Editing Trinity College Dublin (section)

==Academic profile==
Since considerable academic restructuring in 2008, the college has three academic faculties:<ref name=":10">{{cite web|title=Faculties and Schools|url=https://www.tcd.ie/structure/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501145820/https://www.tcd.ie/structure/|archive-date=1 May 2021|access-date=2021-05-26|website=Trinity College Dublin}}</ref>
* Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
* Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
* Health Sciences

Each faculty is headed by a dean (there is also a Dean of Postgraduate Studies), and faculties are divided into schools, of which there were 24 as of 2021.<ref name=":10" />

===Academic year===
The academic year is divided into three [[Academic term|terms]]:

* [[Michaelmas term]] lasts from October to December 

* [[Hilary term]] from January to March

* [[Trinity term]] from April to June

Each term is separated by a vacation, and whilst teaching takes place across all three terms in postgraduate courses, for undergraduate programmes, teaching is condensed within the first two terms since 2009, with each term consisting of a 12-week period of teaching known as the Teaching Term.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} These are followed by three revision weeks and a four-week exam period during the Trinity Term.<ref>{{cite book|title=Trinity College Academic Calendar|quote=(12 weeks each), followed by three revision weeks and a four-week exam period.}}</ref>

Internally at least, the weeks in the term are often referred to by the time elapsed since the start of the teaching Term: thus the first week is called "1st week" or "week 1" and the last is "Week 12" or "12th week".{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

The first week of Trinity Term (which marks the conclusion of lecturing for that year) is known as Trinity Week; normally preceded by a string of balls, it consists of a week of sporting and academic events.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} This includes the Trinity Ball and the Trinity Regatta (a premier social event on the Irish rowing calendar held since 1898),<ref>{{cite web|title=Trinity Regatta – Dublin University Boat Club|url=http://www.tcdlife.ie/clubs/boat/regatta.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090904/http://www.tcdlife.ie/clubs/boat/regatta.php|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref> the election of Scholars and Fellows, and a college banquet.

===Second-level programmes===
Since 2014, Trinity College's science department has established and operated a scheme for second-level students to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

The system, similar to [[Dublin City University|DCU]]'s [[Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland|CTYI]] programme, encourages academically gifted secondary students with a high aptitude for the [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics|STEM]] subjects, and was named the Walton Club<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcd.ie/waltonclub/|title=Trinity Walton Club|website=Tcd.ie|access-date=21 April 2017|archive-date=22 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422040147/http://www.tcd.ie/waltonclub/|url-status=live}}</ref> in honour of [[Ernest Walton]], Ireland's first and only Nobel laureate in Physics. The programme was centred upon a [[pedagogy|pedagogic]] principle of "developing capacity for learning autonomy".<ref name="SiliconRepublic">{{cite web|url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/trinity-walton-club-inspirefest-2017|title=Trinity Walton Club: Putting students in the driving seat|author=Madden, Shelly|publisher=Silicon Republic|date=18 September 2017|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=23 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623080130/https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/trinity-walton-club-inspirefest-2017|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The educators in the programme are PhD students in the college, who impart an advanced, undergraduate-level curriculum to the students. The club was set up with a specific ethos around the mentoring of STEM subjects, and not as a grinds school.<ref name="irishtimes.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/innovation/teens-develop-robot-to-teach-children-basics-of-coding-1.2947895|title=Teens develop robot to teach children basics of coding|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=21 February 2020|archive-date=7 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407180247/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/innovation/teens-develop-robot-to-teach-children-basics-of-coding-1.2947895|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="universitytimes.ie">{{cite web|url=http://www.universitytimes.ie/2017/01/building-a-new-generation-of-scientific-innovators/|title=Building a New Generation of Scientific Innovators|website=University Times|access-date=22 April 2017|archive-date=23 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423064914/http://www.universitytimes.ie/2017/01/building-a-new-generation-of-scientific-innovators/|url-status=live}}</ref> The scheme has been immensely successful and undergone growth in scope and scale year on year. It has also diversified beyond its traditional weekly club structure, running camps during school holidays to offer an opportunity to study STEM to those unable to join the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcd.ie/waltonclub/camps.php|title=Trinity Walton Club|website=Tcd.ie|access-date=22 April 2017|archive-date=23 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423065644/http://www.tcd.ie/waltonclub/camps.php|url-status=live}}</ref> 

