Education in Ireland

Geographical features of Ireland:

Ireland, the third largest island in Europe is located towards the north west of continental Europe.  Ireland is generally described as two parts, the Northern Ireland which is a part of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.  The island is divided into 4 provinces namely Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.  Ireland is blessed with a mild but changeable oceanic climate.

Education System in Ireland:

Education in Ireland is mandatory for all children from the age of 6 to 16. Irish education system was categorized into Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education.

Primary Education: The primary education emphasizes on a child-centred approach and believes that high quality education ensures children to visualize their potentials and mould their career. The basic curriculum for primary education includes,

• Language
• Mathematics
• Arts education comprising visual arts, music and drama
• Social
• Physical integration,
• Environment and scientific education

Secondary Education: It consists of secondary, vocational, community and comprehensive schools.  The secondary education is divided into 3 cycles:

• Junior cycle
• Transition year
• Senior cycle

Students take up Established Leaving certificate, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and Leaving Certificate Applied Programme during their final two years in the Senior cycle which leads to a state examination.  These three programmes acts as an entry point to the Third Level Education.  The tertiary education includes Universities, Institutes of Technologies, Colleges of Education, NUI Colleges and Independent Colleges.  They offer diverse range of courses in the field of business, science, engineering, linguistics, and music leading to Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral levels.

Why study in Ireland?

Ireland’s higher education institutions are internationally recognized for their excellence and quality of education.  Irish government regard education as a key priority for the development of the country and education is considered as a fundamental right under their constitution.  Educational institutions in Ireland have close links with the industries and are characterized by creativity, pragmatism and agility.  Enormous investments have been made in the field of research and development, which plays a key role in developing Ireland as a knowledge society.

Ireland is an English speaking country and Irish people are cheered for their friendliness and hospitality that helps overseas students to adapt quickly to the new life.  Ireland is beautiful and has a rich cultural heritage with its own music, culture and sports.  The most important aspect is that Ireland is a safe country to study in.

Student life in Ireland:

Living expenses in Ireland depends on the location of the institution, the type of accommodation preferred and personal life style of the student.  On an average, an individual student might have to spend approximately 7500 euros to 12000 euros per annum, which includes accommodation, food and household, books, travel, health insurance and other expenses.

Irish campuses are multicultural with students from varied backgrounds and different nationalities, thus providing an opportunity to make new friends.  The most prominent socialising spots in Ireland are the pubs and one can notice that it is more likely to meet Irish students in pubs and clubs.  Apart from pubs, discos and university campuses, one can visit tourist attractions like Smarmore Castle, Ardagh Heritage Centre, The Limerick city gallery of art, Belleek Pottery Visitor centre, Reginalds Tower museum and Glenveagh castle and gardens.

How to Apply?

As a first step, one has to gather sufficient information about the course of study, Institution, student visa, funding and accommodation.  For the majority of undergraduate courses, you can apply online through the UCAS website.  For all the postgraduate courses, you need to apply directly to the university except for postgraduate course in social work.  In this case you can apply through UCAS website.  Some universities allow you to apply online for the postgraduate courses and doctoral levels.

The deadline for admissions depends on the individual universities and the courses.

Scholarships and Funds:

Majority of the universities and colleges provide scholarships for overseas students depending on the eligibility criteria. Individual institutions set down their own eligibility criteria.   Irish Government also provides number of scholarships for the overseas students.

Irish Aid Fellowships: Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for granting this fellowship.  These are granted for the candidates from countries in which Ireland has established development cooperation programmes.

ABBEST Scholarships: It is provided by Dublin Institute of Technology as a part of development of research.  This programme is aimed at Doctoral candidates who have innovative ideas for the research.

IRCSET: It is funded by the National Development Plan of the Ireland under the guidance of the Department of Education and Science.  It provides scholarships for the talented researchers in the field of science, engineering and technology.

Visa processing:

European citizens does not require visa while others must obtain visa in order to enter Ireland. You can apply online through an online visa application facility, which has been introduced in all Irish embassies.  If the course is for less than three months you should apply for a ‘C study visa’ and for courses that lasts longer than three months you should apply for ‘D study visa’.  The visa processing takes approximately 8 weeks.

While applying for a student visa you must have the following documents:

• Enrolment letter from the university involving at least 15 hours of course lecture each week
• Letter confirming the fees paid to the college
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Proof of financial support to at least 7000 euros for the present year and also to the subsequent years of your studies
• Private medical insurance
• Letter stating about your intention to return to your country of permanent residence after completion of your studies in Ireland.

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