Please review the entry requirements below. The UCD Smurfit Admissions Office staff have expertise in reviewing international qualifications from around the world and will be able to assess your application's comparability to the Irish entry requirements.

A first class or second class honours grade 1 Business degree. An overall final degree average grade of minimum 63% or minimum UCD GPA of 3.30/4.2 will be required (or equivalent), students please contact the UCD Smurfit Admissions Team for grade equivalencies.
or
An honours primary degree with a minimum of three years relevant work experience.

AND
To have achieved full exemptions from Chartered Accountants Ireland's (ICAI) CAP 1 Examinations. If you do not have full CAP 1 exemptions from your undergraduate degree you can complete your outstanding CAP 1 subjects as an external student with ICAI. All CAP 1 exemptions must be obtained before the start of term in a given academic year.

The CAP 1 entry requirement may be waived for high performing undergraduate Business students subject to appropriate CAP 1 remediation being agreed prior to admittance to the programme. High performing undergraduate Business students are Level 8 Irish honours degree level Business students (or international equivalent) with an Hons 1.1 degree result (or equivalent) with a level 8 (or international equivalent) knowledge of financial accounting and reporting, finance and managerial accounting. Non-native English speaking students must have a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.5 or or a TOEFL 105 overall (with 20 for the minimum component). Other English Language Certifications are not accepted.

For more information on CAP 1s see: https://www.charteredaccountants.ie

If English is not your first language, an English language qualification is required for admission to all of our programmes. The exception to this rule is if you have completed your primary degree or an entire third level qualification through English, in an English speaking country. View -
https://www.smurfitschool.ie/admissions/internationalapplicants/englishlanguagerequirements/

Some students might have to get a student visa in order to come and study in Ireland.

You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the 'UCD Registry RPL web page' https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/
for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Applications are assessed on a rolling basis and courses will close once they are filled. We advise you to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Please note certain scholarships may require you to apply before a certain date – please refer to our scholarship page https://www.smurfitschool.ie/admissions/scholarships/

If you have any questions in relation to deadlines or availability please email [email protected].

Who Should Apply?
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: No

Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught (UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School)

This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

The Master of Accounting qualification from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School gives you the broad-based knowledge and in-depth accounting skills you need for the long-term development of your career. You gain access to a wide range of employment opportunities, namely within Accounting, Financial Services, Industry and Commerce, and Management Consultancy, and with employers such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young. UCD Master of Accounting graduates such as Siobhán Talbot, Chief Executive of Glanbia, and Shaun Murphy, Chief Operating Officer of the Ardagh Group, occupy some of the top positions in the business and accounting professions.

100% of our graduates from this programme were employed after 6 months across a range of industry sectors. Source: Latest Graduate Outcomes Survey, published in September 2025.

Potential careers for our graduates include:
Accountant
Auditor
Tax Consultant
Management consulting
Banking and investment management