Study in IRELAND
Why Study in Ireland?
Ireland is associated with an immensely rich history regarding educational institutions and is a European Union member country that has the majority of English speaking population. In 2019, Ireland was listed #16 among the happiest nations worldwide by the United Nations. Booming tremendously, the economy of Ireland is ranked 6th in terms of competitiveness globally. Moreover, there are more than 1000 companies’ headquarters located in Ireland.
The Ireland government has immensely spent an excellent deal on the educational facilities in the country, resulting in a fully equipped education system. About 35,000 international students from more than 160 countries admire the vibrant culture and lifestyle Ireland has to offer. Furthermore, the majority of foreign students in Ireland are from America, India, Malaysia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and China. So, if you’re planning to study overseas, health care courses are a prime career choice among various students. Thus, consult professional advisors like Divine EAC to be well-aware of the course requirements, availability of universities, visa requirements, and a lot more.
Besides many other reasons to study in Ireland, safety is the most prominent one. The country is usually considered safe, with almost no violent cases against international ethnic minorities studying in Ireland. According to the government of Ireland, students are permitted to stay in the country for a year or two after they have finished their courses to search for employment in Ireland. Get free study abroad counseling and be prepared to start a promising career.
Popular Student Friendly Cities in Ireland
Galway
Dublin
Limerick
Maynooth
Cork
Popular Universities in the Ireland
Education system in Ireland
In Ireland, institutes of technology, universities and colleges of education inclusively established a portion of higher education institutions. Check out the table below to be familiar with the main factors related to these:
| Universities | Colleges | Institutes of Technology |
|---|---|---|
| 8 in number and State-funded | Most have direct links with universities assisting accreditation qualifications | 11 institutes of technology |
| Generally autonomous | Some also present Quality and Qualifications Ireland accreditation | Engineering, CS, Business, Catering related courses |
| Offer Ordinary Bachelors and Honours Bachelor’s degree, Masters, Doctoral degrees | Provide Professional Vocational training and Business-related courses, Postgraduate diploma | Offer Higher Certificates, Ordinary Bachelors, Honours Bachelors, Postgraduate Diploma, Some offer Doctoral degrees as well |
All the courses that are rated under the National Framework Qualification (NFQ) network are internationally recognized professional courses. They are quality assured by the Irish government. Besides courses, you must know the steps to go abroad for study that can help you start your career.
Moreover, there are six primary kinds of awards available to study in Ireland. All of these are given below:
- NFQ Level 8: Honours Bachelor Degree (3-4 years duration)
- NFQ Level 8: Higher Diploma (1-year duration)
- NFQ Level 9: Postgraduate Diploma (1-year duration)
- NFQ Level 7: Ordinary Bachelor Degree (3 years duration)
- NFQ Level 9: Masters Degree (1-2 years duration)
- NFQ Level 9: Masters Degree (1-2 years duration)
- NFQ Level 10: Doctoral Degree (about 4-years duration)
Apart from these, some degree program courses that result in any of the awards are given below:
- Ordinary Bachelor Degree
- Higher Diploma (on finishing an Honours Bachelor Degree)
- Honors Bachelor Degree
- Masters Degree
- Postgraduate Diploma (on finishing an Honours Bachelor Degree)
- Doctoral degree
In Ireland, an international student can only go higher on the NFQ network and not lower. Hence, if you plan to change courses, you can do so for higher-level courses and in relatively rare cases, under the same level. For more detailed information, consult an overseas education consultant at Divine EAC who will guide and inform you all about the courses.
Study Abroad Programs in Ireland
Once you know the process of applying for studying abroad, availability of courses and universities and other relevant information, studying in Ireland is not a dream anymore.
Besides Masters in education, all these courses will be incredibly beneficial all over the world. These are the best courses to study abroad as they are usually for establishing a promising career in Ireland.
To pursue any of these top courses, ensure to get in touch with overseas consultants at Divine EAC for more relevant information.
Admission Process to Study in Ireland
● The admission process and requirements to start a career in Ireland depends on individual universities/colleges.
● It’s crucial to keep in mind that the same university may have different eligibility criteria and other requirements for different courses.
● In most cases, like studying graduate courses in Medicine, you need to clear an entrance examination (GAMSAT).
● Most importantly, academic prerequisites also vary with every university to study a bachelor’s course. Generally, a diploma is also accepted as fitting the bare minimum entry requirement.
● For undergraduate aspirants who plan to study Medicine in Ireland, it’s recommended to connect with abroad education consultants as they can help you contact the International office of your desired college.
| Exam Title | Required Results For UG | Required Marks For PG |
|---|---|---|
| Irish Leaving Certificate in English | Ordinary level grade D | Ordinary level grade D |
| GCE O-Level English Language | Grade C | Grade C |
| TOEFL | – | 220 (computer-based test) 550 (paper-based test) |
| GCE O-Level English Language | Grade C | Grade C |
| IELTS | A band score of 6.0-6.5 with no less than 6.0 band in any one component | A band score of 6.0-6.5 with no less than 6.0 band in any one component |
| University of Cambridge | Pass in Use of English Examination | Pass in Use of English Examination |
| Cambridge Advanced | Grade A | Grade C |
| Cambridge Proficiency | Grade C | Grade C |
| ETAPP | Grade C1 | Grade C1 |
| ARELS oral examinations | Pass | Pass |
| PTE Academic | Minimum score of 36 | Minimum score of 63 |
Normally, the following are the basic requirements to get admission in Irish institutions:
● IELTS 6.5 & above
● GRE may be required
● Research proposals for Masters and Ph.D. admissions are needed.
For further information on the admission process, ensure to get adequate online consulting from experts at Divine EAC.
