Maynooth University (MU)

Maynooth University is a modern and dynamic university with a tradition of academic excellence dating back to 1795. Our campus has both historic buildings and state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities. Located in the quaint town of Maynooth with a medieval castle at its gates, students are exposed to two worlds; the charm and tranquility of the student town and the vibrancy of Dublin, located just 15 miles away.

The last two decades have seen Maynooth University grow rapidly in scale, strength and stature. Today, with 13,000 students from more than 90 countries, we are Ireland's fastest growing university. In 2019, Maynooth University placed #50 in the global top 100 universities under 50 years old in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Maynooth has a global reputation. Leading international researchers deliver small, friendly classes whilst our curriculum is designed to be flexible and maximize post-graduate success. We have a strong campus community with a student-centered and collegiate ethos. These characteristics together create a student experience that is uniquely Maynooth.

The central elements of our new model of undergraduate education are deep engagement with a student's chosen disciplines; the ability to combine different subjects to create a more tailored educational experience and distinctive degree; time to broaden their perspective through electives, modern languages and multidisciplinary 'Maynooth Modules'; and perhaps most fundamentally, the intellectual skills of analysis, reflection, critical thinking and clear communication that prepare students for today's world of work.

Maynooth has a diverse student body, representing many mature, commuter and first-in-the-family students. We cater to the fastest growing student body in Ireland but pride ourselves on our ability to provide a personal and intimate living-learning community. The MSU (Maynooth Students' Union): https://www.msu.ie is a body of over 9,000 students with the numbers rising every year. They answer solely to the student body. Every year the student body elects officers to work on their behalf for the year ahead. MSU has four full time officers and eight part time officers to work on your behalf for the year. They also provide support in regards to education and welfare and organize student-based events during the year to get students involved in the social aspects of college life.

MU has over 100 Clubs and Societies there is bound to be something that interests you. And if not, you can set one up! Further details here: https://www.msu.ie/clubs-socs/list-of-societies.html

Maynooth University has a reputation for being “one of the friendliest campuses in Ireland,� and the student body is a “geographically diverse bunch,� which “brings in people from the surrounding counties like Kildare, Meath and Kilkenny,� along with folks from “Dublin City.� Student enrollment has “grown massively in the past fifteen to twenty years,� but students point out that “Maynooth still has a small student population compared to other colleges� in the area, with student enrollment that can be up to three times as large. “You can still meet people you know on your walks, have room to walk around or find a place to be alone should you need,� says one student. Maynooth University promotes a “collaborative environment where group work and sharing resources between peers is an essential part of college life,� which helps ensure that students will “have the necessary communication and team work skills needed for the workplace.� Students are, by and large, “social,� “inclusive,� incredibly hard-working and friendly,� and “diverse,� with a “good mixture of mature and non-traditional students.� One student summed up the experience well: “I am surrounded by a wide scope of students who are diverse in opinions and talents, but who have a collective sense of identity in being part of this University.�

Maynooth’s campus is “based in a small town that has become a student town, giving way to a friendly environment.� Maynooth students appreciate the “stunningly beautiful campus� that includes the “natural landscape of the south campus,� featuring “large fields with trees, walkways, a graveyard, a beautiful church, the seminary, and a lot of beautiful wildlife.� “This picturesque area is one of the main reasons I came to this college,� says one student. “I can still go outside and walk around in the fresh air and lower my stress levels exponentially before walking a brief five to seven minutes to my next lecture.� The two main campuses (north and south) are just across the road from one another. The “campus is nicely compact� and the “mixture of the old campus� with “lovely green open areas with pretty old buildings� and the new, with its “modern buildings� gives a nice feel to the area.

Students praise the “range of free services,� including the “health center, for all students, an “interactive student union� with “great representation,� an array of “athletics and other extracurricular activities,� with a “variety of clubs and societies.� There is “no need to leave the town during the week,� to find entertainment, as the town of Maynooth is “lively, with a number of pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops for students.� Campus life is also busy with “clubs and societies running social and sporting events daily.� If none of this takes your fancy, direct buses and trains go between Maynooth and Dublin regularly, and it is also “easy to get home to the Midlands as the motorway passes through the town.� A large proportion of students are commuters. The student union offers a “cheap� and tasty breakfast, and downtown offers “a variety of pubs� and dining spots.