Student visas to study in Ireland

Information

Travelling to Ireland for study

Citizens of certain countries who wish to pursue a course of study in Ireland must apply for a visa to enter Ireland before they travel here. (See 'Rules' for a list of those who do not require a visa to study in Ireland.) As part of a number of proposals aimed at reforming the immigration regime for non-EEA students, it is proposed to introduce a visa requirement for all students staying beyond 3 months, from January 2011.

Visa applicants must apply online for their visa. (See 'How to apply'.)

If you wish to study in Ireland for less than three months you should apply for a 'C study visa'. If your course lasts longer than three months, you should apply for a 'D study visa'. Generally speaking, the duration of a 'C study visa', is not extended once you have arrived in Ireland. Extensions will be granted in exceptional cases only. It's very important, therefore, to make sure you know the duration of your course before you apply for a visa. Further information on how to apply to extend a student visa is under 'How to apply' below.

You will need to provide the following with your visa application.  (Please remember, original documents are required and must be in English or accompanied by a notarised translation):

• Letter of acceptance from a recognised school/college/university in Ireland confirming that you have been accepted on a course of study. This course of study must be full-time (lasting an academic year) and have a minimum of 15 hours per week study time.
• Evidence of your academic ability to pursue the chosen course through the English language (unless it is an English language course).
• Evidence that the fees for the course have been paid in full.
• Evidence that you have enough funds (€7,000) to maintain yourself for the initial part of your stay.
• Evidence that you or a sponsor have access to at least €7,000 for each subsequent year of your studies, in addition to the course fees for each of those years.
• Evidence that you have private medical insurance
• An explanation of any gaps in your educational history
• Confirmation that you intend to return to your country of permanent residence when you leave Ireland.

Remember, the granting of a student visa to study in Ireland does not confer the automatic right of anyone to join or visit you in Ireland (whether they are a relative or not). 

You will find more detailed information on the exact requirements for a student visa on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of the Department of Justice and Law Reform.

If I don't need an entry visa to enter Ireland, do I need a student visa to study?

No. If you do not require an entry visa to enter Ireland, you do not require a student visa to study in Ireland. However, all non-EEA nationals, including those with visas, must obtain permission to enter the State by reporting to an Immigration Officer at the port of entry. (The members of the EEA are the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), together with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein)

You should have all documentation relating to your studies on your person when coming through immigration. In other words, you should have your letter of offer of a place at the school, or educational institution ready for inspection at immigration. You can read more in our document on permission to land in Ireland.

Permission to remain

Students from a non-EEA country who intend studying in Ireland for a period of more than three months must register, after they arrive, with the local immigration officer for the district in which they are living (Garda National Immigration Bureau if living in Dublin). Their passport will be endorsed with the conditions and period of time for which they have permission to remain. Information on what documentation students require when applying for permission is available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).

From September 2008 non-EEA students coming to Ireland for the first time may not get permission to remain in Ireland if they have their children with them, or intend their children to join them later on. There is more information about the children of non-EEA students on the INIS website.

You can find out how to register in our document on Registration of non-EEA nationals in Ireland.

Access to employment while in Ireland on a student visa

Students from a non-EEA country who are registered with their local immigration officer may be permitted to work part-time in Ireland (up to a maximum of 20 hours a week and full-time during vacation periods) to support themselves. To be permitted to work you must be attending a full-time course of at least a year leading to a recognised qualification (recognised qualifications include those issued by the Dublin Institute of Technology, the universities, FETAC and HETAC). The Department of Education and Skills has compiled a 'Register of Programmes Recognised by the Minister for Education and Skills for purposes of student access to employment'. The Register of Programmes is divided into two parts:

1. Programmes in a range of disciplines offered to students in third-level and further education colleges that lead to qualifications validated under the National Framework of Qualifications or a similar awarding body in another jurisdiction or qualifications validated by a professional body with a basis in Irish law
2. English language programmes that are approved by the Department of Education and Skills on the basis of the Advisory Council for English Language Schools (ACELS) inspection scheme.

The academic year is considered to be 25 weeks (rather than 52 weeks) so courses of this length can qualify for inclusion on the register.

You can read information on employment rights of part-time workers in Ireland here.

What do I do if I want to leave for a short while?

The visa issued to you allows you to enter the State once. If you have wish to leave for a short while and then return you must apply for a re-entry visa. (See 'How to apply' below for information on how to apply for a re-entry visa.)

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa (if required) for the country you intend travelling to. Please note that you must obtain a visa from the UK authorities before travelling to Northern Ireland (Counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone).

Rules

People who do not require visas to visit Ireland

You do not require a visa to visit Ireland if you are from one of the countries listed below (includes EU/EEA member states).

Rates

Standard non-refundable visa application processing fees are:

Single-journey visa: €60

Multiple-journey visa: €100

Certain applicants are not required to pay a fee. They include non-EU Spouses of EU citizens. In addition, applicants from some countries are not required to pay a fee. As this changes from time to time, you should check with your local Irish embassy or consulate, or with the Visa Office - see 'Where to apply'.

How to apply

An online visa application facility was introduced to all Irish embassies and consulates on a phased basis during 2008. The online facility is now available worldwide and you must apply for a visa online. There is information on how to complete an online application in English (pdf) as well as in Arabic (pdf), Chinese (pdf), Russian (pdf), French (pdf), Turkish (pdf) and Urdu (pdf).

Details of what documents you will need and the photographic requirements are on the INIS website.

The Irish Government has started collecting biometric data from certain visa applicants. From March 2010 all visa applicants aged 6 years and over residing in Nigeria must provide fingerprints. You can find information about biometric data in this list of frequently asked questions on the INIS website.

Extending a student visa for Ireland

The local immigration officer in your area (Garda National Immigration Bureau if in Dublin) can advise you on any application forms you will need to complete to extend your student visa. Your application to extend your visa should contain the following information:

• Details of and proof of payment of course/study fees
• Details of the course of study
• Information on where you will live
• Evidence that you are self-sufficient
• Copy of your passport with your original study visa
• Visa reference number and your nationality
• Details of attendance if this is a further education course.

Applying for a re-entry visas

Before applying for a re-entry visa you must register with the local immigration officer for the district in which you are staying (Garda National Immigration Bureau if staying in Dublin). You can read more about registration in our document on Registration of non-EEA nationals in Ireland.

Sent your completed Re-Entry Visa Application Form, along with all required documentation, by registered post to the:

Re-entry Visa Processing Office,
Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service,
13-14 Burgh Quay,
Dublin 2.

Apply for your re-entry visa well in advance of your proposed dates of travel. Postal applications for re-entry visas will be processed within 4 days of receipt and your re-entry visa will be returned to you by registered post.

You can also apply in person for a re-entry visa at the above address within certain hours. You will need to have a completed application form and all required  documentation with you.

There is more information on applying for a re-entry visa, as well as information on photographic requirements on the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service website.

Where to apply