It has also represented the college in many activities, meeting [[Chris Hadfield]] and attending the [[Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition]] and the [[Web Summit]].{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Students, or [[alpha particle|alphas]] as they are dubbed in honour of the eponymous physicist, develop projects in the club, with innovations pioneered there including a health-focused [[electroencephalogram]].<ref name="irishtimes.com"/> The club was founded by Professors Igor Shvets and Arlene O'Neill of the School of Physics in Trinity College.<ref name="universitytimes.ie"/>

===Undergraduate===
[[File:Columbia 001.jpg|thumb|[[Columbia University]], which offers a dual BA]]
Most undergraduate courses require four years of study. First-year students at the undergraduate level are called Junior Freshmen; second-years, Senior Freshmen; third-years, Junior Sophisters; and fourth-years, Senior Sophisters.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Trinity's [[Bachelor's degree|undergraduate]] admissions are competitive,<ref>{{cite web|title=Entry Requirements for International Students – Study – Trinity College Dublin|url=https://www.tcd.ie/study/international/how-to-apply/entry-requirements.php|access-date=8 March 2020|archive-date=1 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101134501/https://www.tcd.ie/study/international/how-to-apply/entry-requirements.php|url-status=live}}</ref> with an average acceptance rate of 17%.<ref>{{cite web|date=2016-03-09|title=Increase in CAO Applications for Trinity Courses for 2016|url=https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/increase-in-cao-applications-for-trinity-courses-for-2016/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124210818/https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/increase-in-cao-applications-for-trinity-courses-for-2016/|archive-date=24 November 2020|access-date=2021-05-26|website=Trinity College Dublin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN Profile 2016/2017|url=https://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/04/TCD-Profile-2016.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018215149/https://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/04/TCD-Profile-2016.pdf|archive-date=18 October 2019|access-date=2021-05-26|website=HEA}}</ref> 

After a 2017 proposal by the SU Equality Committee, the Trinity College Board approved a three-year process changing the titles of first and second years to Junior and Senior Fresh.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Meehan|first1=Sarah|title=Undergraduate name "Freshman" to change to gender-neutral "Fresh"|url=http://trinitynews.ie/undergraduate-name-freshman-to-change-to-gender-neutral-fresh/|access-date=28 November 2017|publisher=Trinity News|date=28 November 2017|archive-date=28 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128135119/http://trinitynews.ie/undergraduate-name-freshman-to-change-to-gender-neutral-fresh/|url-status=live}}</ref> 

Students must take the exams during [[Michaelmas term]] and during [[Trinity term]] of each year, and those who pass the exams can enter the next year. Students who score at least 70% on the exams will receive a first-class honours degree, 60–69% an upper second-class honours degree, 50–59% a lower second-class honours degree, and 40–49% a third-class honours degree.<ref>{{cite news|last=Faller|first=Grainne|title=How to make the grade|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/how-to-make-the-grade-1.1642295|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-26|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|language=en|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803154620/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/how-to-make-the-grade-1.1642295}}</ref>

Most non-professional courses take a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. As a matter of tradition, bachelor's degree graduates are eligible, after seven years from matriculation and without additional study, to purchase for a fee an upgrade of their bachelor's degree to a [[Master of Arts (Oxbridge and Dublin)|Master of Arts]].{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Degree titles vary according to the subject of study. The [[Trinity College Dublin Law School|Law School]] awards the [[LL.B.]], the LL.B. (ling. franc.) and the LL.B. (ling. germ.). Other degrees include the BAI (engineering) and BBS (business studies). The BSc degree is not in wide use although it is awarded by the School of Nursing and Midwifery<!-- Removed Pharmacy from this list, new course awards a BPharm and MPharm degree -->; most science and computer science students are awarded a BA.<!-- Most, there is a BSc in Computer Science evening course -->{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