Cost of Attendance in Ireland for Indian Students
VISA Process To Study Abroad in Ireland
- Remember to apply for a study visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to Ireland.
- The course that you’re planning to pursue must be added to the Internationalisation Register administered by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) (Visit www.nqai.ie for more information) and is a part of the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP).
- The maximum time period you may stay in Ireland to do courses at degree level is restricted to seven years.
- You must apply for a visa to study in Ireland via the Irish Embassy in India.
- If you aim to pursue studies for more than 3 months, you will need a kind ‘D’ visa.
The step-by-step procedure to apply for a visa to study in Ireland is given below:
It’s suggested to visit the official link of the Irish Government website to understand how to apply to study abroad, right from knowing which visa to apply for to vital instruction on planning travel to Ireland. Check out the overview mentioned below:
1. Finish the online application form
2. Go through the Irish Embassy details where your documentation needs to be delivered.
3. Add a passport-sized photo.
4. Ensure your passport is valid for at least 12 months.
5. Pay the necessary application fee.
6. Pay your visa fee and other required charges for booking appointments.
7. Give a signed letter of application that clearly explains why you need the visa.
8. An acceptance letter from the Irish college, university or school, supporting that you are accepted and enrolled on a course of full-time education, including a minimum of 15 hours of well-organized daytime tuition every week.
9. This letter should have your name (the applicant) and verify the title/duration of the course.
10. It must confirm the amount of fees payable for your course and that the amount has already been paid.
11. If your chosen college has taken medical insurance on your behalf, details of this must be added in this letter of acceptance. If the university does not arrange it, you should arrange it yourself and offer proof of your application.
12. Ensure to keep copies of all your documents submitted.
13. Go through the list of all documents required to apply for a Visa.
14. Some extra registration fees of EUR 3000 are necessary.
15. After you reach Ireland, you must register with the GNIB. The GNIB will issue a residence permit/GNIB card. The fee for this card is around 300 Euros.
The required fees for Irish visas is mentioned in the table below:
| Kind Of Entry | Fees |
|---|---|
| Single entry | INR 4100 |
| Multi entry | INR 6800 |
| Transit Visa | INR 1700 |
| VFS Service charges for other nationals | INR 1700 |
Necessary language proficiency scores
- The English language proficiency, through these tests, are complously visa prerequisites.
- Although, the lower limits of the scores of visa issuance and admittance into the university/college will vary most of the time.
- The minimum requirements for visa issuance includes:
- IELTS Academic: 5.0 minimum score
- TOEFL: Minimum score of: 173 (Computer-based), 61 (Internet-based), 500 (Paper-based)
For further information related to this, do take assistance from a study abroad consultant at Divine EAC.
Visa Processing Time
- General student processing takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks.
- Through approval in principle scheme, the processing time takes 5 to 7 weeks.
Approval in Principle Scheme
In this scheme, applicants for a study visa from India, who have been approved to a QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) accepted course, can apply for a study visa without having to pay the necessary college fees in advance. To know more about this scheme, you must get in touch with a professional study abroad consultant in India.
- On coming to Ireland, you need to do residence permit registration for the rest of the visa formalities.
- You need to submit a ‘Declaration’ affirming that you shall be coming back to India after finishing the program.
- Single entry visa from India fees is 60 EUR, Multi entry after arriving Ireland 100 euros need to be paid.
Checking on your visa status
- You must check online to see if your visa has been processed (employing your Visa application number). The whole list is updated weekly.
- If you receive approval for a visa, the Embassy to which you deliver your documents will attach a visa to your passport.
- However, if your visa is rejected, you may appeal the decision within 2 months.
Work Opportunities in Ireland
Most international students enrolled for full-time courses that are accepted by the IDES, don’t need an extra work permit to work in Ireland. Although, they don’t need to have the correct documents to acquire employment. So, when you understand what study abroad intakes, do know all about the working requirements and environment in the country.
Based on Education Ireland’s official portal, almost every international student issued with a valid immigration stamp 2 is allowed to work 40 hours/week in Ireland. Although only between June to September and from December 15 to January 15 (holidays). For the rest of the year, international students with a valid work document can only work 20 hours/week (college days). All in all, every student studying abroad is permitted to work till the expiration of the immigration permission stamp 2.
What Type Of Jobs Can International Students Do?
In a part time job, you get to do a basic job such as serving at a popular cafe or restaurant, working on campus, etc. The objective of such jobs is just to gain some extra money during your free time. However, it’s pretty challenging for a student with no experience to acquire a job even if it’s a part-time job in Ireland. When you apply for Free Counseling, expert advisors will recommend ways to grab a part-time job.
Students enrolled on courses on the degree programmed are permitted to accept an internship where this forms part of their programme. Furthermore, the chosen internship or work placement part of the program can’t go beyond 50% of the duration of the programme. Additionally, the employment can’t be in self employed ability. Thus, educational facilities should also ensure that the placements are well-fitted to the programme being pursued.
Moreover, the industry is rapidly growing in Ireland as numerous companies such as Facebook, Amazon, Google, Apple, etc., have located headquarters in cities like Cork and Dublin. Thus, the job opportunities in IT fields are in ambulances, making Ireland one of the best countries to study abroad.
Frequently asked Questions
Yes, you can change your course only after completing one academic year. However, the course should either be the same or higher level.
Non-EEA students can study for a maximum time of 7 years in Ireland. Whereas medical students, PH.D students or students with special conditions like illness are excused from this requirement.
Students with stamp 2A are generally not given work-permit for part-time jobs in Ireland.
The tuition fees in Ireland differ based on which university and course you pick to study.
At or above NFQ level 6, non-EEA students are allowed to apply for studying in Ireland.
