STUDY IN IRELAND
Warmth, History, Excellence – Crafting Your Academic Journey in Ireland
Experience Ireland's warm hospitality and world-class education, offering a unique blend of rich history and cutting-edge research opportunities that shape your academic path.
FACTS
Learn everything you need to know about studying in Ireland
CAPITAL
Dublin
Currency
Euro
Language
English & Irish
International Students
32,000
Population
7.5 Millions
Universities & Colleges
28+
Why Study in Ireland?
Research-intensive courses at universities that rank among the top 3% of global higher education institutions. A major knowledge-based economy with rewarding work opportunities. Eurozone’s only English-speaking country. Take your learning curve high in the safe and welcoming Irish culture. Study Abroad in Ireland.
The cities where you can live during the tenure of your study abroad in the Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Derry, Limerick, Galway, Craigavon, Waterford, Drogheda, and Dundalk. To decide on a particular city, university or course can be a rigorous task however it can be simplified through a helping hand of the Ireland education consultants. At UniApplica we ensure that accurate information is available for our students to enable them to take a right decision about their Study abroad in the Ireland journey.
Universities
Here are some of the best universities in Ireland where academic excellence takes center stage!
- Trinity College Dublin
- University College Dublin
- University of Galway
- University College Cork
- University of Limerick
- Dublin City University
- Maynooth University
- Technological University Dublin
- Royal College of Surgeons
- And Many More
Ready to Explore the Options and Move Ahead with your Educational Voyage
Courses
Choose to study in the Ireland in any of these popular streams for a rewarding career.
Popular courses to study in Ireland are
Turn your Study Abroad Dream to Degrees abroad in Ireland
Why Study in Ireland?
- Remarkable Education System Dating Back to 500 AD - Yes, the tradition of highly regarded education began that early. With continuous government support, Ireland has built exceptional academic infrastructure and designed a system that has led the country to have the highest number of graduates per 1,000 nationals in Europe.
- Research Orientation - Irish universities featuring in the global top 3 per cent are hubs of research and innovation. The government’s focus on spending handsomely for R&D has resulted in 18 Irish research fields ranking within the top 1 per cent globally.
- An English-speaking European Study Destination - Unlike several European study destinations like Germany, France, and Switzerland, Ireland is an English-speaking country with programs delivered in English. So, even if you are a non-native English speaker, you would still not feel like a fish out of water during the period you study in Ireland. To top it, you will be able to add some classic Irish expressions to your vocabulary.
- A Diverse Student Population - Students from 160 countries prefer to study in Ireland, constituting 12 per cent of the total student population. With students coming primarily from China, India, the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Malaysia, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, the student community in the country is nothing short of a melting pot of cultural diversity that holds the promise of making the time you study abroad in Ireland an exciting one.
- Post-study Work Policies for International Students - EU/EEA students have unrestricted access to Irish job market. The non-EEA students pursuing level 8 - 10 degrees are entitled to a visa extension that allows them to stay back in the country for 12 - 24 months after degree completion for employment opportunities. Such students also have the prospect of immigrating to the country, as long as they have an employment offer that meets specific conditions.
- Exciting Career Opportunities - Ireland, as an economic powerhouse of Europe, is home to the regional headquarters of global brands like Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Google, Airbnb, Pfizer, and Dell, among others. These companies have plenty of suitable work opportunities for candidates who completed an Irish degree. Further, working with such international names at the start of your career will brighten your prospects of professional mobility across the world.
- Study in Ireland or a long Studycation? - Carrying a student visa in an EU country, you can make your study abroad in Ireland period a memorable vacation across Europe interspersed with academic sessions and examination rigor. Besides Europe, you have the whole of Ireland and its extensive coastline to vibrant cities that combine history and modernity in a perfect package to explore.
- Feel Safe and at home in Ireland - According to the Global Peace Index 2023, Ireland is the third most peaceful country in the world. It is also the 14th happiest country. These rankings underscore the fact that the Irish people are a very warm and welcoming bunch and you are sure to feel safe and at home during the time you study in Ireland.
Now, with so many advantages in favor of your study abroad in the Ireland plan, you wouldn’t pass up the prospect of pursuing your dream, would you?
