Study in Ireland
Study in Ireland – a popular choice for students everywhere!
Study in Ireland – the Emerald Isle is not only famous for its Guinness, national rugby team and leprechauns – but also for its outstanding universities and welcoming environment.
Ireland has produced wonderful poets such as W.B. Yeats, writers like James Joyce, and actors and musicians aplenty, including Bono, Enya and Pierce Brosnan. Bram Stoker first dreamt up his Dracula while striding the walkways of Trinity College, Dublin, in the footsteps of Oscar Wilde, another notable Trinity alumnus. In short, Ireland is inspirational, and who knows what amazing things you too will achieve if you come to study in Ireland.
Why study in Ireland
If you study in Ireland, you will soon discover that the Irish pride themselves on their humour, friendliness and having fun. When you study in Ireland, you too will be able to “enjoy the Craic”, a catch-all phrase for entertaining nights out, great concerts or sporting events, lively conversations and every kind of brilliant social activity you can imagine – and others you have yet to experience. Ireland is known for its wild and glorious scenery, its rich history and its musical and literary culture. The Irish are open-hearted and welcoming, enjoy life and believe in living it to the full. Their myths speak of contrasts -giants and elves – so whether you want to join in a chorus of Dubliners’ songs in a crowded and jolly pub, or take long solitary walks along the country’s pristine beaches, you will find a part of Ireland to call your own when you study in Ireland.
What do I need to know before studying in Ireland?
Study in Ireland – courses
Although Ireland has always produced visionaries and artists, it also has a strong reputation for offering high-quality courses in medicine, biotechnology, mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering, computer science and econometrics. So whether you are a creative dreamer or interested in acquiring practical knowledge and skills, if you study in Ireland you will find the ideal specialty, since Irish universities offer over 5,000 internationally-recognised qualifications.
Study in Ireland – undergraduate courses
The most popular courses for international students who apply to study in Ireland at undergraduate level include:
- Data Analytics
- Digital Marketing
- Data Engineering
- ICT
- Life Sciences
- Investment Banking
- Construction
- Law
- Education
- Social Sciences
- Journalism
- Healthcare
When you study in Ireland, it takes three years to gain a bachelor’s degree, four if you are taking an honours degree. Certain subjects – architecture, medicine, dentistry and veterinary sciences – run for five to six years.
Study in Ireland – postgraduate courses
At postgraduate level, the most highly sought after courses, according to the Irish Times, are:
- Professional Master’s of Education
- MSc in Computing
- MSc in Management (Business)
- MSc in Human Resource Management
- MSc in Finance
- Professional Master’s of Education
- MSc Business Management
- MA Irish History
- MSc Computer Science – software engineering
- MSc Biotechnology
- MSc Biomedical Science
- LLM International Human Rights
- MSc Finance
- MSc International Management
- MSc Business and Management
- Clinical Psychology
- MSc Information systems for business performance
- MSc Data science and analytics
- MSc Corporate Finance
- MBA
- Master’s in Environmental Resource Management
- Master of Public Policy
- ME in Electrical Energy Engineering
- MA in Technical Communication and eLearning
- MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance
- Master’s in International Entrepreneurship Management
- MEng Information and Network Security
Studying in Ireland for a Master’s degree generally takes one year – although certain research Masters degrees run for two years.
Study in Ireland – medicine
Ireland is an excellent destination for studying medicine and, as a member of the European Union, offers EU students the opportunity to take a degree in medicine – without paying often exorbitant tuition fees! Yes, you can qualify as a doctor in Ireland and practise all over the world.
Where can I study medicine in Ireland?
You can apply to one of five public – and one private – universities:
- Trinity College, Dublin
- University College, Dublin
- University College, Cork
- NUI (National University of Ireland), Galway
- University of Limerick (postgraduates only)
- Royal College of Surgeons (private university, so fees of approximately 18,000 euros a year apply).
Study in Ireland – costs to study medicine
If you have been living in the EU for three years, are enrolling on a full-time course and this is your first undergraduate degree, then all you will need to pay to study medicine at an Irish public university is a 3000 euro – or less – contribution fee, under what is known as the Free Fees Initiative.
Study in Ireland – medicine requirements
Medicine is a highly competitive and over-subscribed course all over the world and to get the offer of a place to study in Ireland you will need to sit an entrance test, known as the HPAT, or Health Professions Admissions Test. This is a two and a half hour multiple choice-based exam, which evaluates your problem-solving and reasoning skills, as well as your empathy.
Elab offers exam preparation in its GetinMed workshops, to ensure that you are familiar with the techniques and types of questions you will be facing – and help you to maximise your score. Get in touch with Elab for further details of course content, dates and how the workshops are structured.
Study medicine in Ireland – required documents
You will also need to provide your secondary school reports, and predicted grades in the relevant subjects: biology, maths and chemistry. As a general guide, candidates sitting the IB will be expected to score 36 and above. EU qualifications are translated into their Irish points system equivalents, and you must score 480 or more to be considered for a place on a course in medicine. Contact Elab if you would like us to calculate your exams in points.
To study medicine in Ireland, where the courses in medicine are taught in English, you will need to provide proof of language competency. Irish universities accept TOEFL, Cambridge and IELTS certificates.
Finally, you will have to submit two academic references and a 500-word Personal Statement. Some courses ask for proof of immunity to hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Contact Elab and we will check this for you once you have decided where you intend to apply to study in Ireland.
Study in Ireland – applying to study medicine in Ireland
The first thing you need to do is register online with the Irish central admissions system, the Complete Admissions Office. Try and apply early, since medicine is a popular and restricted course. Applications should be submitted in the February of the year you will be sitting your final secondary school examinations. Once you have paid the small fee to register, you will be emailed a CAO number, and this will allow you to add all your documentation and educational history online.
The CAO number is also needed to register for the HPAT test. Remember that you must register for the test between November and January, since you will be sitting it at the end of February. Results are published at the end of June.
Undergraduate applicants who wish to study medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy or veterinary science at postgraduate level will have to sit the GAMSAT, a standardised admissions test for graduates – essentially the post-graduate version of the UCAT exam.
How long are medicine studies in Ireland?
Courses run for five years, after which you do a year-long internship and finally register with the Irish Medical Council. Congratulations, you are now ready to practise medicine. If you have any questions, Elab is here to help. Drop us an email or call and we will provide you with the information you need to make the right choice of university in Ireland, and tell you more about our GetinMed workshops.
Where to study in Ireland?
Study in Ireland - perhaps you might enjoy studying at University College Cork, the country's foodie capital, or somewhere smaller like the University of Limerick, perched on the banks of the River Shannon?
Study in Ireland – universities in Ireland
Deciding where to study in Ireland is, of course, a matter of personal taste. Do you want to be in the capital, or will a smaller city suit you better? Are you excited by the prospect of beautiful beaches, cobbled streets and castles, or do you want to live in the heart of a throbbing metropolis with an exciting nightlife, theatres, exhibitions and galleries? Whatever university you choose, you can be sure that you will be getting an excellent education when you study in Ireland.
Study in Ireland – university rankings
When you are looking to study in Ireland, rankings may well be your first port of call. However, it is important to realise that the major global university rankings are biased towards research output, which is one of the main factors used in calculating the standing of a university, and this obviously puts new universities at a distinct disadvantage.
To counteract this trend, the Times Higher Education rankings also focus on the Top 100 universities which are under 50 years old – and rank three Irish universities in this category: the NUI Maynooth, Dublin City University and the University of Limerick.
The QS rankings for Ireland follow:
|
University
|
Global ranking
|
|---|---|
|
Trinity, Dublin
|
98
|
|
University College, Dublin
|
173
|
|
NUI Galway
|
258
|
|
University College, Cork
|
298
|
As you can see there is a big discrepancy between the two sets of figures, which reflects the methods used to assess universities.
Once you decide to study in Ireland, let Elab help you choose the right option, the best location and put together a robust and well-structured application to study for your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Ireland. Over the last decade, increasing numbers of international students have been flocking to Irish universities, attracted by the excellence of the teaching and the reasonable costs of gaining a first-class education.
When you decide to study in Ireland you have many very different options. Dublin is usually the first place students consider applying to, because it is the capital. Check what Trinity College Dublin offers. What is more, why not look at the National University of Ireland, located in Galway on the west coast, which is known as the cultural heart of Ireland? Or perhaps you might enjoy studying at University College Cork, the country’s foodie capital, or somewhere smaller like the University of Limerick, perched on the banks of the River Shannon? Each of these well-resourced, amazing universities provides outstanding teaching and a broad range of courses.
Study in Ireland – Requirements
Entry requirements to study in Ireland vary from course to course, so contact Elab for up to date information. You will normally have to submit your secondary school results and a certificate of language proficiency, usually IELTS or TOEFL. Get in touch and we will guide you through the application process, deadlines and requirements , and help you to check qualification recognition and how it translates into the Irish system of education. In addition, certain courses specify that you need to have achieved a particular grade in mathematics, or to have passed your secondary level diploma with a language other than English etc.
Study in Ireland – applications
Study in Ireland -undergraduate applications
Applications to study in Ireland at undergraduate level are submitted through the CAO, the Irish Central Applications Office, where you will log in and open an account, receive your CAO number and upload your documents. The deadline is 17.15 on 1 February , but you are allowed to change your mind about the course you would like to study between 1 May and 1 July. You can change your course choices online up to 1 February, free of charge. Changes made from 5 February to 1 March cost €10. The Change of Mind facility from 5 May to 1 July is free.