From 2018, Trinity will be offering a dual BA programme with [[Columbia University]] in New York City. Students of history, English, European studies or Middle Eastern and European languages and culture spend their first two years at Trinity and their last two years at Columbia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gs.columbia.edu/tcd/dual-ba-program|title=Dual BA Program – Trinity College Dublin|website=gs.columbia.edu|access-date=10 December 2017|archive-date=11 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211183902/http://gs.columbia.edu/tcd/dual-ba-program|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Postgraduate===
At [[Postgraduate education|postgraduate]] level, Trinity offers a range of taught and research degrees in all faculties. About 29% of students are post-graduate level, with 1,440 reading for a research degree and an additional 3,260 on taught courses (see [[#Research|Research and Innovation]]).<ref name="HigherEducationAuthorityArchiveFullTime">{{cite web |url=http://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/07/Enrolments-full-time-by-Institution-and-Programme-Type-2016_17.xlsx |title=Full-time enrolments in Universities in the academic year 2016/2017 |publisher=Higher Education Authority Statistics Archive |access-date=11 March 2018 |archive-date=12 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312083504/http://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/07/Enrolments-full-time-by-Institution-and-Programme-Type-2016_17.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="HigherEducationAuthorityArchivePartTime">{{cite web |url=http://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/07/Enrolments-part-time-by-Institution-and-Programme-Type-2016_17.xlsx |title=Part-time enrolments in Universities in the academic year 2016/2017 |publisher=Higher Education Authority Statistics Archive |access-date=11 March 2018 |archive-date=12 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312143919/http://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/07/Enrolments-part-time-by-Institution-and-Programme-Type-2016_17.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies |title=Graduate Studies – Trinity College Dublin |publisher=Tcd.ie |date=15 April 2010 |access-date=28 April 2010 |archive-date=6 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406102421/http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Trinity College's Strategic Plan sets "the objective of doubling the number of PhDs across all disciplines by 2013 in order to move towards a knowledge society.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} In order to achieve this, the college has received some of the largest allocations of Irish Government funding which have become competitively available to date."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/schools/data/school_profile/default/universitydublintrinitycollege |title=Topuniversities.com |publisher=Topuniversities.com |date=12 November 2009 |access-date=28 April 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080527060420/http://www.topuniversities.com/schools/data/school_profile/default/universitydublintrinitycollege |archive-date = 27 May 2008}}</ref>

In addition to academic degrees, the college offers [[Postgraduate Diploma]] (non-degree) qualifications, either directly or through associated institutions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evening & Short Courses|url=https://www.tcd.ie/courses/esc/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506084348/https://www.tcd.ie/courses/esc/|archive-date=6 May 2021|access-date=2021-05-26|website=Trinity College Dublin}}</ref>

===Research===
The university operates an on-site Innovation Centre that promotes academic innovation and advising, provides patent counselling and in-depth research information, and also facilitates the creation and operation of industrial labs and campus businesses.<ref name=":8">{{cite web|last=Noone|first=Bridget|title=Entrepreneurship at Trinity College|url=https://www.tcd.ie/mecheng/research/fluids-acoustics-vibration/Gar%20Bennett%20Assets/TRI/Bridget.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626174732/https://www.tcd.ie/mecheng/research/fluids-acoustics-vibration/Gar%20Bennett%20Assets/TRI/Bridget.pdf|archive-date=26 June 2020|access-date=2021-05-26|website=Trinity College Dublin}}</ref>

In 1999, the university purchased an enterprise centre on Pearse Street, a seven-minute walk from the on-site "Innovation Center." The site has over 19,000 square metres of built space and includes a protected building, the Tower, which houses a Craft Centre.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} The Trinity Enterprise Centre is home to companies from Dublin's university research sector.<ref name=":8" />