Take a look at why you should hold our hands to help you realize your study abroad in Ireland dream
Assistance to Make the Right Choice
Under the guidance of the Study in Ireland Consultants at UniApplica, browse through the various course options at different universities to shortlist a few and finally selecting the one program that interests you the most becomes an easy task.
Documentation – No More Hassle With Our Assistance
Your UniApplica mentor will not only give you a list of documents required for your admission and visa applications to study in Ireland but also help you collate the documents and assess them to ensure that every application through us sails smoothly.
Interview Prep
We will also prepare you for your admission and visa interviews so that you can finally study abroad in Ireland without any roadblocks
Standardized Test Preparations
At UniApplica, sign up for bespoke test prep modules to guide you in your preparation for standardized tests like IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT, to successfully execute your study abroad in Ireland plan.
Maximize Your Scholarship Chance with Expert Guidance
The UniApplica Study in Ireland Consultants diligently matches your profile with the best scholarship options to lessen your financial burden.
Visa Guidance
We take care of all your Study in Ireland visa-related concerns so that you can process your visa application with confidence.
Guidance on Each Step of Your Journey to Ease Your Path to Success
The UniApplica Study in Ireland Consultants will provide you with valuable advice about the dos and don’ts of travelling to and settling in a new country without any hiccups.
Accommodation Help
We will also help you find suitable accommodation to stay in while you study in Ireland so that you do not find yourself homeless in a new land.
Intakes
Intake: Fall
Session Starts: September-October
Intake: Spring
Session Starts: February
Application deadlines and session start dates are institution-specific. Connect with recognized Ireland Education Consultants for the most accurate information on the timeline of your chosen university.
Tuition Fees
The Cost of attendance differs from university to university and course to course. However, to give you a fee estimate required to study in Ireland, the table here presents the average undergraduate and postgraduate fees at two of the popular universities in the country.
University | Annual Undergraduate Tuition Fee | Annual Postgraduate Tuition Fee |
University College Dublin | €21,520 to €27,720 | €14,350 to €20,000 |
University College Cork | €16,700 to €18,800 | €11,500 to €29,000 |
Speak to accredited Study in Ireland Consultants to find the exact tuition fee for your preferred course at the university of your choice.
Scholarships
Scholarship options for international students planning to study abroad in Ireland are plenty across all program levels. There are special scholarship schemes for non-EU candidates and research scholars. The grants are awarded by universities, and the government, besides some private organizations.
The government of Ireland encourages international students to pursue higher studies in the country by floating several financial aid schemes.
- Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships for exceptional students from non-EU/EEA countries pursuing Masters or PhD programs at an accredited Irish institution. The awards are valid for a year. Recipients will receive a stipend of €10,000 and a full tuition and other registration fee waiver at the institution.
- The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship, applicable across all disciplines, is valued at a maximum of €28,000 for the approved year. The award covers an annual stipend of €19,000, a fee waiver of up to €5,750 a year; and direct research expenses of €3,250 a year.
Irish Universities offer a variety of scholarships ranging from €2,000 – €4,000 to deserving international students to study in Ireland. Fee waiver schemes and research allowances of up to €16,000 a year are also available. Meritorious students can avail of the following institutional scholarships and financial aid.
- Trinity College Dublin Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarships
- The University College Dublin Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships
- The University College Dublin Smurfit Business School scholarships
- The University of Limerick International Scholarships
- Maynooth University Academic and Sports Scholarships for Undergraduate Students
- Dublin City University International Student Scholarships
Several private organizations have constituted scholarship funds for international students who wish to research or study in Ireland. One such prestigious award for students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral programs is the Fulbright Scholarship that grants scholarships under different categories
- Open study/research award
- DCU Taught Master’s Program award
- Hugh Lane Gallery Curatorial Award
- RCSI PhD Award
- UCD taught Master’s Program Award
- Peter Real Analog Devices Bernal awards
Cost of Living
Although the cost of living is subject to urban/semi-urban/rural locales and individual lifestyle choices, your major expense in Ireland will be for accommodation. Living in the capital city of Dublin, you’d have to shell out around €1,100 – €1,800 a month, while in Cork, the monthly spend will be around €860 – €1,400. The cost of living in Galway and other smaller cities is much lower at €800 – €1,100.
The overhead-wise estimated living cost while you study in Ireland is presented here.
