study in Ireland

7 key benefits of studying in Ireland:  

• Excellent academic standards
• Earn while you learn
• Costs are reasonable
• Comfort with the language
• Work opportunities after studies
• Be a part of international alumni
• Get practical skills and technical knowhow

Ireland is among the most popular study destinations for international students across the world. Being an English-speaking country, Ireland offers high-quality international qualifications, and for international students, the ability to work part-time while studying abroad. Another key reason for many international students choosing Ireland as a popular study abroad destination is the 24-months stay back period offered by the country. This, combined with the booming Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, makes Ireland one of the most-preferred countries for students aspiring to study abroad. The Irish Education System also enables students to find suitable jobs with large multinational companies in the technology and management sectors.  Ireland, thus, makes an excellent study abroad destination, primarily due to the quality of its education system, but also because it’s a resourceful European country that is playing a key role in the advancement of information and communication technology industries.

International students pursuing a degree at an Irish University are eligible to stay back in the country post the completion of their course for up to 12 months. This permission to remain in Ireland is offered under the Third Level Graduate Scheme of the Irish Government. This scheme allows non-EU/EEA/international students successfully graduating from Irish higher education institutions to stay in the country and seek employment for a period of up to 2 years. During this period, international students are free to stay in Ireland and look for full-time or part-time work opportunities. This work permit helps international students seek employment relevant to their degree program and gain vital

Average graduate annual incomes in Ireland range from €35,000 to €90,000.

Average living costs for international students in Ireland range from- €10,800 to €19,000 per year.

The Irish Economy is one of the fastest-growing European economies and a haven for communication and information technology, pharmaceuticals, digital gaming and healthcare industries. Poised to become a European powerhouse, some of Ireland’s most popular jobs are:

• Automation Engineer
• Data Scientist
• Project Managers
• Healthcare Professionals
• Financial Accountants
• Financial Services Professionals
• Software Engineers
• Gaming Professionals
• App Developers (Java/C++/SQL/Python)

Ireland is a popular study abroad destination among international students because of the flexibility to work part-time during studies. This enables students to earn while they are studying and also allows them to build networks that may be helpful in the future, when they look for full-time jobs. Moreover, the minimum wage for part-time workers is at par with other developed European countries.

Here's a look at how international students studying in Ireland can avail of part-time work, and what parameters they should adhere to while applying for part-time jobs in the country.

The Irish Student Visa allows international (non-EU/EEA) students to work part-time, given they adhere to certain regulations. Ireland follows Stamp numbers to differentiate study visas. For instance, international students who are granted Visa Stamp 2 are free to take up part-time occupation in Ireland. On the contrary, international students issued with the Visa Stamp 2A cannot work part-time in Ireland while they are studying. Let us understand this in detail:

An international student holding a valid Visa Stamp 2 can avail of part-time work in Ireland for up to 20 hours per week during the academic session (lecture period). Also, such students can seek full-time work for up to 40 hours per week, from May to August, and from 15th December to 15th January. These months constitute vacation periods in Ireland and hence, allow international students to even work full-time. This offers them the flexibility to balance their studies with work experience and earn money, which could be used to pay for living expenses. However, it is important to note that students must not rely on part-time jobs alone to pay for their living expenses.

Ireland is among the most-targeted study abroad destinations in the world by international students. The primary reason behind this fact is the quality of higher education institutions in the country. Ireland is home to seven highly-ranked public universities, which attract international students to its shores. Majority of the Irish universities offer three faculties - Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Engineering, Mathematics and Sciences; and Health Sciences. This offers a wide range of subject areas for international students to choose from. Among the public universities in Ireland, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin (UCD) are ranked among top 200 Universities in the World, according to the QS Rankings 2021.

Several reputed private Irish universities, like the Dublin Business School, also attract many international students every year, including from India. In addition to this, several Irish Universities offer courses at offshore campus locations, such as Hong Kong. This provides international students the opportunity to study at multiple study-abroad destinations during the period of their programme. Ireland competes with the conventional study abroad destinations like the United States of America and the United Kingdom in terms of quality of teaching, post-study employment opportunities and the overall quality of life.

The eligibility criteria to study in Ireland is at par with the global standards for entry into various undergraduate and postgraduate programs. For entry into an undergraduate program at a university in Ireland, a minimum score of 60% is required in XII Standard, which varies across disciplines and subject areas. Ireland offers several integrated Foundation and Diploma programs for students scoring 50% in XII Standard to ensure maximum accessibility for students from international education systems. The minimum age requirement for a UG program for a student is 18 years. For entry into postgraduate programs in Ireland, students are expected to have achieved a minimum of 55% in their undergraduate degree programs. In addition to the academic requirements, international students are also required to take an English language exam and achieve minimum scores to be eligible for admissions. Valid IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) scores are widely accepted as proof of English language proficiency by Irish universities. Ireland, being an English-speaking country, attracts a wide range of talented students from across the world. Therefore, admissions into some of Ireland’s top universities are highly competitive. Students aspiring to apply at Irish universities must be prepared with their documents beforehand and apply early to receive positive responses.

For higher education in Ireland, entry into ordinary undergraduate and honours programs for eligible international students (Non-EU students) is commonly obtained through the CAO – Central Applications Office. CAO is the centralized university application management service for most of the Irish universities. However, some universities also accept direct applications for certain UG courses. CAO allows prospective students to apply to multiple universities at a time, instead of sending out individual applications to the universities. For admissions into postgraduate programs, prospective international students apply directly to the universities of their choice, without the involvement of CAO. Some Irish universities may require students to apply through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC), an application management tool adopted by a notable number of Irish institutions of higher education. 

The academic year in Ireland is similar to other popular European study destinations such as the UK and Germany. There are two major intakes for admissions in UG and PG courses in Ireland. The Autumn intake commences in September, whereas the Spring intake is in February every year. The applications for Autumn intake are generally opened in November, which gives a ten-month window for aspiring students to submit applications and receive decisions. This makes Ireland a flexible study abroad destination for international students. In addition to these intakes, a few universities may accept student enrolments throughout the year.

Here’s a list of documents that the Indian students would need for applying to  Irish universities:

• Academic transcripts and degree certificates: marksheets of 10th and 12th standard, school leaving certificate, a Bachelor’s degree (for admissions into PG programs).
• A valid score in an internet-based English Language Test - TOEFL or IELTS scores.
• Two professional letters of recommendation (LoR) from an employer/supervisor/manager who you have been associated with for your work experience. The individual must be able to comment on your abilities as a professional, team player, and communication skills. 
• A good-quality Statement of Purpose (SoP) written by the student that is grammatically accurate, well-structured and reflects motivation, ability, experience and thought. 
• A crisp CV or Academic Resume tailored for the course/program applied for.
• An Art/Design Portfolio (in case of students applying for art and design courses or architecture courses)
• Proof of funds reflecting the availability of funds to support study expenses and living costs 
• A valid health insurance
• A copy of a valid passport
• Application Fee for CAO/Direct Applications (varies)

You must keep in mind that any documents that are not available in English, must be translated and certified by your educational institution or notary public before being sent to the university.