Study In Ireland
How to Study in the best Universities in Ireland
Study In Ireland
Ireland is acclaimed for its education. Home to top universities such as the University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, and many more, Ireland has a well-established position among the world’s leading study destinations. It is recognized worldwide for its virtuoso education.
The unique Ireland culture embraces diversity and opens arms to everyone that comes to their country. The standard of living in Ireland and international students live pretty high. One can live as well as work here. International students seeking to study in Ireland must be filled with joy to experience their climate, food, way of life, and culture. Well, surely adventure awaits you in Ireland!
Academic Culture
The dynamic academic culture is one of the top reasons for students to pursue this country. Here , students maintain a balanced work-studies combination. Especially, in the case of academics, the focus is more on letting the students draw their own lessons as they traverse through their curriculum. This is well supplemented with focus on research work and other texts of readings.
The students are assessed over a long-term period as opposed to short modules of assessment. The student is required to score a minimum grade of 40% in all forms of assessment.
Class discussions revolve around exercising the decision-making ability of the students , giving them the impetus to think critically and analyse logically. They are also encouraged to look at things from a varied range of perspectives.
Grading System
Most Common
SCALE |
GRADE DESCRIPTION |
US GRADE |
|---|---|---|
| 70.00 – 100.00 | First Class Honours | A |
| 65.00 – 69.99 | Upper Second Class (2.1) Honors | A- |
| 60.00 – 64.99 | Upper Second Class (2.1) Honors | B+ |
| 50.00 – 59.99 | Lower Second Class (2.2) Honors | B |
| 45.00 – 49.99 | Class 3 Honors/Pass | B- |
| 40.00 – 44.99 | Class 3 Honors/Pass | C |
| 0.00 – 39.99 | Fail | F |
Secondary School
GRADE |
SCALE |
GRADE DESCRIPTION |
US GRADE |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 85.00 – 100.00 | Excellent | A | |
| B | 70.00 – 84.99 | Very Good | A | |
| C | 55.00 – 69.99 | Good | B | |
| D | 40.00 – 54.99 | Satisfactory | C | Lowest passing grade |
| E | 25.00 – 39.99 | Weak | F | |
| F | 10.00 – 24.99 | Fail | F | |
| NG | 0.00 – 9.99 | No Grade | – |
School Leaving Certificate (1992-2016)
GRADE |
SCALE |
GRADE DESCRIPTION |
US GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 90.00 – 100.00 | A | |
| A2 | 85.00 – 89.99 | A- | |
| B1 | 80.00 – 84.99 | B+ | |
| B2 | 75.00 – 79.99 | B | |
| B3 | 70.00 – 74.99 | B- | |
| C1 | 65.00 – 69.99 | C+ | |
| C2 | 60.00 – 64.99 | C | |
| C3 | 55.00 – 59.99 | C- | |
| D1 | 50.00 – 54.99 | D+ | |
| D2 | 45.00 – 49.99 | D | |
| D3 | 40.00 – 44.99 | D- | |
| E | 25.00 – 39.99 | F | |
| F | 10.00 – 24.99 | F | |
| NG | 0.00 – 9.99 | No Grade | – |
Leaving Certificate (2017+)
New Leaving Certificate Grading Scale introduced in 2017
GRADE |
SCALE |
US GRADE |
|---|---|---|
| H1 | 90.00 – 100.00 | A |
| H2 | 80.00 – 89.00 | A- |
| H3 | 70.00 – 79.00 | B |
| H4 | 60.00 – 69.00 | B- |
| H5 | 50.00 – 59.00 | C |
| H6 | 40.00 – 49.00 | D |
| H7 | 30.00 – 39.00 | F |
| H8 | 0.00 – 29.00 | F |
School Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)
SCALE |
GRADE DESCRIPTION |
US GRADE |
|---|---|---|
| 85.00 – 100.00 | Distinction | A |
| 70.00 – 84.00 | Merit | B |
| 60.00 – 69.00 | Pass | C |
FETAC Levels 4-6
SCALE |
GRADE DESCRIPTION |
US GRADE |
|---|---|---|
| 80.00 – 100.00 | Distinction | A |
| 65.00 – 79.00 | Merit | B |
| 50.00 – 64.00 | Pass | C |
| Referred | F |
At University College Dublin
GRADE |
GRADE DESCRIPTION |
US GRADE |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.2 | A+ |
| A | 4.0 | A+ |
| A- | 3.8 | A |
| B+ | 3.6 | A |
| B | 3.4 | A- |
| B- | 3.2 | A- |
| C+ | 3.0 | B+ |
| C | 2.8 | B |
| C- | 2.6 | B- |
| D+ | 2.4 | C+ |
| D | 2.2 | C |
| D- | 2.0 | C- |
| E | 1.6 | D |
| F | 1.0 | F |
| G | 0.4 | F |
At University of Limerick
| GRADE | US GRADE |
|---|---|
| A1 | A |
| A2 | A |
| B1 | B+ |
| B2 | B+ |
| B3 | B+ |
| C1 | B |
| C2 | B |
| C3 | C+ |
| D1 | C+ |
| D2 | C |
| F | F |
Types Of Institutions
Your choice of institution entirely depends upon your choice of subject and the qualification you plan to seek.
