Ireland, the third-largest island in Europe, is known for its lush green hills, rugged coastline, and rich history. This enchanting island is not only famous for its myths and legends, music, and stunning landscapes but also for being one of the most sought-after destinations for students around the world. Ireland Institute boasts of its quality education and reputation. Although there are only seven public universities yet Irish institutions, are every year able to get top-notch ranks in QS world rankings. As per the recent standing, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Galway, Dublin City University, and University of Limerick find the under 500 in the QS ranking.
The biggest challenge that international students face is the language barrier while studying in Europe, but thanks to Ireland since it provides an English-speaking environment, the students get very comfortable in a small span of time, but that’s not all. Ireland’s universities also offered affordable tuition fees, especially compared to other popular study abroad destinations such as the USA, the UK, and Australia. Beyond the classroom and cultural immersion, Ireland also offered strong research opportunities, particularly in fields like science, technology, and artificial intelligence. At last, Ireland belongs to the reputed global peaceful countries in the world. It is ranked second as per the Global Peace Index, just after Iceland.
Study in Ireland for Free: Scholarships for International Students
Of course, the student keeps the perception that Ireland is an expensive study destination, but if you know the cheat code, you can definitely gain the education without breaking the bank; this is a key attraction. When we talk about tuition fees, health insurance, and visa fees, all are kind of super budget-friendly to the overseas students. The Ireland student visa costs somewhere around 100 euros and 300 euros for the Irish residence permit, whereas the health insurance cost is also quite low. As far as affordability is concerned, there are several fully funded scholarships provided by the government or universities to students, which not only remove the burden from the shoulders of students but also give a boost to the students’ profiles to brag about. Let’s understand the scholarships, eligibility criteria, and other important features.
a) Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship
b) Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Program
c) Trinity College Dublin: Global Excellence Scholarships
- Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship
The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) is an incredible scholarship for high-calibre international students who are looking to pursue postgraduate studies, either a master’s or PhD program in Ireland. Since it is a fully funded scholarship, the tuition fee is covered under the scholarship.
- Number of scholarships: 60
- Study Field: All disciplines
- Eligibility: Must be an International student (not from the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or the UK)
- The student must have applied to the eligible universities and received a conditional or unconditional offer letter
- Previously applied students are not eligible for this scholarship
Benefits:
- The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship covers the full tuition fee and living expenses in Ireland.
- The yearly stipend of 10,000 is also granted for one year of full-time study.
Official Link – https://hea.ie/policy/internationalisation/goi-ies/
2. Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Program
The Irish Research Council, which oversees the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Program, is a shining example for prospective researchers everywhere. Full-time research master’s and doctoral candidates in various fields, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences, are supported by this esteemed program. It also offers a lucrative stipend of 22,000 per annum, and the duration totally depends on the degree type.
Eligibility Criteria
- This scholarship invites applications from all nationalities
- bachelor’s degree with honours, first class or upper second class, or its equivalent.
- A supervisor who is willing to lead the research project at the host institution.
- Application submissions should be done in Irish or English.
Official Link – https://research.ie/funding/goipg/
3. Trinity College Dublin: Global Excellence Scholarships
One of the most reputed and prestigious institutes, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, also offers various scholarships for International students. It can be at the undergraduate level, postgraduate level, and E3 programs. E3 programs stand for Engineering, Environment, and Emerging Technologies. The most famous scholarship, which is granted by Trinity College Dublin, is
Global Excellence Scholarships
- It is a partial fee reduction scholarship
- Value: Up to € 5000 (for UG), €2000-5000 (For PG)
- Field of Study – For UG – All Disciplines (Except Medicine, Dentistry, and Acting Program), For PG – All Disciplines (Except Business Programs)
- Selection Criteria: Educational performance and the candidate’s capacity to benefit the Trinity community will be taken into consideration. Program and geographical diversity will also be taken into account when allocating scholarships.
- Official Website – https://www.tcd.ie/study/international/scholarships/
