School Outreach Programmes
Students at the Colm Delves Leadership Lab
Our Future U programme is a day long introduction to University for Second Year students where they will learn to be creators, innovators and leaders!
Students will take part in activities, have lunch in the restaurant, and get a tour of the campus. Activities including
- Colm Delves VR Leadership lab
- Lego Robotics challenge
Please note that we can only host 30 students at a time due to our activities' room capacity.
Lego Engineering Challenge
Our Annual Maths Quiz for 1st and 2nd years offers students a fun way of engaging with Maths while learning more about the courses and careers studying Maths can lead to.
Quizzes will take place in March and April. Dates tbc; sign up here if your school are interested.
Multimedia students
Our Multimedia workshops are aimed at teaching students how to create powerful messages through the medium of film-making and explore the possibility of studying in DCU's School of Communication.
We offer two on-campus workshops, an initial introduction to film-making and a final editing workshop with resources for in-class activities in between where students can create their own films and enter them into a competition to take place in DCU in April.
In April, we host a final plenary event where students will tour our communications facilities, and our DCU Faculty judges will choose the winners from the submitted movies.
To sign up and view the available resources, please click here.
SUIS students
Step up in STEM introduces and informs students about opportunities to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths courses at University and the subsequent careers available.
Schools are invited to spend a day at DCU taking part in interactive workshops, touring the campus and meeting with current students with the cost of transport and food covered along with opportunities for students to take home DCU merchandise.
Sign up here.
The DCU Access service offers work experience in DCU through various faculties and with external partners such as Arthur Cox law firm and Beaumont Hospital.
We will email all opportunities to Transition Year Co-ordinators and Guidance Counsellors of linked schools. You can provide updated school details here or email aidan.odriscoll@dcu.ie for specific queries.
UFirst students
U First
What is it? A two-year 'preparation for college' programme
For whom? 5th & 6th year students from schools linked to DCU
How does this work?
Year one will consist of seven workshops, students will attend one workshop per month which will include the following:
- Sampling a variety of courses in DCU
- Academic support
- CAO/Grants/HEAR/DARE information
- Maths revision
- Study skills
- Personal development
- Clubs and Socs
- Parental engagement
- Industry visits
Students will also attend Shadowing days, Taster sessions, Open Days, as well as optional events & workshops during school holidays.
In the programmes second year, a shorter schedule will provide 6th year students with information and support on applying to the CAO, HEAR etc.
You can find more information here:
If interested in applying, please complete the online application form:
The closing date for 5th years to apply is 27th September 2024
Maths drop-ins
Maths Masterclasses
Who are they for? 6th-year students - Priority given to students who took part in U First in 2023-4.
Topics covered:
Sat 18th Jan: Algebra, Area and Volume.
Sat 8th Feb: Coordinate Geometry of the Line, Coordinate Geometry of the Circle.
Sat 8th Mar: Probability, Statistics.
Sat 5th Apr: Complex Numbers, Differentiation.
Sat 3rd May: Functions, Trigonometry.
Where & when? Glasnevin campus, from 10 - 1pm.
How do you register? Students will be invited to register online.
HEAR / DARE Talks
HEAR & DARE
Book your HEAR/DARE talk during College Awareness Month this November and we will come to your school; we will endeavour to bring a DCU Access student ambassador with us to make it more meaningful for your students!
HEAR talks 2024 - 2025 | Dublin City University
Note: Talks in schools will take place during the month of November.
Faculty Tasters - February 2025
Our faculty tasters help young people engage in practical, interactive activities connected to a programme they are considering studying in DCU after the Leaving Certificate.
How will they work?
A series of workshops related to various courses from each of the five faculties will be held during DCU's reading week.
Students will be selected based on their preferences, interest in particular careers and intention to study at DCU.
A list of last years workshops is available HERE.
The Access team will reach out to schools and community groups closer to the dates with further details.
Shadowing days
Shadowing days are back ...
In March 2025, 5th-year students will spend a day on campus shadowing a first-year DCU student.
Who is it for?
5th year students from local DEIS-linked schools and young people interested in attending University.
What will happen?
Students will attend lectures/ labs and all other activities on the timetable of their chosen course and will be accompanied by their DCU student match throughout the day.
Further details will be made available to Guidance Counsellors in due course.
Parents Info session
Our colleagues in DCU Student Recruitment are running an in-person session designed to support parents/guardians of students considering Level 8 (university) study after their Leaving Certificate.
It will be suitable for parents/guardians who have not been through the CAO process already and/or those who wish to refresh their knowledge.'
Date: Mon 4th Nov, 7-9pm.
Location tbc