Institute Of Technology
Providing education and training in areas of business, science, engineering, linguistics and music across a broad array of certifications, these 14 institutes of technology in Ireland, come with a separate programme set individually, which needs to be pursued directly with each institution.
University
These state-funded institutions run autonomously. There are seven of them, each offering degrees across a broad spectrum of subjects.
Colleges Of Education
These educational institutions are entrusted with the responsibility of training aspiring school teachers through a three-year Bachelor of Education , which is then followed by a 18-month postgraduate diploma. Students willing to impart education at a post-primary level would need to complete a primary degree which then needs to be followed by a postgraduate diploma.
Private College
These third-party colleges offer specialised educational programs like vocational training and training pertaining to domains of art and design, medicine, business studies, rural development, theology, music and law. You can obtain qualification across a varied range of degrees , ranging from vocational, certificate and degree levels.
Undergraduate
Typically, a Bachelor’s Degree takes three years to complete although in fields of architecture, veterinary science and dentistry, it takes about five years to complete it. These degree programs are crafted in a way, personalized for every institution, each of them having varied credit and subject requirements. E.g. – An institution that offers a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies might offer an option to study a secondary subject such as English Literature or Drama. Some Universities also offer the opportunity to complete the undergraduate studies as a Honours degree.
Postgraduate
These postgraduate degrees are awarded as a Postgraduate Diploma, Masters Diploma or PhD. The focus is mainly on research. These programs focus on a specialised approach to studies taken at undergraduate level. Diplomas at the postgraduate level are often directly limited to professions of teaching. At times, these are pursued before Master’s. It usually takes one-two years to complete master’s and involves coursework and a thesis component while PhD degrees usually take three years to complete.
List Of Institutions In Ireland
- Dublin City University
- National University of Ireland
- Maynooth University
- NUI Galway
- University College Cork
- University College Dublin
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
- University of Limerick
- University of Dublin
- Trinity College
Technological Universities
- Atlantic Technological University
- Munster Technological University
- Technological University Dublin
- Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
Institutes Of Technology
- Institute of Technology, Carlow
- Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology
- Dundalk Institute of Technology
- Waterford Institute of Technologynnon: Midlands Midwest
State-Aided And Chartered Institutions
- Honorable Society of King’s Inns
- National College of Ireland(formerly National College of Industrial Relations)
- Royal Irish Academy of Music
- Royal College of Physicians of Ireland(postgraduate medical qualifications)
Recognised, Associated Or Constituent Colleges Of Irish Universities
- Institute of Public Administration
- Irish School of Ecumenics
- National College of Art and Design
- National Maritime College of Ireland
- Shannon College of Hotel Management
Pontifical University
St Patrick’s College, Maynooth(also known as Maynooth College or the Pontifical University at Maynooth)
Colleges Of Education
- St Angela’s College of Education, Sligo
- Marino Institute of Education
- Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
- Patrick’s College, Thurles
National Institutions
- Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
- Garda Síochána College and Technology
- Military College, Curragh Camp
- National Ambulance Service College
Other Institutions
- American College Dublin
- Burren College of Art
- Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland, theology programmes validated by St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth
- Cavan Institute
- Christian Leadership in Education Office (CLEO), postgraduate education programmes validated by the University of Hull
- Church of Ireland Theological Institute (partly in cooperation with Trinity College Dublin)
- City Colleges
- Coláiste na hÉireann
- Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa
- College of Progressive Education
- Cork College of Commerce
- Digital Skills Academy (historically validated by Dublin Institute of Technologyand Boston College)
- Dorset College
- Dublin Business School
- Dublin Institute of Design
- Gaiety School of Acting
- Galway Business School
- The Grafton Academy of Fashion Design
- Griffith College Cork
- Griffith College Dublin
- Griffith College Limerick
- Hibernia College
- IBAT College Dublin
- ICD Business School
- Independent College Dublin
- Irish Bible Institute(a component of the University of Wales(2005-2013), York St John University since 2014.)
