Why study a Bachelor or Master in Ireland

Study in Ireland

With some of the best universities all over the world, there are many reasons why you should study in Ireland. The Irish culture is also unique and renowned all over the world. Read on to find out why you should study in Ireland and how much it will cost you to do so. 

Why should you study in Ireland?

From the standard of education to the Irish people and culture, here’s why you should choose to study in Ireland. 

Education

Irish universities are highly ranked and among the best in the world. They have seven universities that are in the top rankings and focus on cutting edge research and communication with other global partners and universities. 

Irish culture

The Irish culture is a unique culture worldwide and the Irish people are truly proud to be Irish. They also love sharing their culture with others, especially international students from across the globe. Even though the country is a small one that has a low population of only five million, around 70 million people worldwide say that their roots are Irish. Studying there means you’ll be immersed in the Irish culture and have friends from all over the world. 

Safety

Safety is another reason why you should go study in Ireland. The country is in the top 20 countries for quality of life, safety and peace. A lot of the population are also young, which means you’ll be able to make a lot of friends. For example, one-third of the population is younger than 25. More than 35,000 international students go to Ireland to study from over 161 countries. 

Good potential career 

Studying in Ireland is also a great option when it comes to starting your career. This is because Ireland ranks in the top ranks for quality of education. This education prepares students to work in any type of economy. There’s also significant knowledge transfer between universities and multinational companies. 

 

How much does it cost?

Studying in Ireland, when compared to other European countries like the UK or France, is relatively affordable. For undergraduate courses, you can expect to pay between 2,250 and 9,000 euros annually. For postgraduate courses, students pay between 4,000 to 35,000 euros per year, on average. For example, regular master’s degrees cost between 4,000 and 9,000 euros per year, while MBA programs cost from 20,000 to 35,000 euros. English language courses, for students who want to improve their English language skills, cost from 150 to 950 euros. 

Living in Ireland

When it comes to costs of living, you should take into account both accommodation costs and other costs of living. You can expect to pay around 2,000 euros per month if you are living in an expensive city like Dublin or Cork. Read on to learn more about how much it’ll cost you to live and study in Ireland. 

 

Accommodation

In Ireland, international students typically choose between on-campus dorms or off-campus rentals. There are many options for on-campus housing and also for off campus dorms so you should look into each type to see which one is more suitable for you. This section gives you an overview of each of the main two types of housing. 

On Campus Dormitories

The first option for accommodation is on-campus housing. This type of accommodation is good for students who want to stay with university classmates and really experience college life. It’ll also let them mingle with other international students and enjoy student life. They’ll get their own room with access to on-campus facilities like libraries, labs and cafeterias, which make it a very easy living option. 

 

When it comes to this type of accommodation, students can stay in rooms, hostels or apartments on campus. How much it will cost depends on the services offered, how big the room is and the location where the campus is. 

In general, normal dorm rooms cost around 500 euros a month if you are in a private room and around 300 euros if you are in a shared room.

Off-Campus rentals

The second option for international students is off-campus rentals. These are a better option for those who want to have more space and privacy. These private accommodation options may be apartments, whether private or shared or Homestays.

This option might be cheaper and more flexible than on-campus options. A single room rental may cost an average of 200 euros monthly, with an extra 30 euros to pay for utilities. If you are sharing a room, you’ll pay an average of 130 euros per month. 

Other costs of living

When it comes to other costs of living, you can expect to pay around 180 euros for utilities per month, in addition to 35 euros for the internet. You will also need to pay around 180 euros for unlimited transportation, though you may be able to get a student discount for this. Groceries will cost you around 500 euros per month while health insurance will cost you around 80 euros a month. 

 

Universities in Ireland

There are several top-ranked universities in Ireland and different kinds of degrees available at them. This section talks in detail about the best universities in Ireland so that you can know which one to choose if you are considering studying there. 

 

Degrees available

When it comes to degrees available at universities on an undergraduate level, students can choose to study for bachelor’s or honours bachelor’s degrees. There are master’s and doctoral degrees available on a postgraduate level. 

When talking about technical universities, they have different degree types available. For example, they offer Higher Certificates and Ordinary Bachelor degrees, as well as Honours Bachelor degrees. On a post-graduate level, they offer students postgraduate diplomas and higher doctorate degrees.

Top-ranked universities

Ireland has 8 universities with more than 35,000-degree programs. Many international students come to Ireland every year to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees at the awesome universities there. 

 

Trinity College Dublin 

Location: Dublin

 

Also known as the University of Dublin, this university was founded in 1592. It is one of the oldest seven universities in Britain and Ireland. It has many facilities, including a large library and innovative sports facilities. 

 

The university has 17,000 students attending its three faculties. These three faculties have twenty three schools and different subjects to study in the fields of art, humanities, social sciences, engineering, math, science and health science. 

University College Cork

Location: Cork 

The University College Cork was founded in 1845 in Cork, which is the second biggest city in Ireland after Dublin.  The campus is modern and beautiful with an advanced infrastructure. The university focuses on values such as  innovation and creativity. 

University College Cork has four schools with 120 degrees. These schools are the school of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, school of Science, Engineering and Food Science, school of Medicine and Health and finally, the school of Business and Law.

Dublin City University

Location: Dublin

Dublin City University is another great university ranked highly. It was founded in 1975 and was ranked 19th all over the world. The university has more than 12,000 students attending, around 20 per cent of them being international students which means that choosing to study there will give you a lot of diversity.

