Ireland is an English-speaking country with a long tradition of providing education for international students.
There are many specialist centres at Irish universities and Institutes of Technology, which have cutting-edge facilities and technologies to provide the skills and training that students need for access to ‘high-value’ employment after graduation.
Ireland offers a modern and multifaceted education system, which combines the best parts of Ireland’s rich heritage with its thriving, technologically adept society and a unique perspective on the future.
Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the northwest of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland is Great Britain, separated from it by the Irish Sea. The island is divided between separate jurisdictions: the Republic of Ireland, which covers just under five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, which covers the remainder and is located in the northeast of the island.
Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, particularly in the fields of literature and, to a lesser degree, science and education. A strong indigenous culture exists, as expressed for example through native sports, Irish music and the Irish language, alongside a common Western culture, such as contemporary music and drama, and sports such as football, rugby and golf, and the English language.
Weather
The climate of Ireland can be summed up as being mild, moist and changeable with abundant rainfall and a lack of temperature extremes. The country receives generally warm summers and mild winters, and is considerably warmer than other areas on its latitude.
Transport
Most of the transport system in Ireland is in public hands, either side of the Irish border.
Two of the three main airports in Northern Ireland are privately operated and owned. The exception is City of Derry Airport, which is owned and funded by Derry City Council.
Ireland's roads link Dublin with all the major cities (Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Belfast and Derry). Driving is on the left.
Some facts
CAPITAL: Dublin
CURRENCY: euro (€) (IEP)
LANGUAGE: English and Irish (Gaelic) are the two official languages of the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland, English is the official language.
TIME DIFFERENCE: Ireland is 4.5 hours behind India.
INTAKE: February, May, July & September
CALLING CODE: + 353
The economy of Ireland has transformed in recent years from an agricultural focus to a modern knowledge economy, focusing on services and high-tech industries and dependent on trade, industry and investment. A study by The Economist found Ireland to have the best quality of life in the world.
Established Industries:
Main Industries:
Steel, Lead, Zinc, Silver, Aluminium, Barite, and Gypsum, Mining, Processing, Food, Brewing, Textiles, Clothing; Chemicals, Pharmacology; Machinery, Rail Transportation Equipment, Passenger and Commercial Vehicles, Ship Construction and Refurbishment; Glass and Crystal; Compute Software, Tourism
Students may apply for work permit in Ireland once they finish their degree course. After completing studies in Ireland, a student is entitled to get 6 months of Graduate Visa, which allows you to work full time and also look for a relevant job of their field.
From the 14th July, 2008, all student visa applications should contain a copy of an Electronic Transfer of Funds from the applicant to the Irish Bank of the college, showing details of beneficiary's name, address, bank details and the same details for sender.
Any unsigned declarations, false information, forged or fraudulent documentation will result in the refusal of application and no appeal will be permitted.
In applying for a Student Visa you must be able to show that:
You are enrolled on a privately funded course involving at least 15 hours of organized daytime tuition each week
You have paid the requisite fees to the college
You have the academic ability to follow your chosen course.
You have a level of English language sufficient to do so (except in the case of an application which is solely for an English language course)
You have immediate access to at least €7,000. This is the estimated cost of living in Ireland for a student for one academic year.
You must also demonstrate that you or your sponsor has ready access to an amount of at least €7,000 for each subsequent year of your studies, in addition to the course fees for each of those years.
You have private medical insurance.
You can account for any gaps in your educational history.
Your intention is to return to your country of permanent residence following completion of your studies in Ireland.
APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE SCHEME
Under this scheme, applicants for a study visa from India, who have been accepted on to a HETAC (the Higher Education and Training Awards Council in Ireland) approved course, can apply for a study visa without having to pay the requisite college fees in advance.
Fees need only be paid when the visa application has been approved. Once evidence of the Electronic Fee Transfer has been submitted to the visa office New Delhi the visa will issue.
Applicants under this scheme should apply at least 5 weeks in advance of their date of course commencement to allow time for the Electronic Fee Transfer to take place.
Visa processing time:
4 Weeks (Approval in Principle 5 Weeks)
Total Visa Fees:
SINGLE ENTRY VISA FEE – INR 4,300
MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA FEE- INR 7,100*
VFS (Visa Facilitation Services) HANDLING CHARGE – INR607
APPEAL made at VFS INR 200 per applicant charges. To be paid in cash at the time of appeal.
A Minimum Score of 5.5 band in IELTS for under graduate studies at college level is required from Indian students who wish to apply for a study visa for Ireland.
Undergraduate degree courses require at least 6.0 band overall for direct admission. Most of the post graduate students are required to have 6.5 band over all for admission.
Tuition fees for 2009/2010 for undergraduate, non-E.U. students at a higher education institution are as follows:
Course Average Fees
Medicine and related €31,000 - €45,000
Engineering €9,100 - €20,300
Science & Technology €9,100 - €16,500
Arts & Humanities €9,100 - €15,500
Business €9,000 - €15,500
Tuition fees for 2009/2010 for postgraduate, non-E.U. students at a higher education institution are as follows:
Course Average Fees (Postgraduate)
Medicine and related €12,035- €37,000
Engineering €9,150 - €18,000
Science & Technology €9,150 - €18,000
Arts & Humanities €8,900 - €20,000
Business €9,150 - €18,800
On average a student will spend between €6000 and €10,500per year depending on location and lifestyle.
Entry to undergraduate courses in Ireland is very competitive, and international students will need to have good results in their exams in order to acquire a place; particularly for the most exclusive programmes such as medicine - where three A-Level passes (grades A/B) in relevant subjects are required.
The minimum requirement for most degree level programmes is 3 grades Cs at A level or equivalent.
Many courses require applicants to have qualified in certain subjects during their school examinations. For example, engineering candidates usually need to have completed Maths and a science subject for their application to be considered.
In general, students ought to aim for higher than the minimum entry requirements in order to ensure they have a good chance of securing a place in their course of choice.
Postgraduate
Applicants for a postgraduate course in Ireland are generally required to have at least a 2.2 honours undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, while some courses may require a 2.1 or higher result. For some courses relevant work experience is a useful attribute, while for other courses (e.g. the MBA) it is a strict requirement.
PhD and other research programmes usually require a certain level of research experience for entry.
Some universities provide scholarship for research programs.
Disclaimer: This guidance is for students interested in studying abroad in particular country. It is only a guide for which information is taken from various relevant websites. It aims to answer some common questions. Visitors are recommended to contact the office for most updated information.
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