if you are going to study in Ireland from a country within the EU you do not need a visa, if you are coming from outside of the EU then you will be required to hold a valid visa. This should be applied for up to 8 weeks in advance of departure.

The main conditions for a student visa in Ireland are:

• You have a letter of acceptance from your chosen Institution
• You must have proof that the tuition fees have been paid to the institution (in full if below €6,000)
• You have access to over €3,000 in addition to your tuition fees
• You have private medical insurance, this can be arranged through a group scheme with your institution or individually

More detailed student visa details are available from the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS)

More answers to common student visa questions are available on our study abroad blog.

English Language

To study at degree level you will need to prove your English language ability in order to be accepted onto your chosen course. As with most English speaking destinations you will require an IELTS composite score of 6.5 (no lower than 6.0 in any component) or TOEFL score of 550 (220 for the computer based test). If you do not meet these requirements you can study short English language courses either in Ireland or in your home country.

To find out more about the English Language Requirements of countries when studying abroad please use our English Language Requirements advice page.

General requirements

First cycle studies (bachelor's)

If you have successfully completed upper secondary studies in one of the signatory countries of the Lisbon Convention, are in possession of a valid school leaving certificate and qualify for higher education studies in your home country, you may also qualify for higher education studies in Ireland. However, you are requested to prove your level of English and have studied another language. In some cases, you must also satisfy course specific requirements. For example, if you are applying for mathematical studies, you must have studied mathematics.

Second cycle studies (master's)

If you are applying for a master's program at university in Ireland, you are required to be in possession of a relevant bachelor's or equivalent degree diploma.

Third cycle studies (PhD)

In the event you are applying for doctoral studies at university in Ireland, you are required to be in possession of a relevant diploma or master's degree program.

Language requirements for studies at universities in Ireland

Irish

If you are not an Irish student, you are not required to speak Irish in order to apply for university studies in Ireland.

English

If English is not your first language, you are required to prove your level of command of the English language through the results you received from your studies at upper secondary school or through the results you received at the TOEFL or IELTS tests. The minimum accepted score for the TOEFL test is usually 570 (paper-based) or 90 (Internet-based), and 6.5 for the IELTS test.

We recommend you check with your institution if your studies of English from upper secondary school are sufficient to meet the English language requirement or you need to take the TOEFL or IELTS tests.

Minimum grade point requirement to access undergraduate studies (first cycle) in Ireland

Admission to the majority of undergraduate studies (first cycle) in Ireland is subject to the fulfillment of a minimum grade point requirement. This is the grade point you receive after passing your upper secondary school studies in combination with the grades you receive at the university entrance examinations in your home country. Therefore, always check with your Irish university about the minimum grade point you need to obtain, also referred to as "Cut-off point".