The university has many degree programs in diverse areas of subjects. The school is divided into four schools: the school of humanities, the school of social sciences, the school of education, the school of science and health and the school of engineering and computing. 

University of Limerick 

Location: Limerick

The University of Limerick is another highly ranked university that was established in 1972. It is considered one of the elite universities in Ireland, with more than 15,000 students attending it. 

The university offers great degrees in a wide range of subjects ranging from Arts to Business to Science and Engineering, among many other disciplines. 

National University of Ireland

Location: Galway 

The National University of Ireland is a great school, ranking in the top 1 per cent of universities around the world. The institution was founded in 1845 in the Irish city of Galway.

The university has a great landscape and a wonderful location. The school has more than 17,000 students with 12 per cent of them being international students. The university has truly embraced Irish culture with subjects and courses aimed specifically at international students to teach them about Irish culture and history. 

The university also has a great variety of courses in many fields. It has four schools on campus for students to choose degrees from College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, College of Business, Public Policy, and Law, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science and College of Science and Engineering. 

Student Visa - Ireland

As in any other country, you may need a student visa to study in Ireland. There are different types of study visas available for students. The short-stay visa, which is called the Type C visa is offered to students who will pursue courses in Ireland that last less than 3 months. However, if you intend to attend a course or degree program longer than that, you’ll need to apply for a long-stay visa, which is also called a type D visa. 

Check Eligibility

Before finding out how to apply for a visa, you should check if you need one. You don’t need an Irish study visa if you are a student from the EU area, plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. You also don’t need one if you have a travel document issued by an EEA member country. You also don’t need a visa if you have an EEA country residence visa because of a family member. Finally, if you have a short stay visa to the UK, you also don’t need one.

How to Apply 

You should apply for a study visa from the country where you have legal residence, at least three months before your travel date. 

 

There are three steps when applying for a student visa in Ireland: 

1. Fill in the visa application online
2. Pay the application fee
3. Send off your passport and other required documents to be processed

Student Visa Requirements 

If you want to study in Ireland, there are certain required documents that you’ll need to hand in with your student visa application:

• Two passport-sized pictures, following necessary photo description requirements
• A valid passport or identification document
• Proof that you can financially support yourself, with at least 7,000 euros available per year
• Copies of any old passports
• Proof that you have accommodation, whether a lease or hotel/hostel booking 
• An address where the authorities can send back your passport and other documents.
• English language proficiency proof such as TOEFL or IELTS or C1 certificate
• Medical insurance coverage of at least 25,000 EUR for emergencies

How to apply - Ireland

If you want to apply for undergraduate or graduate degrees in Ireland, you’ll need to apply directly to the degree program through the website of university via an application form. Otherwise, you might have to download the application form and send it yourself. Read on to learn more about what you need to apply to a university in Ireland. 

 

Required documents 

The first requirement to be able to apply to a university in Ireland is a good English language. Because all degrees are in English, having a high level of English proficiency is essential. In order to prove this, you’ll need to show that your native language is English or that you studied in an English language institution whether for your high school or Bachelor’s degree. You can also submit the results of an approved English language proficiency test like IELTS, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, PTE Academics or TOEFL exams.

 

Other requirements will depend on the degree you are applying to or the university you have chosen. They are mostly proof of your identity and documents relating to your previous academic studies, whether high school degrees or bachelor’s degrees, depending on the degrees you are applying to.

 

For example, you may need to hand in your high school diploma, grades or standardized test scores, in addition to bachelor’s ones (if you are applying for a master’s degree). You may also need to submit writing materials like samples or personal essays or recommendation letters.

 

Deadlines for applying 

Deadlines for applying vary based on the university you are applying for, though most of them are around the end of March. This means the application opens sometime around October so you should keep your eye out for the application period for the degree you want to apply to. You’ll need to confirm you are attending by the start of May if you get accepted to your degree program and want to join. Starting July is the second wave deadline for new spots that have been released. 

Scholarship in Ireland

Ireland has many scholarships for international students to help them be able to study in Ireland by decreasing the costs they need to pay.

Scholarships to watch for 

• National University of Ireland (NUI) Grant Scheme for Students with Disabilities provides financial support for undergraduate
• National Council for Blind Ireland (NCBI) Gerard Byrne Bursary offer students the value of 1,500 EUR annually.
• The Society of St Vincent de Paul Education also provides financial support.
• UNIVERSITY Higher Education Scholarships for Adult Learners
• Erasmus+
• UCC Excellence Scholarships
• Naughton Scholarships
• Trinity College Dublin Scholarships
• UCD Sutherland School of Law
• University of Limerick Scholarships
• IAA Geoffrey O’Byrne White Memorial funding for International Students

Scholarship Eligibility

In order to be able to apply for Irish scholarships, you must fulfil the following requirements: 

• Proof of English proficiency level 
• Excellent previous academic grades in High school or Bachelor’s studies
• Be in good Health

Other requirements may apply based on the specific scholarship so be sure to look into the scholarship you are applying to so that you make sure you have fulfilled the requirements so you are eligible to apply.

Application steps 

1. You must register online via the Irish Research Council website and complete the registration form.  
2. You will receive a confirmation email that gives you your username and password that you should access the online system through, using the username and password given. 
3. Finally, create and edit your application for the scholarship you have chosen before the application deadline and submit it through the portal.