===Admissions===
Undergraduate applications from Irish, British and European Union applicants are submitted and processed through the [[Central Applications Office]] (CAO) system.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Trinity College instructs the CAO to administer all applications by standardised criteria before offering places to successful candidates. The college therefore has full control of admissions while ensuring anonymity and academic equality throughout the process.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} 

Admission to the university is highly competitive and based exclusively on academic merit.<ref>{{cite web |author=Undergraduate Admissions |url=https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admission-requirements/undergraduate/index.php |title=Admission Requirements |publisher=Trinity College Dublin |access-date=18 March 2019 |archive-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402180603/https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admission-requirements/undergraduate/index.php |url-status=live }}</ref> To be considered for admission, applicants must first reach the university's minimum matriculation requirements, which typically involves holding sufficient recognised [[School leaving qualification|qualifications]] in English, mathematics and a second language; the mathematics requirement can be waived if Latin is presented as a second language.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} 

Applicants for certain courses may be required to achieve more specific qualifications than those prescribed for minimum matriculation requirements.<ref>{{cite web |author=Undergraduate Admissions |url=https://www.tcd.ie/calendar/undergraduate-studies/admission-requirements.pdf |title=Admission Requirements |publisher=Trinity College Dublin |access-date=21 April 2018 |archive-date=20 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820074606/https://www.tcd.ie/calendar/undergraduate-studies/admission-requirements.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Eligible applicants must then compete for places based on the results of their [[School leaving qualification|school leaving examinations]], but can additionally take [[matriculation examination]]s<ref>{{cite web |author=Undergraduate Admissions |url=https://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/assets/pdf/Matric%20Syllabus.pdf |title=Matriculation Examination Syllabus |publisher=Trinity College Dublin |access-date=12 February 2018 |archive-date=20 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820074610/https://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/assets/pdf/Matric%20Syllabus.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> which are held in the university in April, in which each subject is considered equivalent to that of the [[Leaving Certificate (Ireland)|Irish Leaving Certificate]]. Applications for restricted courses<ref>{{cite web |author=Central Applications Office |url=https://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=restrictedcourses&bb=restrictions |title=Restricted-Application Courses |publisher=cao.ie |access-date=7 May 2018 |archive-date=7 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207062542/http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=restrictedcourses&bb=restrictions |url-status=live }}</ref> require further assessment considered in the admissions process, such as the [[Health Professions Admissions Test]] (HPAT) for medicine or [[Educational entrance examination|entrance tests]] for music and drama courses.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

As applications for most courses far exceed available places, admission is highly selective, demanding excellent grades in the aforementioned examinations. Through the [[Central Applications Office|CAO]], candidates may list several courses at Trinity College and at other third-level institutions in Ireland in order of preference.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} The [[Central Applications Office|CAO]] awards places in mid-August every year after matching the number of places available to the applicants' academic attainments. Qualifications are measured as "points", with specific scales for the Leaving Certificate, UK GCE [[Advanced Level (UK)|A-level]], the [[International Baccalaureate]] and all other European Union school-leaving examinations.<ref>{{cite web |author=Undergraduate Admissions |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/requirements/matriculation/other/ |title=A list of EU exams and conversion ratios |publisher=Trinity College Dublin |date=26 February 2010 |access-date=28 April 2010 |archive-date=1 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501171059/http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/requirements/matriculation/other/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2016, there were 3,220 new entrants out of 18,469 CAO applicants, indicating a competitive acceptance rate of 17.4%.<ref>{{cite web|date=2016-03-09|title=Increase in CAO Applications for Trinity Courses for 2016|url=https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/increase-in-cao-applications-for-trinity-courses-for-2016/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124210818/https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/increase-in-cao-applications-for-trinity-courses-for-2016/|archive-date=24 November 2020|access-date=2021-05-26|publisher=Trinity College Dublin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN Profile 2016/2017|url=https://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/04/TCD-Profile-2016.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018215149/https://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2017/04/TCD-Profile-2016.pdf|archive-date=18 October 2019|access-date=2021-05-26|website=HEA}}</ref>