Particulars | Average Monthly Cost |
Accommodation | On-Campus Boarding: €300 – €650 Off-Campus Single Accommodation: €400 – €900 Off-Campus Sharing Accommodation: €450 – €550 |
Transportation (Availing of discounted transport rates with Student Leap Card) | €50 – €55 |
Food | €250 – €350 |
Utilities | €30 – €50 |
Internet | Up to €60 |
Books and Stationaries | €75 |
Social Activities/ Entertainment | €60 – €100 |
Health Insurance | €45 |
Work Opportunities:
The Post-Study Pathways for international students in Ireland allows third-level graduates who have completed a Level 8 or above degree to stay back to seek employment. Under the Third Level Graduate Program, depending upon your level of study, you can get up to a 24-month extension to your existing student visa with an immigration Stamp 1G.
The maximum visa extension that you can get at different course levels is:
- Level 8 (Honours Degree) – Maximum 12 months
- Level 9 – 10 (Master’s/ PhD) – Maximum 24 months
Please note that even if you are eligible for a 24-month extension, you’d initially get permission for only 12 months. You will have to request a further 12-month extension later.
EEA students do not have any employment restrictions when they study in Ireland. Non-EU/EEA students with a valid Stamp 2 on their visa, an Irish Residence Permit card, and enrolled in a full-time course can take up casual employment.
While you study abroad in Ireland, you can work part-time for 20 hours a week during the school term. During the holidays you can work full time, i.e., 40 hours a week.
Registering with the Irish Taxation Authorities is important for anyone who works for profit in Ireland. This registration is done through a unique reference ID – Personal Public Service (PPS) number. Once you have a work offer with you, you can get your PPS number issued by the relevant authority.
The Irish law ensures that everyone entitled to work in the country enjoys equal workplace rights, irrespective of their nationality, gender, age, disability, and so on. Thus, you have the right to a legal contract, lawful work hours, and salary at or above the minimum wage limit. Except for the following exceptions, the current national minimum wage in Ireland is €11.30 per hour.
Age-limit | Minimum Wage per Hour |
Employees aged 19 | €10.17 |
Employees aged 18 | €9.04 |
Employees aged under 18 | €7.91 |
Climate / Weather:
The Irish climate lacks temperature extremes owing to the warm influence of the Gulf Stream, but at the same time, may feature all four seasonal specialties in a single day. Summing up, while you study in Ireland, you’ll experience a variable climate that is mild and moist with plenty of rainfall.
How to Apply
Admission requirements and deadlines to study in Ireland vary from institution to institution. The common steps involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate admission in the country are listed here.
Explore the universities and their course offerings to find the program of your choice. Review and compare to shortlist a few that you want to apply for.
Check the country-wise program entry requirements and deadlines carefully so that you do not find yourself on the wrong foot after applying. The application process usually starts a year in advance.
Put together all documentation, including academic transcripts, English proficiency test scores, SOP, LORs, etc., and start applying through the Central Applications Office.
Prepare and appear for the admission interview, and upon selection, accept your admission offer so that you can proceed towards visa processing.
Speak to experienced Study in Ireland Consultants to understand the detailed application procedure at your preferred university.
Visa Guidance to Study in Ireland
If you are a non-EEA national planning to study abroad in Ireland, you must enrol in a full-time course, level 6 or above in the NQF, and listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP). If the duration of the course you plan to study in Ireland is less than 3 months, you will be awarded a ‘C study visa’. If your course is longer than 3 months, you should apply for a ‘D study visa’. The average processing time for a student visa to study in Ireland is 8 weeks.
You will need to apply online through the government website along with the following documents.
- Visa Application Form
- Application letter stating why you want to study in Ireland, estimated arrival and departure dates, commitment to not rely on public services and promise to leave Ireland before the immigration permission expires.
- Your current passport with validity for at least 12 months after your planned arrival in Ireland
- Two recent color passport-sized photographs
- Admission Offer Letter from the University
- Your Acceptance and Fee payment details
- Academic transcripts and explanation for gaps, if any, in the academic career
- Proof of English Language Proficiency tests like IELTS Academic with a minimum score of 4.0. If you are taking TOEFL iBT, you need a score of 19 at least.
- Financial Records to prove fund sufficiency (€10,000 annually along with the course fees)
- Medical Insurance
- Previous Visa Refusals, if any.
