University of Galway, founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway, is a public research university on the banks of the River Corrib with roughly 19,335 students, 17% of them international. It ranked 284th in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and holds a specific statutory responsibility for Irish-language instruction dating to 1929. The university renamed itself from National University of Ireland, Galway to University of Galway in September 2022. Non-EU tuition varies widely by programme, from around EUR 15,640 per year for Business to EUR 55,000 for Medicine in 2026/27.
The university was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway, and has changed its name multiple times since, becoming University College Galway in 1908, National University of Ireland, Galway in 1997, and adopting its current name, University of Galway, only in September 2022, reflecting a long and specifically documented institutional history. It hosts CÚRAM, a Science Foundation Ireland research centre dedicated specifically to medical devices, connecting the university to Ireland's concentrated medtech manufacturing base. David J. Burn, appointed president in 2025, became the university's first non-Irish-speaking president since 1899, a specific governance detail tied to a 2016 policy change. The campus itself sits on 105 hectares along the River Corrib in the center of Galway city, giving it a compact riverside footprint distinct from more sprawling Irish campuses.
Application deadlines are being updated. Check the official website for current dates.
| Program | Level | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
| Law | MASTER | 1-2 YRS |
| Nursing | PHD | 3-5 YRS |
| Biomedical Engineering | MBA | 12-24 MO |
| Marine Science | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |