Study in Ireland

Whilst Ireland is considered to be a relatively safe place to live, students are advised to exercise caution when walking home alone in the evenings, particularly in the more urbanised areas. From November through to February it can get dark as early as 4.30pm. The colleges themselves will be able to brief students on the personal safety issues relative to their particular area.
Despite increasing urbanisation and the difficulties historically associated with the conflict in Northern Ireland, personal safety is generally very high and there is a low level of violent crime.


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.



Choosing the right accommodation is as important as picking the right course. You'll have to think about cost, location, and facilities. 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.

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.

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).

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.

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.