Thursday, 01.01.1970
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why study in Ireland?
Ireland is an English speaking country with a long tradition of providing education for international students dating back many years. In the twenty-first century, the Irish education system still retains its high standards and international reputation. The Irish government has recently invested hundreds of millions of euro to further improve our schools, colleges and universities. There are many specialist centres at Irish universities and institutes of technology, which have cutting edge facilities and technologies to provide the skills and training which students need to gain the skills and experience necessary to gain high value employment after graduation.
2. What qualifications are available?
The three types of qualification available at undergraduate level in Ireland are honours bachelor degrees, ordinary bachelor degrees and higher certificates. Postgraduate qualifications from Irish universities include Masters degrees and PhDs. Other awards, such as English language programmes and more vocational based courses, are also on offer in Ireland.
3. Are Irish third level qualifications recognised globally?
All third level qualifications are overseen by HETAC (the Higher Education and Training Awards Council) and the quality and standard of Irish undergraduate awards is fully recognised around the world.
4. How much will it cost?
Students who are not citizens of an EU country have to pay tuition fees at Irish universities. These fees vary from institution to institution and course to course. Undergraduate fees can range from approximately €10,000 to €30,000. English language course fees are much lower.
5. What are the visa requirements?
Students from the EU/EEA (the EU + Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and many other countries worldwide (including the USA, Australia, Israel, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Canda and Japan) do not require a student visa to study in Ireland. Other international students will need a student visa to take up a place at an Irish college or university. The list of countries whose citizens require visas is online at the Irish government website: www.citizensinformation.ie.
6. Can I work in Ireland?
Maybe. EU/EEA (the EU + Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) students are free to work in Ireland. Citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA, who are attending full time courses of at least a year leading to a recognised qualification, are permitted to work part-time (defined as up to 20 hours a week and full-time during holidays).
7. How can I find somewhere to live?
Most colleges have dedicated staff, whose job it is to help international students find somewhere to stay. They will provide you with a base to start your search, lists of properties which other students have used in the past, and good advice. College noticeboards, other students, websites such as www.daft.ie and local newspapers are also very useful.
8. Do I need to be able to speak English?
Yes, English is the language of instruction at the vast majority of study and research programmes at all Irish higher education institutions. Students for whom English is not their first language usually have to demonstrate a certain proficiency in English (e.g. pass the Cambridge, JMB, IELTS, TOEFL or GCSE tests) before being accepted onto a higher education course.
9. Can I learn English in Ireland?
Of course. English language schools in Ireland offer a very wide range of different English language course programmes, which have been developed to cater for the requirements of different students. All levels of proficiency are welcome, from those who do not yet speak any English at all to those who wish to prepare for recognized qualifications to prove their high level of English language proficiency.
10. Are there many international students in Ireland?
Yes. Officially there are over 25,000 international students at third level in Ireland, with about 15,000 of these from non-EU countries. This does not include the many students who are studying English language courses in Ireland, or those who moved to Ireland earlier in life and are now studying at college or university.