For applicants who are not citizens or residents of the [[European Union]], different procedures apply.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/schools/data/school_profile/default/universitydublintrinitycollege|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228220105/http://www.topuniversities.com/schools/data/school_profile/default/universitydublintrinitycollege|url-status=dead|title=Topuniversities.com|archive-date=28 February 2009}}</ref> Disadvantaged, disabled, or mature students can also be admitted through a program that is separate from the [[Central Applications Office|CAO]], the Trinity Access Programme,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Trinity_Access |title=Trinity Access Programmes, Trinity Teaching & Learning |publisher=Trinity College Dublin |access-date=28 April 2010 |archive-date=12 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512114151/http://www.tcd.ie/Trinity_Access/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which aims to facilitate the entry of sectors of society which would otherwise be under-represented.

Students from non-European countries, such as the United States, may be admitted directly if they have passed the International Baccalaureate or EU/EFTA exams and meet the minimum admission requirements.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Admission is not guaranteed and places will be filled in order of merit by the applicants with the highest score.<ref name=":9">{{cite web|title=Japan|url=https://www.tcd.ie/study/country/japan/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114090801/https://www.tcd.ie/study/country/japan/|archive-date=14 November 2020|access-date=2021-05-26|publisher=Trinity College Dublin}}</ref>

For those who have not taken the above exams, there is the one-year Foundation Program.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} This includes essays, discussions, question and answer sessions and training in study to prepare students for admission to Trinity College.<ref>{{cite web|date=2015-11-09|title=Trinity Foundation Programme, Trinity College, University of Dublin|url=https://ifu-japan.net/tfp/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=I.F.U|language=ja|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506221617/http://ifu-japan.net/tfp/|url-status=live}}</ref> Students must demonstrate proficiency in English to be admitted to the Foundation Program and must have a minimum score on the [[IELTS]], [[TOEFL]] or [[Duolingo|Duolingo English Test]] (DET).{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Requirements also vary depending on the program. In addition to English language proficiency, students must meet the high school score.<ref name=":9" />

Admission to graduate study is handled directly by Trinity College.<ref>{{cite web|title=Postgraduate – How to Apply|url=https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/making-an-application/postgraduate/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-26|publisher=Trinity College Dublin|archive-date=25 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425224035/https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/making-an-application/postgraduate/}}</ref>

===Awards===
====Entrance Exhibition and sizarship====
Students who enter with exceptional [[Leaving Certificate (Ireland)|Leaving Certificate]] or other public examination results are awarded an Entrance Exhibition. This entails a prize in the form of book tokens to the value of €150.00. Exhibitioners who are of limited means are made [[Sizar]]s, entitled to Commons (evening meal) free of charge.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tcd.ie/calendar/assets/pdf/entrance-awards.pdf |title=Entrance Awards |access-date=April 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209152840/http://www.tcd.ie/calendar/assets/pdf/entrance-awards.pdf |archive-date= 9 December 2008}}</ref>

====Foundation Scholarship====
{{Main|List of Scholars of Trinity College Dublin}}
[[File:Announcement of Fellow and Scholars 2013.jpg|thumb|Announcement of Fellow and Scholars at Trinity College Dublin on Trinity Monday 2013]]
Undergraduate students of Senior Freshmen standing may elect to sit the Foundation Scholarship examination, which takes place in the Christmas Vacation, on the last week before Hilary term.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} 

