Finance and Funding for International Students in Ireland

Financial Support to Study in Ireland

Once you have decided to study in Ireland, it is essential to understand and arrange the required funds to support your stay. These include tuition fees, living expenses and accommodation, and financial requirements varying on the choice of university, course, degree level, city and available scholarships.

Living Expenses and Accommodation Costs in Ireland

Accommodation at Irish universities includes on-campus residences and off-campus private rented apartments. Accommodation costs vary depending on the following:

• The city (Dublin is more expensive than Galway, for example)
• Occupancy Type (Single, double, shared apartments etc.)
• Facilities (e.g. utility bills, swimming pool, spa, sports centre)
• Location (e.g. distance from the city centre and university campus)

Students can check the accommodation costs and availability of residences on and off campus from university websites and private providers. Weekly accommodation costs vary, but students can expect to spend approximately €150 to €400 on living expenses.

Funding Requirements for Ireland Study Visa

Students whose course fees are less than €6000 must pay the fee in full to the university before applying for a visa. When the course fee is more than €6000, you must pay at least €6000 as an immigration requirement, while some universities may also ask for full payment.

Students must also provide evidence of having access to a minimum of €7000 per year for living expenses, in addition to the course fees, before applying for an Ireland Study Visa.

How to Fund Studying in Ireland

Various private and public institutions provide financial aid and funding to support undergraduate and postgraduate students’ study in Ireland. Universities, public institutions and government programmes offer public financing in the form of scholarships, bursaries and grants. In contrast, private funding by way of loans is often provided by independent lenders such as banks.

Scholarships

Each year a limited number of scholarships are available to students based on academic excellence or those who cannot afford to study abroad. While the competition can be fierce, every institution has its own eligibility criteria. With our comprehensive scholarship search tool, you can find details of all the scholarships available to international students at different Irish universities.

Tuition Fees in Ireland

Tuition fees at universities in Ireland are dependent on the student’s residence status as an EU or non-EU national and on the type of course selected. Exact course fees can be found on each university website, but on average undergraduate courses cost around €13,000 – €15,000 per year, and postgraduate courses €9,000 – €12,000 per year.

Apply for Funding

Do you want to take the next step and apply for student funding? Arrange a free consultation at your nearest SI-Ireland office today so that we can take you through all the options ahead of your stay in Ireland.