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Study in Ireland

English-speaking EU destination with a ten-level qualifications framework.

Overview

Ireland is an English-speaking EU destination, and two things about its system decide more for international applicants than anything else. Qualifications sit on the National Framework of Qualifications, a ten-level scale maintained by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, and the level of your award matters more than its name - an Ordinary Bachelor Degree and an Honours Bachelor Degree are different NFQ levels with different consequences. Separately, your immigration permission depends on whether your course appears on the official eligible-programmes list, and that list is currently being replaced.

Education system

The National Framework of Qualifications runs from Level 1 to Level 10. In higher education: a Higher Certificate is Level 6, normally two years and 120 ECTS; an Ordinary Bachelor Degree is Level 7, normally three years and 180 ECTS; an Honours Bachelor Degree is Level 8, normally three or four years and 180 to 240 ECTS, with longer programmes in fields such as architecture, dentistry and medicine. A Masters Degree is Level 9 - a taught Masters is normally one to two years and 60 to 120 ECTS, while a research Masters is typically two years and is not credit rated. A Doctoral Degree is Level 10, typically at least three years, with no credit volume attached. Entry to Level 9 normally expects an Honours Bachelor Degree, which is why the Level 7 and Level 8 distinction matters when you plan ahead.

Popular courses

Computer ScienceBusinessPharmaceuticalsData Science

How tuition works

Tuition is set per course by each institution and revised annually, so no national figure is published here. Take it from the fee information on your specific course page.

How living costs work

Living costs depend far more on the city than on the country, and are often the larger half of the total. Build an estimate from current rent, transport and food figures for the city you are considering.

Admission requirements

Requirements are set per course and expressed against the NFQ level you are applying to. The Central Applications Office, which handles undergraduate applications, instructs applicants who hold qualifications other than the Irish Leaving Certificate or a QQI FET award to contact the higher education institution before applying - which covers essentially every applicant qualified outside Ireland. Start with the institution's admissions or international office rather than assuming the standard route applies to you.

English-language requirements

Programmes are taught in English, and institutions set their own evidence requirements per course. Accepted tests and the level required differ between courses at the same university, so take the requirement from your course's own admissions page rather than from any national figure.

Main intakes

Intake timing and application windows are set by each institution and differ between courses, and the undergraduate and postgraduate routes do not run to the same calendar. Check the dates on the admissions page for the specific course you want.

Application process

Undergraduate applications are handled centrally by the Central Applications Office, but the CAO directs applicants without an Irish Leaving Certificate or QQI FET award to contact the institution first, so international applicants should confirm their route with the institution before applying. Postgraduate applications are generally made directly to the university or college. Confirm which applies to your level and qualification with the institution's international office.

Scholarship options

Government-linked and institutional scholarship schemes exist, and both eligibility and value change from year to year. Check the current round on the institution's own pages and on the national Education in Ireland portal rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere.

Work rights

Immigration Service Delivery states that students holding the relevant permission may take casual employment of up to 20 hours per week during term and up to 40 hours per week during holiday periods, subject to conditions. Checked 2026-08-31. These conditions are set nationally and do change, so confirm the terms attached to your own permission before taking any work.

Student-visa overview

Whether you need a visa before travelling depends on your nationality, but the permission you hold once you arrive depends on your course. Immigration Service Delivery grants Stamp 2 for full-time study on a course that appears on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes, and Stamp 2A for full-time study on a course that is not on that list - the two carry different conditions, and Stamp 2 is not reckonable as residence when applying for citizenship by naturalisation. The ILEP is being superseded by TrustEd Ireland, a statutory quality mark awarded by Quality and Qualifications Ireland: providers recruiting students who need study visas must ultimately hold that authorisation. Because this is mid-transition, confirm your provider's current status before you commit.

⚠️ Immigration policies change frequently and vary by nationality. This is general information only — always confirm on the official government website.

Official student-visa source ↗

Post-study opportunities

Arrangements for graduates to remain in Ireland after completing a programme are set in immigration policy and are revised periodically. Check the current terms and eligibility with Immigration Service Delivery rather than relying on a period quoted elsewhere.