- Irish Management Institute
- Kimmage Development Studies Centre (merged into Maynooth University)
- Mallow College of Further Education
- Newman College Ireland
- Pitman Training Ireland
- Portobello Institute
- The Priory Institute
- Spirituality Institute for Research and Education (Masters validated by Waterford Institute of Technology)
- John’s Central College, Cork
- Nicholas Montessori College
- Patrick’s, Carlow College
- Setanta College
- Turning Point
Scholarships For Students In Ireland
There are a multitude of scholarships provided in Ireland. They are awarded on the basis of individual criteria for Universities. Students need to contact the institution to gain adequate information. Below are a list of scholarship programs :
- Irish Aid funded Fellowship Training Programme
- DIT Centenary Scholarship Programme
- Galway Mayo Institute of Technology scholarships
- Claddagh Scholarship Programme (Chinese students)
- Opportunities in Ireland for Ontario College Graduates
- Fulbright Scholarships
- Postgraduate Fellowships: The Walsh Fellowships
- Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS).
- Law PhD Scholarship Opportunity at DCU(Dublin City University) for a span of four years , or a law student of impeccable academic records.
- National College of Ireland Scholarships.
- NUI Galway International Student Scholarships
- DCU International Student Scholarships
- Maynooth University Scholarships
- UCC Excellence Scholarships
- UCD Scholarships
- Smurfit Business School scholar
- Undergraduate scholarships
- Graduate scholarships
- UCD USA scholarships
- UCD Global Excellence Undergraduate Scholarship- USA
- The Maria Helena Kopschitz Scholarship (MA in Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama, University College Dublin )
- UCD Sutherland School of Law
- University of Limerick Scholarships
- Trinity College Dublin Scholarships
- Trinity College Dublin Undergraduate Scholarships
- Trinity College Dublin Postgraduate Scholarships
- Trinity College Dublin Study Abroad Scholarships
-
- Waterford Institute of Technology Scholarships
- International Student Scholarship
- Waterford Institute of Technology Scholarships
Do You Need A Visa?
Whether you would need a visa, depends upon your home country. Refer to Schedule 1 to get an idea. S.I. No 473 of 2014 has grouped countries into five different categories which forms the base for visa applications.
Visa Application Process
Check Schedule 1 to understand whether you need an Irish visa.
Carry convention travel documents, if you are heading for short stay visits.
Check Schedule 2 to see if you are eligible for any Visa waiver programme
Check Schedule 3 for your eligibility for British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)
Check Schedule 4 to see if you need to apply for Transit Visas.
You can visit the INIS website in case of any query
Submission
Make sure that you have formed the correct application form along with furnishing required documents. The list of required documents could be found on the INIS website. The visa applications are processed depending on visa type and the office to which the application is submitted.
Generally, visa applications are worked upon on a priority basis , however as it depends on a number of factors such as the number of applications received and the resources available to process them at any one time, at times delays can occur.
While most applications are dealt swiftly, within a short span of time, students are advised to apply taking into consideration different timeframes. They should atleast have eight weeks of time in their kitty , while applying for a visa.
In case of family visa applications, since they require greater in-depth considerations, they should apply 12 weeks prior to their scheduled date.
The Process In Brief…
- Gather your required documents, as mentioned.
- Submit your application.
- You will be requested to submit at any one of the three places – your Irish Embassy or dedicated offices at Abu Dhabi, Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow and New Delhi & Ankara or directly to INIS, Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 and Ireland.
How Long Does It Take?
If your visa application is for business purposes, you can definitely receive your decision within ten working days, provided you have submitted the correct documentation. However, family visas and other joint categories of visa might take longer than that.
How To Track Your Application?
You can track your application by contacting the Embassy or Consulate to which it was submitted. You would need to provide your application number. If you have sent it to Dublin, you can contact INIS directly.
How Will You Be Notified?
If your application has been sent to the Embassy or Consulate, after their decision , they will contact you. If you have applied directly to Dublin , you can check the INIS Visa Decision Weekly Listing using your application number.
Top Three Student Cities
- Dublin
- Galway
- Cork
Work Opportunities
Academic Session
- Starts : September
- Ends : June
- Holidays : December & April
Before you plan to study in Ireland, you need to be sure about the aforementioned information. From the cost of living to the fees of the University you will be studying in, everything needs to be planned perfectly before moving to an international country for further studies.
Get In Touch
Address: A 66, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi (Opposite Metro Gate No 5)
Mobile: +91 9811206999
E-mail: mail@eduplor.com