Baccalaureate or other EU qualifications, applicants must contact UCD Admissions for their advice on equivalency scores. 
• All state examinations must have been completed in Ireland.
• Candidates must complete an online application form before the 18th August 2025 at 23:59. 
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted via their UCD Connect email account.
• Any student shortlisted must be able to attend interview on the dates given (after CAO offers are released).

You will be required to provide evidence of the achievements outlined in your application by uploading relevant support documents.

Applications will open on 1st February. Following the release of the CAO offers, shortlisted candidates will be contacted via their UCD Connect email account and invited for interview. If a prospective student meets the academic criteria but has not submitted an application they will not be considered for a scholarship. If a candidate is not available to attend an interview, they will be ineligible to qualify.

The scholarship must be taken up in the year of offer. You can request a deferral of your CAO offer via Admissions and reapply for the scholarship the following year.

Opening Date:

Scholarship applications are accepted from 1st February 2025.

Closing Date:

The closing date is 18th August 2025 at 23:59. The closing date/time is strictly adhered to.

Interview Dates:

Interviews will take place after CAO offers. Any student shortlisted must be able to attend on the date given.

Notification:

Students shortlisted for interview will be notified after the first round of CAO offers via their UCD Connect email account.

Scholarships for school leavers entering UCD in September 2025 will be awarded based on the academic criteria, an online application and an interview.

Stage 1 - Application:

Students must complete an application form online.

The application consists of a personal statement guided by three questions, and a statement of achievement in which applicants are asked to describe their most outstanding extra-curricular achievement(s) to date.

Supporting Documentation is requested for achievements outlined and could include certificates, evidence of official recognition, or letters from coaches, teachers or organisations.

Students must upload a photograph of their leaving certificate results, or, equivalent examinations. Please note these results will be verified by UCD Admissions. Students can submit all other aspects of their application before this date but must upload their leaving certificate results before the closing date.

(opens in a new window)Click here to apply

Stage 2 - Shortlisting:

Following release of CAO offers, applications from students who have met the academic criteria and who have submitted a completed application form will be reviewed by a selection panel. Eligible Applications for shortlisting will be scored only on the basis of their application form, weighting of 60% statement of achievement and 40% personal statement. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview after CAO offers and candidates must be able to attend the interviews on the date given. These candidates will be contacted after CAO offers via their UCD Connect email account.

Stage 3 – Offers:

Up to sixteen successful applicants will receive scholarship offers before the start of the academic year. Successful candidates will be offered a place in the Academy subject to an offer and acceptance of a course in UCD. The decision of the selection panel is final. All scholarships are awarded subject to the general conditions of the Ad Astra scholarships and specific Terms & Conditions for each strand. 

The application will consist of a personal statement and a statement of achievement ‘beyond the classroom’.  Achievement 'beyond the classroom' could include:

• Achievement in national competition in areas such as Science, Maths, Politics, Economics, Debating and more.Examples of what our scholars have competed in include: the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition; Irish European Union Science Olympiad; Irish Mathematical Olympiad; Soroptimist International Girls Public Speaking Competition; Irish EU Science Olympiad; becoming an Iveagh Scholar in the Department of Foreign Affairs; debating in the National Model UN competition; attending the Young Scientist Business Bootcamp; winning the Generation Euro Economics Competition; winning the Leinster Gael Linn Irish Debating competition and becoming semi-finalist at the All-Ireland Alliance Française debating competition.
• International Achievement.Examples of what our academic scholars have participated in include the following: achieved bronze in the International Junior Science Olympiad; represented Ireland at the 64-country International German Olympiad in Berlin; winning gold at the Irish EU Science Olympiad; debated in the EU Parliament building in Strasbourg as part of the Euroscola competition; represented the Irish Sailing Association Youth Academy in places such as Youth Europeans in Norway and ISAF Youth Worlds in New Zealand, achieving 4th place; winning bronze in the European Union Science Olympiad; participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad; representing Ireland at the International Session of the European Youth Parliament.
• Evidence of active citizenship or volunteering.Examples of what our academic scholars have done include: winning Silver or Gold Gaisce Awards; volunteering to go to overseas to places such as Lourdes in France, Zambia and India; awarded The Mayo Young People of the Year Award and raising over €4,000 for The Hope Foundation.
• Evidence of innovation or entrepreneurship.Our academic scholars have done several different things such as organising Mental Health Week in their schools; setting up the volunteer group ’Students for CRY’, which supported 13 ‘hamlets’ in the Kutch area of Gujarat, India for a year with funds of just under €4,000 - providing over 930 children and their families with food, water, electricity, education, birth registration and healthcare; creating mini companies in transition year with high success rates; entering competitions such as the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and more.
• Evidence of leadership in a school, club or sporting context.Examples of what our academic scholars have achieved include: Head Girl/Boy; member of the student council team; captain of the junior Irish debating team; captain of school senior football team; captain of school hockey team; captain of the school athletics team; elected to participate in the McKinsey Leadership Academy; elected as Vice Chairperson of Monaghan Youth County Council and more.
• Achievement in cultural, musical or artistic pursuits.Examples of what our academic scholars have achieved include: becoming a Gaelic games referee; runners-up in the hockey All-Ireland Schoolgirls Cup; been the youngest member of the local club Senior Hurling and Football teams; becoming a qualified sailing instructor; been a member of and touring abroad with the National Youth Orchestra; been a member of the Dublin Minor football team and winning Leinster League Champions; reaching the final of the 200m in the European Youth Olympics; winning county championships with local hurley and football teams; becoming captain of the school's senior football team; achieving Grade 8 piano, violin etc.; nominated as youth sailor of the year; Feis Ceoil winner; runners up in Leinster Schoolgirls Hockey Senior Cup finals; qualifying as a lifeguard; being an active member of Scouting Ireland; being a member of music bands and performing in venues such as The Globe, The International, Bloom in the Park and winning the opportunity to perform at Longitude Music Festival.

Problems accessing your online application? When logging in to an existing account, use your 2025 CAO number in the 'Email Address, ID Number or Connect Username' section, followed by your password.

Forgotten your password? Enter your CAO number where it says Email Address, ID Number or Connect Username. Click on the link that says 'Retrieve your Password', as shown below.  It will ask if you would like the password sent to your email account or you can retrieve it via the security question you made when creating the account.

You should then be able to login using your CAO number, password and select 'Log in ' under the don't have a UCD connect account option as shown below. 

Each year up to eighteen scholarships are awarded to current undergraduate students across the University based on academic achievement at the end of first year. The scholarships are awarded across all UCD programme areas.

The individual programme areas will nominate a small number of their top performing students who have a minimum GPA of 3.68. 

Minimum eligibility criteria are listed below and further programme specific criteria may apply:

• A minimum stage GPA of 3.68 is required.
• The student must have obtained 60 graded ECTS and meet the progression requirements of their programme.
• Interviews will take place on towards the end of August 2024 and candidates must be available for interview.

All individual undergraduate programme areas will nominate a small number of their top performing students who have a minimum GPA of 3.68 to be put forward to apply for the scholarship. 

The Academy will then contact these students directly via their ucd connect email account and invite them to apply to the Academic Programme. 

Please note, you cannot apply directly to the Academy for an academic scholarship as a current student of UCD. You must receive an invite from the Academy to apply. It is your programme area that nominates students who are eligible to apply.

Stage 1 - Application:

Successful nominees will be contacted by the Academy on 30th July 2025 with an invitation to apply directly to the Academy with a series of questions.

The application consists of a personal statement guided by three questions, and a statement of achievement in which applicants are asked to describe their most outstanding extra-curricular achievement(s) to date.

The applications must be received by the Academy via email no later than 15th August 2025.

Stage 2 - Shortlisting/Interviews:

Eligible applications for shortlisting will be scored only on the basis of their application form, weighting of 60% statement of achievement and 40% personal statement. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview.

Stage 3 – Offers:

Up to 18 successful applicants will receive scholarship offers before the start of the academic year. The decision of the selection panel is final. All scholarships are awarded subject to the general conditions of the Ad Astra scholarships and specific Terms & Conditions for each strand.