Green will certainly come to mind when you hear of the word Irish, with all the celebrations associated with the Republic of Ireland—most notably St. Patrick’s Day. But beyond the festive celebrations and its proximity to the island of Great Britain, Ireland boasts of rich culture and history.
Ireland is a popular destination not only for its tourist attractions but also for its average cost of living including education. Here, studying can be affordable because of the various scholarships in Ireland for international students. If you are interested in studying here, be ready to prove you can speak English.
Living Costs in Ireland for International Students
Students in Ireland normally shell out around €1000, which can increase to €1000 depending on the rent you can avail, which normally will be student dorms. This estimate already includes the transport pass worth €130 and utilities worth €150 which already includes the internet. For education costs, with the example of University College Dublin, an average year will cost around €20000 to €25000, and upwards that for medical courses.
Can International Students Work in Ireland?
International students can work a maximum of 40 hours per week only from June to September and from 15th December to 15th January under an immigration stamp 2 permission. This will be reduced to only 20 hours per week for the rest of the year. A work permit is not necessary for international students.
Top Universities in Ireland
The top universities in Ireland can be found in its largest cities. The capital Dublin is the home of Trinity College Dublin and the University College Dublin. One of the top medical schools in Ireland, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, is also in Dublin, aside from other international campuses. The city of Cork hosts the University College Cork, while the Maynooth University can be found in its namesake Maynooth, a university town.
Best Scholarships in Ireland
1. Government of Ireland – International Education Scholarships (GOI-IES)
To make higher education in Ireland accessible to the international community, the Irish government established this scholarship program which awards prestigious Ireland scholarships to students from non-EU and non-EEA countries.
Through the government’s Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science, the Higher Education Authority manages this one-year scholarship at the desired eligible higher education institutions in Ireland. These institutions include the top universities in Ireland including UCD, UCC, and TCD.
To be eligible for the scholarships, students must be high-caliber students and must be able to secure an acceptance to any of the eligible universities. Since the scholarship is for one year only, the student must also be studying full-time for the duration of the scholarship. This one study year may be any of the following:
- Undergraduates: final year
- Master’s: any one year of the program
- Research: any one year of the program, regardless if it is a 2-, 3-, or 4-year program
Students who will be chosen will be able to enjoy a €10,000 scholarship stipend. This will cover the student costs and living costs and will be provided in two installments to the chosen institution, which in turn will provide the necessary funds to the student. A full tuition fee waiver for any study or discipline is also provided to the student.
2. Ireland Fellows Program
If sustainable development is included in your objectives in your career or just in principle, Ireland has implemented this fellowship program for master’s students to specifically focus on these international policies and development goals. The fellowship program is available to a wide range of countries for a wide range of eligible courses. These include African countries, Palestine, Vietnam, South Africa, Small Island Developing States, and Southeast Asia.
For the student to be eligible for this Ireland scholarship, they should have proof of English proficiency. This could be from IELTS, ITP, or TOEFL; even a Duolingo English Test is acceptable. The international student should also be residing in the country of and may either be required to have working experience or not depending on the country of origin. They can choose from around 30 eligible universities and other institutions in Ireland to pursue their master’s degrees.
Students with leadership potential and who are leaned towards sustainability, capacity building, climate change, women’s rights, and conflict resolution are the target students of this program, as the knowledge they will obtain may help them for nation-building when they return home. The fellowship program will be a full scholarship, covering tuition fees, flight tickets, accommodation costs, and living costs.
3. University College Dublin Scholarships
One of the top universities in Ireland, the University College Dublin is providing various Ireland scholarships, some of which are available to international students. To be considered, the students must first be accepted in an eligible program in the UCD. One scholarship is the UCD Global Excellence Scholarship, a merit scholarship for undergraduate and graduate students. The UCD is opening limited tuition fee scholarships which may either be partially (50%) or fully funded, under non-EU rates. A specialized scholarship called the V.V. Giri Global Excellence Scholarship is open to Indian nationals living in India.
Another way to obtain a scholarship to the UCD is by applying for the UCD International Study Center (ISC) International Foundation Year (IFY) Joint Scholarship. Only five (5) students will be accepted into this scholarship program—one student each from the following regions:
- Southeast Asia
- East Asia (China not eligible)
- Africa
- Levant (Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon)
- Russia
If there is more than one eligible candidate per region, the determining factor will be academic achievements. Regarding coverage of the scholarship, the UCD ISC will be funding €3,000 for the initial year (the IFY), after which a tuition fee scholarship ranging from €2,000 to €4,000 will be provided for the remainder of the program. Eligible programs include those under business, humanities, and engineering.
4. Trinity College Dublin Scholarships
Aside from the UCD, another top university offering scholarships for international students is Trinity College Dublin (TCD). One such Ireland scholarship is the E3 Balanced Solutions for a Better World Undergraduate Scholarship. Twenty scholarships worth €4,000 per year for the entire duration of the undergraduate program are being offered by the TCD. Aside from this, one-year scholarships ranging from €2,000 to €4,000 are also up for grabs.
For students interested in taking up the joint degrees Computer Science & Geography and Environmental Science & Engineering are eligible to apply for the scholarship worth €10,000 during the first year and €4,000 in the subsequent years of the degree.
Students of India, the US, and China (Claddagh Scholarship) have their respective country-specific scholarships which include a €5,000 tuition fee discount for the first year of their full-time undergraduate degree. For the rest of the international students, they can avail themselves of the Global Excellence Undergraduate Scholarships with perks like those stated above. To be eligible, excellent academic records are necessary.
5. The Lilly Research Scholarships
The University College Cork, located in Ireland’s second-largest city, provides this highly competitive research scholarship in Ireland. For students trying to apply for Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology postgraduate research degrees, the UCC has implemented this scholarship to promote interdisciplinary research at the university. In this regard, a pre-approved research topic should come with the scholarship application. Only two candidates will be successfully accepted.
The scholarship includes waived tuition fees, a yearly allowance of €16,000, and €6,000 allotted for laboratory reagents and consumables.