The normal CAO online undergraduate fee is 30 euros, whereas a late application , made after 1 Feb, incurs a fee of 60 euros and if you do so, you will have to and send in a paper application (rather than an online one) to the CAO by 17.15 on 1 May.
Study in Ireland – postgraduate applications
Applying to study in Ireland at postgraduate level is a straightforward process. Applications can be sent directly to the university of your choice or, in some cases, to be processed through the Postgraduate Applications Centre. Call Elab to determine which path to take and for up to date information on deadlines. You will need to prepare some or all of the following documents:
- letter of motivation
- your CV
- a copy of your undergraduate degree
- one or more passport – sized photographs
- academic references
How Elab can help with your application to Ireland?
Call Elab for more information on deadlines and for advice on which university you should apply to.
Study in Ireland – costs
Study in Ireland – tuition fees
When you study in Ireland at undergraduate level, the Irish government subsidises tuition fees for domestic and EU students, so all you will have to pay is the contribution fee of 3000 euros, which also covers the cost of your examinations. EU citizens who come to study in Ireland are eligible to apply for a broad range of scholarships, grants and bursaries and do not require a visa to study in Ireland.
A visa is not required to study in Ireland if you are an EU citizen.
When you study in Ireland for a postgraduate degree, fees can range from 4,500 euros up to 20,000 euros a year, with medicine and business coming in at the upper end of the fee range. Tuition fees for Engineering, Arts and Humanities, and Science and Technology postgraduate courses broadly start at 5,000 euros a year, and can rise to 9,000, depending on the university where you are studying. The exceptions to this rule are the MBA courses and postgraduate degrees in medicine.
There are tuition and maintenance grants available, which are open to EU applicants, for example, from the Irish Research Council, which offers a range of financial scholarships. If you are thinking of applying for a scholarship or grant, then your first of call should be Elab, or the website of the university to which you are applying.
Study in Ireland – cost of living
A recent survey of the cost of studying in Ireland has concluded that, on average, you will need from 950-1400 euros a month, to cover accommodation, food, books, travel, leisure activities, bills and mobile phone contracts.
Study in Ireland – cost of living
A recent survey of the cost of studying in Ireland has concluded that, on average, you will need from 950-1400 euros a month, to cover accommodation, food, books, travel, leisure activities, bills and mobile phone contracts.
Since accommodation is always the largest expense facing students, it is worth considering the relative prices across Ireland’s university cities.
Unsurprisingly, Dublin is the most expensive, with a centrally-located single flat costing up to 1400 euros a month, whereas Cork, Galway and Limerick are around 25 per cent cheaper. If you decide to live in residential halls, and not rent privately, you can pay far less – for example, from 4,500-5,500 euros for a full year’s accommodation in Limerick university halls of residence.
Below is an example of monthly expenses compiled by the University of Cork:
|
Expense
|
Average Cost Range per month
|
|---|---|
|
Option 1 - On Campus Accommodation
|
€600 - €680
|
|
Option 2 - Private Complex
|
€600 - €1,000
|
|
Option 3 - Private rental (house share)
|
€500 – 600 (bills not included)
|
|
Utilities (Electric/Gas/Refuse)
|
€30 - €50
|
|
Food
|
€250 - €350
|
|
Travel (Monthly Bus Ticket)
|
€65 - €85
|
|
Textbook & Materials
|
€75
|
|
Mobile phone
|
€20
|
|
Personal Expenses (Social/Sports)
|
€200 - €300
|
Overall Expense (including Accommodation) - €1,240 - €1880
Of course, this is a fairly rough guide, since not everyone will spend 300 euros a month on socialising or sports, and you may not need to pay for transport or regularly eat out – but it does give you an overall picture of the cost of living when you study in Ireland.
How your application with Elab will look like?
![5 steps to success Elab Education Laboratory [ENG]](https://elabedu.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/english-5-steps-poster-03-1024x580.png)
Step 1: Student Induction & Diagnostics
- Preliminary notes of students academic record, interests and aspirations
- Student Diagnostics
Step 2: University Search & Student Profile Development
- Preparation of Universities Research Table
- Extra-curricular Activities Development (if applicable)
Step 3: Process Planning & Preparation
- Finalise the overall process plan & individual Timeline
- Review Mentor and Tutor plans in relation to documents, exams and activities
- Passing the required entrance exams
Step 4: Application Finalisation & Submission
- Update Application Checklist for Final Choice Universities requirements
- Submit student academic application
Step 5: Offer Acceptance & Decision Time
- Review university offers
- Provide students with contacts and links to accommodation offices
Study abroad with Elab - reviews from our applicants:
Students who study abroad have very positive opinions of
the courses and life in general. Below are a few examples of opinions from Elabs students studying abroad or who recently completed their studies:
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