International Students

Ireland is a small country that has always depended upon open interaction with the wider world for its prosperity and well-being. Consequently, graduate education and universities are integral to ensuring this open interaction.
Graduate education provides some of the most fruitful and important means of facilitating positive and open interaction allowing nations to share ideas, knowledge, and introduce new ways of thinking. Consequently, graduate research increasingly assumes an international outlook. Many of the questions researchers explore and investigate are international in their scope; climate change, international relations, and global health issues all require an international and multi-disciplinary approach.

Therefore, the recruitment of the best students irrespective of nationality is fundamental to universities’ role as research intensive institutions and their position as leaders in the development of Ireland’s ‘knowledge society’.

Irish universities have a long and established tradition of delivering high quality graduate education. Significant investment since 2000, has allowed Irish universities to increase radically their research capacity to conduct research at the forefront of knowledge and deliver graduate research in increasingly diverse areas.

Ireland’s proximity to continental Europe and Britain provides students with exciting opportunities to participate in significant trans-national exchange programmes and academic projects.

Ireland’ status as an English speaking country with close links to the rest of the English speaking world also provides Irish and international students with unique opportunities to broaden their educational experience and to develop skills beyond the explicitly defined parameters of their research or taught degree programme.

For those considering studying in Ireland there are a number of considerations that require your attention. Please see below a brief description of each and links to further information and resources.

  • Admission requirements
  • Immigration
  • Visas
  • Registration
  • Work and study

Admission requirements

The admission requirements for entry to graduate programmes are a matter for each university. Generally, however, a first degree of at least a second class honours standard or the equivalent is required. If you are unsure of the equivalency of your qualification to that required, please consult the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland’s qualifications recognition section.
All Irish universities require a minimum competency in the English language that allows a student to undertake their studies. Universities use IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or other appropriate resources to determine an applicant’s suitability for a course of study through English. Please see the university contact details provided on this site for further details on admission requirements and procedures.

Immigration

Citizens of European Union member states do not require a visa to study or live in Ireland. If you are not a citizen of an EU, Switzerland or European Economic Area (EEA) country, you will require a study visa to remain in Ireland during your studies.

Visas

You do not require an entry visa to study in Ireland if you are citizen of a European Union member state, Switzerland or the European Economic Area.
The citizens of many other countries do not need an entry visa before coming to Ireland. However, they will need to register as a student to remain for the duration of their studies. The Department of Foreign Affairs website lists those countries whose citizens do not need an entry visa. If you are a national of a country that does require an entry visa to study in Ireland, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service administer the application.
 

Registration

All students who are not a citizen of a European Union member state, Switzerland or the European Economic Area must register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau upon arrival in the country.

To register, a student needs to present the following documents:

  • A valid up to date passport.
  • A letter from the university stating tuition fees have been paid and that you are a registered student.
  • An official bank statement in your own name from an Irish bank showing a minimum balance of €1,000, as evidence that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during the time you are a student in Ireland. An ATM receipt is not acceptable.
  • Evidence of provision for private medical insurance.
  • Application fee of €150 payable by credit /debit card or bank giro only.

An immigration officer interviews all visa applicants and if all your documents are in order the process is usually straightforward; however, the officer is entitled to seek further documentation. Further information is also available from the Irish Council for International Students and Citizens Information Ireland. 

Work and study

Third level graduate scheme
As of April 10 2007, the Irish government has allowed legally resident non-EEA third level graduates to remain in Ireland for the purpose of seeking employment and applying for a green card or work permit. Graduates who have received a primary, masters or doctorate degree from an Irish third level educational institution on or after 1 January 2007 can apply for this scheme. Further information is available here.

Working during you studies
Employment Regulations on the employment of students from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) changed in April 2005. Only students attending a full time course of at least one year's duration leading to a qualification recognised by the Minister for Education and Science will be entitled to take up casual employment (defined as up to twenty hours part-time work per week or full time work during normal college vacation periods). The course you intend to study must be listed on the internationalisation register. You can view this on the Department of Education’s website at www.education.ie