On Trinity Monday (the first day of Trinity Term), the Board of the college sits and elects to the Scholarship all those who achieve First in the examination. Election to become a scholar of Trinity Dublin is widely regarded as "the most prestigious undergraduate award in the country".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.universitytimes.ie/2019/04/58-scholars-15-fellows-and-two-honorary-fellows-elected/|title=58 Scholars, 15 Fellows and Two Honorary Fellows Elected|newspaper=The University Times|access-date=15 December 2019|archive-date=15 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215052452/http://www.universitytimes.ie/2019/04/58-scholars-15-fellows-and-two-honorary-fellows-elected/|url-status=live}}</ref> Those from EU member countries are entitled to free rooms and Commons (the college's [[Formal (university)|Formal]] Hall), an annual stipend and exemption from fees for the duration of their scholarship, which lasts 15 terms.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Scholars from non-EU member countries have their fees reduced by the current value of EU member fees. Scholars may add the suffix "Sch." to their names, have the note "discip. schol." appended to their name at Commencements and are entitled to wear Bachelor's Robes and a velvet mortarboard.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Competition for Scholarship involves a searching examination and successful candidates must be of exceptional ability.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} The concept of scholarship is a valued tradition of the college, and many of the college's most distinguished members were elected scholars (including Samuel Beckett and Ernest Walton).<ref>{{cite web|title=List of scholars – Scholars – TCD|url=http://www.tcdlife.ie/scholars/scholar/about-list.php|access-date=2021-05-27|website=tcdlife.ie|archive-date=15 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190615091340/http://www.tcdlife.ie/scholars/scholar/about-list.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{cite web|title=History of Scholars – Scholars – TCD|url=http://www.tcdlife.ie/scholars/scholar/about-history.php|access-date=2021-05-27|website=tcdlife.ie|archive-date=24 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024085704/http://www.tcdlife.ie/scholars/scholar/about-history.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The Scholars' dinner, to which 'Scholars of the decade' (those elected in the current year, and every year multiple of a decade previous to it, e.g., 2013, 2003,..) are invited, forms one of the major events in Trinity's calendar.<ref name=":13" /> One of the main objectives is the pursuit of excellence, and one of the most tangible manifestations of this objective is the institution of the scholarship.<ref name=":13" />

Under the Foundation Charter (of 1592), Scholars were part of the body corporate (three Scholars were named in the charter "in the name of many").{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Until 1609, there were about 51 Scholars at any one time. A figure of 70 was permanently fixed in the revising Letters Patent of Charles I in 1637. Trinity Monday was appointed as the day when all future elections to Fellowship and Scholarship would be announced (at this time Trinity Monday was always celebrated on the Monday after the feast of the [[Trinity Sunday|Holy Trinity]]).{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Up to this point, all undergraduates were Scholars, but soon after 1637 the practice of admitting students other than Scholars commenced.<ref name=":13" />

Until 1856, only the classical subjects were examined. The questions concerned all the classical authors prescribed for the entrance examination and for the undergraduate course up to the middle of the Junior Sophister year.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} The candidates had no new material to read, 'but they had to submit to a very searching examination on the fairly lengthy list of classical texts which they were supposed by this time to have mastered'.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} The close link with the undergraduate syllabus is underlined by the refusal until 1856 to admit Scholars to the Library (a request for admission was rejected by the Board in 1842, on the grounds that Scholars should stick to their prescribed books and not indulge in 'those desultory habits' that admission to an extensive library would encourage).{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} During the second half of the 19th century, the content of the examination gradually came to include other disciplines.<ref name=":13" />

Around the turn of the 20th century, "Non-Foundation" Scholarships were introduced.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} This initially was a device to permit women to be, in effect, elected Scholars, despite the then commonly accepted legal view that the statute revision of 1637 permitted only males to be elected Foundation Scholars. Clearly, when women were not permitted in the college, this had not caused any difficulties, but with the admission of women as full members of the college, an anomaly was created.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} 