The Irish Student Visa Application Process
- Step 1: Complete the online application process following the on-screen instructions.
- Step 2: An Application Form is generated complete with the details you entered. Get a printout, sign and date the same and submit it with the required supporting documents.
- Step 3: You may be asked to provide your biometric information as part of the process.
The Visa Application Fees to study in Ireland are:
Single entry: €60
Multi entry: €100
Transit: €25
Seek the advice of proven Study in Ireland Consultants for more information in this context.
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FAQs
Why Study Abroad With UniApplica?
UniApplica covers the basics every Study needs. For everything, Anything.
In general, a Bachelor’s degree in Ireland is 3 years, although one with an Honours component may extend to 4 years. Specific courses like medicine, dentistry, architecture, etc., may be 5 – 6 years. Some modules in your degree are optional and you have the flexibility of customizing your course according to your interests. A recent introduction of fast-track 2-year degrees in the Irish academic system promises students a faster career entry. Talk to the UniApplica Study in Ireland Consultants today to know more about the programs allowing the fast-track option.
In Ireland, a full-time postgraduate program is of 1-year.
The Interim List of Eligible Programs or ILEP includes the following types of programmes or courses:
- English language programs of at least 25 weeks duration
- Higher education programs at levels 6 – 10 in the National Qualification Framework (NQF)
- Professional awards
- Foundation programs
In case the program you are studying is removed from the ILEP after you join, you will be able to complete it as long as you comply with the visa conditions.
Since your student visa to study in Ireland is granted considering the premises of a specific program, permission to change your course during the first year of studies is given only in exceptional circumstances. For such a request, you will have to submit an academic report from the provider, including exam results. You will also have to submit an enrolment letter for the new course you wish to pursue that states why you are suitable to enrol, considering that you have not completed the original program you signed up for.
However, please note that you may not change from a higher-level course to a lower-level one or a degree to a language program.
You will not get a visa extension to retake a full year’s tuition. However, listed here are two circumstances in which you may be allowed to stay back to retake your exams by the Immigration office.
- If you couldn’t appear for your exam due to some unavoidable situation like illness or accident, you may get a visa extension of up to four months to take the exams.
- If you scored sufficiently close to the passing marks in the exams or passed most of the other modules, you may get a visa extension.
Typically, students are not allowed to bring family members with them. Although spouses, partners and children of non-EEA nationals can apply for an Irish visa in their own right, they cannot do so citing their relationship with the student. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, like PhD students or students who can demonstrate adequate funds to support their family in Ireland.
You can consult the Study in Ireland Consultants at UniApplica for more clarity in this regard.
If you are a new student joining an English Language program of a minimum of 8 months, you can get two visa extensions of 8 months each, resulting in a total of 24 months’ stay in the country. To stay beyond the 24 months, you have to sign up for an ILEP-listed higher education program.
To study higher degree programs in Ireland, you can stay up to seven years in the country. Please note that if you have had a previous study tenure in Ireland, it will add up to your total time as a student.
Specific ILEP-listed higher education degrees at NQF Level 7 and above may have an internship/placement component as an integral part of the program, wherein
- The completion of the placement counts for credits and contributes to the final award.
- The placement component of the course doesn’t exceed 50% of the total duration.
- Placement is not in a self-employed capacity.
- Working hours and conditions comply with the provisions of employment laws.
In such scenarios, the institution ensures that the placements are relevant to the area of study. Students are allowed to work more than 20 hours per week in such internships/placements.
The education provider is responsible for:
- assisting students in finding a suitable placement
- issuing a statement where required that the internship is integral to the curriculum and that it doesn’t disrupt the conditions of the Stamp 2 visa permission of the students,
- the welfare of the students during the placement tenure.
Ask the Study in Ireland Consultants at UniApplica about the programs that have an integral internship/placement component.
If you are from one of the EU countries holding a European Health Insurance Card, you can access the country’s public health services for free while you study in Ireland. However, if you are a non-EU student in the country, purchasing medical insurance is mandatory before applying for your visa.
Post graduation in Ireland, if you work in the country for at least 5 years, and hold either a Stamp 1 or Stamp 4 on your passport, you may be considered eligible to apply for the Ireland Permanent Residence Permit.
