Established in 1782, Carlow College, St Patrick’s has a long history of third level education. Our story began as a lay college and seminary before transforming into the vibrant, liberal arts community you see today.
We know that careers, and the pathways to achievement come in all shapes and sizes. That’s why our approach to third level education is personal, supportive and focused on the individual. Our college is opening horizons, providing relevant and practical third level courses ranging from humanities to psychology, social care work, community/advocacy and many more.
Carlow College, St. Patrick’s is situated in its own grounds on an eighteenth-century parkland and is known locally as St. Patrick’s College. Carlow College is ideally located in the heart of Carlow town. Tullow Street is only one hundred meters away our students have access to banks, shops, food outlets and a wide variety of social venues on the doorstep. Pedestrian access from the town centre is on College Street and is flanked by the Cathedral to the South and by the magnificent VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art to the North.
The former entrance on College Street is now a pedestrian entrance and the railings which replace the high walls show off the College, its parkland and the Arts Centre, as an attractive feature of the town. The College is within walking distance of the facilities students need and the new entrance on the Dublin Road, with its spacious car park, for the many students who commute to the College from the surrounding counties.
Carlow College is proud of its long history and it maintains its strong tradition as a student friendly campus where students and lecturers work together to create the optimum atmosphere for student and personal development.
Over the years Carlow has educated generations of politicians, priests, writers and public officials who were leaders in the society of their time. Today’s students find employment in education, community work, the civil service, media and the social care field. A high percentage of our students proceed to postgraduate studies in the fields of Philosophy, English, History, Theology and Social Studies.
The College has partnerships with Carlow University, Pittsburgh, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP), Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Francis Marion University, Florence, South Carolina and with Trinity College Dublin.
Carlow College is a venerable institution with a progressive outlook. Most importantly, Carlow College is a vibrant place where students thrive.
| Founded | 1782 |
| Undergraduate Programmes | |
| Postgraduate Programmes | 5 |
| Location | Carlow, Leinster, Ireland |
| Address | College Street, Carlow, Co. Carlow R93 A003 |
In the shared enterprise of education, through teaching, learning, practice placement and research activity, Carlow College, St. Patrick’s prizes excellence in all it does and endeavours to respond creatively to the changing needs of its learners, of potential employers and of society.
Carlow College, St. Patrick’s will educate, engage and inspire its learners through the provision of transformational learning and teaching experiences; it will enable a diverse learner and graduate population to achieve their academic and career potential and enable them to contribute to the ethical development of society at local, national and global levels.
Truth and Integrity – We aim to create a research-led teaching and learning environment that is interdisciplinary in nature, that inspires openness to new ideas and critical thinking and that is ethical in practice.
Respect and Justice – We recognise the diversity of our college community and seek to promote actively a spirit of inclusiveness, mutual respect and equality of opportunity and access.
Collaboration and Social Awareness – By creating opportunities to work together, both internally and externally, we believe that collaboration and partnership can best contribute to the ethical development of local, national and global communities and society.
Friendliness and Service – We are committed to maintaining a hospitable, learner-centred environment that recognises each learner’s individual learning journey, and that promotes, values and supports their personal, social and cultural development.
Creativity and Innovation – We believe that learning is about being open to new ideas and possibilities both in what we learn and how we learn. We are committed to being an educational space which promotes creativity and innovation as a way of responding to the contemporary world.
Our Student Supports Team are here to help you with each and every stage of your College journey. And by support, we don’t just mean academic support. So whether you are struggling with your academic studies or some more personal, our team are available with a friendly (and confidential) ear to listen, support and advise.
Our courses are designed to encourage students to become independent thinkers, to challenge ideas and go to make positive impacts on our society. Our Graduate Attributes are designed to empower a diverse community of learners and graduates to reach their academic and career potential, while enabling them to contribute to the ethical development of society at local, national, and global levels.
All our undergraduate degree programmes provide the opportunity to gain practical experience through Career Practice and Placement, internships and opportunities to volunteer and participate in community and arts events.
Not only is Carlow one of the most vibrant student towns in Ireland, it is also considerably cheaper to live here with average rents 25% cheaper than the national average (Daft.ie, fourth quarter 2021)
A Non-Refundable €40 Application Fee
Entry requirements vary by course and program. View the course page for course-specific requirements.
All Non-EU Degree-Seeking applicants at Carlow College must have:
Entry requirements vary by course and program. View the course page for course-specific requirements.
All Non-EU Degree-Seeking applicants at Carlow College must have:
For more information regarding the application process, please see our Admission Guidelines and Procedures for Non-EEA Degree Programme Applicants.
The application process for applying to Carlow College as a Non-EU Degree Programme applicant follows five main steps:
Email: [email protected]
Phone : +353059 9153243
Accommodation is available at Lennon House, situated within a short distance from the main College building and within easy walking distance of Carlow town centre. In addition to housing during the academic term, Lennon House is also available for short-term summer groups.
The library itself was open to students at the start of the 2006 Academic Year and was officially dedicated by the then Uachtarán na hÉireann, Mary McAleese, on 19 December that same year. The library structure is housed inside the Sacred Heart Chapel, built in 1888 and designed by the architect, William Hague.
Today it is a thriving centre of learning activities, providing a wide range of services and resources to support the learning, teaching and research activities of the Institute. The library provides access to over 22, 000 print books and over 170,000 eBooks which can be accessed from the college or at home. We also provide access to online journal articles, reports, official publications, theses, and newspapers which can be accessed either in the Library or through the Library catalogue.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
A native of South Tipperary, and a past student of Carlow College, Fr Conn took up office as Carlow College’s twentieth President on 1st September 2015. He joined the staff of the College in 1996 where he has held teaching and administrative roles.
Dr Eric Derr graduated magna cum laude from St. Ambrose University (Davenp... read more
As Quality Assurance Officer, he liaises with Senior Management and faculty / staff members to ensure that quality assurance procedures are dynamic, fit-for-purpose, improvement-focused and quality oriented. He further provides direction and motivation to faculty / staff members in creating a quality culture whereby all internal stakeholders assume responsibility for quality. This role ensures that the quality systems at Carlow College, St. Patrick’s are compliant with the statutory guidelines developed by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the validating body of the College.
When the College was built in the 1780s, the intention was to provide education to young Catholic men. However, the French Revolution closed the continent to Catholic seminarians, therefore clerical education was added to its remit. On 1st October 1793, the first of 37 students that year commenced at Carlow College. The College offered a broad Humanities’ curriculum, the classics, Latin and Greek, Philosophy and Theology we... read more
Today, with close to 600 students from all over Ireland enrolled at the College, Carlow College strives to make education in the liberal arts and social studies accessible to students from a diverse range of backgrounds.