The Non-Foundation Scholarship granted to the women elected to it all the rights of men, with the exception of voting rights at a meeting of the Body Corporate, a very rare event in any case. As women are now admitted to Foundation Scholarship on exactly the same basis as men, Non-Foundation Scholarships are retained as a device to allow for more than 70 persons to be Scholars at any one time provided they meet the qualifying standards.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Foundation Scholarships are given to those whose performance is considered particularly exceptional, with the remaining qualifying persons that year being elected as Non-Foundation Scholars. While the number of Foundation Scholars remains fixed at 70, there is, in theory, no limit on the number of Non-Foundation Scholars.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} 

Non-Foundation and Foundation Scholars receive the same benefits and therefore the two groups are regarded in equal esteem and usually refer to themselves collectively as the [[List of Scholars of Trinity College Dublin|Scholars of Trinity College Dublin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcd.ie/calendar/undergraduate-studies/foundation-and-non-foundation-scholarships.pdf|title=Trinity College Dublin, Calendar, Undergraduate Studies Part II, Part D9, Foundation and Non-Foundation Scholarships|access-date=15 December 2019|archive-date=3 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103212615/https://www.tcd.ie/calendar/undergraduate-studies/foundation-and-non-foundation-scholarships.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Reputation===
{{Infobox university rankings
| ARWU_W = 201–300 | ARWU_W_year = 2024 | ARWU_W_ref =<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/institution/trinity-college-dublin|title=Academic Ranking of World Universities: Trinity College Dublin|access-date=22 January 2025|publisher=Shanghai Ranking Consultancy}}</ref>
| THE_W = 139| THE_W_year = 2025 | THE_W_ref =<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/trinity-college-dublin|title=World University Rankings|access-date=20 November 2024|website=Times Higher Education|date=20 November 2023}}</ref>
| QS_W = 87 | QS_W_year = 2025 | QS_W_ref =<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/trinity-college-dublin-university-dublin|title=QS World University Rankings: Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin |access-date=2024-09-10|website=Top Universities}}</ref>
| USNWR_W = =206 | USNWR_W_year = 2025 | USNWR_W_ref =<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/trinity-college-dublin-501570|title=2024-2025 Best Global Universities Rankings: Trinity College Dublin|work=U.S. News World and Report|access-date=25 January 2025}}</ref>
}}

Trinity is ranked 87th in the world, 26th in Europe and 1st in Ireland in the [[QS World University Rankings]] 2025, one of the world's leading indicators of university evaluation.<ref name=":12">{{cite web|title=Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/trinity-college-dublin-university-dublin|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Top Universities|language=en|archive-date=9 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609200637/https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/trinity-college-dublin-university-dublin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings 2022|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2022|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Top Universities|language=en|archive-date=17 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917171555/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2022}}</ref> The highest ranking in the QS system was in 2009, when it was ranked 43rd in the world.<ref name=":11">{{cite web|title=Trinity College Dublin – Topuniversities|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/institution/trinity-college-dublin/wur|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827215520/http://www.topuniversities.com/institution/trinity-college-dublin/wur|archive-date=2011-08-27|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Top Universities}}</ref> Trinity is also ranked 139th in the world and 1st in Ireland in the [[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]] 2025.<ref name="ranking">{{cite web |date=25 November 2023 |title=Trinity College Dublin |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/trinity-college-dublin |access-date=25 November 2023 |work=Times Higher Education |archive-date=14 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514071016/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/trinity-college-dublin |url-status=live }}</ref>

In response to a long-term decline in rankings (from 43rd according to the last combined THE/QS ranking in 2009<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/tcd-and-ucd-drop-lower-in-world-university-rankings-1.2351664 |title=TCD and UCD drop lower in world university rankings |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=14 September 2015 |access-date=26 March 2016 |archive-date=7 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407104806/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/tcd-and-ucd-drop-lower-in-world-university-rankings-1.2351664 |url-status=live }}</ref> to 88th in QS<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2018 |title=QS World University Rankings® 2017/18 |website=Topuniversities.com |access-date=6 September 2016 |archive-date=9 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609212134/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> and 117th in THE for 2018), in 2014 Trinity announced a plan to reverse the trend, aiming to reenter the top 50.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tcd-launches-600m-plan-to-break-back-into-world-elite-30683472.html |title=TCD launches €600m plan to break back into world elite |work=Irish Independent |date=22 October 2014 |access-date=26 March 2016 |archive-date=9 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409030615/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tcd-launches-600m-plan-to-break-back-into-world-elite-30683472.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The dentistry program offered by the [[Dublin Dental University Hospital]] is ranked 51–75 in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/Shanghairanking-Subject-Rankings/dentistry-oral-sciences.html|title=ARWU World University Rankings® 2017|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308092207/http://www.shanghairanking.com/Shanghairanking-Subject-Rankings/dentistry-oral-sciences.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|-
! colspan="3" |World University Rankings
|-
!Year
!QS (Change)<ref>{{cite web|title=QS Ranking all years – Trinity College Dublin – Results {{!}} UniversityRankings.ch|url=https://www.universityrankings.ch/results?ranking=QS&region=World&year=all%20years&q=Trinity%20College%20Dublin&o=year&f=asc|access-date=2021-05-28|website=www.universityrankings.ch|archive-date=25 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925002122/https://www.universityrankings.ch/results?ranking=QS&region=World&year=all+years&q=Trinity+College+Dublin&o=year&f=asc|url-status=live}}</ref>
!THE (Change)<ref>{{cite web|title=Times ranking all years – Trinity College Dublin – Results {{!}} UniversityRankings.ch|url=https://www.universityrankings.ch/results?ranking=Times&region=World&year=all+years&q=Trinity+College+Dublin|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-28|website=www.universityrankings.ch|archive-date=26 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026202416/https://www.universityrankings.ch/results?ranking=Times&region=World&year=all+years&q=Trinity+College+Dublin}}</ref>
|-
|2004
|'''87'''
|N/A
|-
|2005
|'''111''' ({{diminution}} 24)
|N/A
|-
|2006
|'''78''' ({{augmentation}} 33)
|N/A
|-
|2007
|'''53''' ({{augmentation}} 25)
|N/A
|-
|2008
|'''49''' ({{diminution}} 4)
|N/A
|-
|2009
|'''43''' ({{augmentation}} 6)
|N/A
|-
|2010
|'''52''' ({{diminution}} 9)
|N/A
|-
|2011
|'''65''' ({{diminution}} 13)
|'''76'''
|-
|2012
|'''67''' ({{augmentation}} 2)
|'''117''' ({{diminution}} 41)
|-
|2013
|N/A
|'''110''' ({{augmentation}} 7)
|-
|2014
|'''61''' ({{augmentation}} 6)
|'''129''' ({{diminution}} 19)
|-
|2015
|'''71''' ({{diminution}} 10)
|'''138''' ({{diminution}} 9)
|-
|2016
|'''78''' ({{diminution}} 7)
|'''101''' ({{augmentation}} 37)
|-
|2017
|'''98''' ({{diminution}} 20)
|'''131''' ({{diminution}} 30)
|-
|2018
|'''88''' ({{augmentation}} 10)
|'''117''' ({{augmentation}} 14)
|-
|2019
|'''104''' ({{diminution}} 16)
|'''120''' ({{diminution}} 3)
|-
|2020
|'''108''' ({{diminution}} 4)
|'''164''' ({{diminution}} 44)
|-
|2021
|'''101''' ({{augmentation}} 7)
|'''155''' ({{augmentation}} 9)
|-
|2022
|'''101''' ({{Steady}} 0)
|'''146''' ({{augmentation}} 9)
|-
|2023
|'''98''' ({{augmentation}} 3)
|'''161''' ({{diminution}} 15)
|-
|2024
|'''81''' ({{augmentation}} 17)
|'''134''' ({{augmentation}} 27)
|-
|2025
|'''87''' ({{diminution}} 6)
|'''139''' ({{diminution}} 5)
|-
|}