Study and Settle in Ireland

NTRODUCTION TO IRELAND

Ireland is a popular destination for international students and offers a high level of education that is recognised throughout the world, combining a remarkable higher education experience with historical cities, beautiful scenery and a unique heritage. Ireland is located on the west coast of Europe and is a member of the European Union.

COURSES AND EXAMS

Students have to pass one or more additional tests before they can be considered by most universities for admission. These range from the standardised graduate and college admission tests such as GRE, GMAT and SAT to English Language tests, such as TOEFL and IELTS.

EDUCATION AND LIVING COST

The cost of living for a student in Ireland can vary depending on what part of the country you live in, what type of accommodation you choose, your transport options for travelling to and from classes, as well as a range of other factors.

Tution fee for

• Undergraduate courses 9,000 – 45,000 EUR/year for undergraduate degree courses.
• Postgraduate Master and PhD courses: 9,150 – 37,000 EUR/year

PART TIME JOB

All nationals from the European Economic Area (EEA) are free to take up full-time or part-time employment in Ireland while studying.

International students engaged in full-time study of at least one year’s duration (on a course leading to a qualification which is recognised by the Irish Department of Education and Skills currently do not need a work permit to work in Ireland.

Students holding a valid  immigration stamp 2  permission will be permitted to work 40 hours per week only during the months of June, July, August and September and from 15th December to 15th January inclusive.  At all other times students holding Immigration permission Stamp 2 will be limited to working 20 hours per week. The permission to work ceases on the expiry of the students Stamp 2 immigration permission.

AVAILABILITY OF FINANCES

In addition to the tuition fees, all students (irrespective of EU/ non-EU) at universities and colleges in Ireland are required to pay nearly €2,500 per year as a service fee for supporting the clubs, societies and for examination entries. With banks introducing lucrative schemes, all-round-the-year borrowers should do a thorough research of the market before settling in on their choice.

JOB AND POST WORK PERMIT AND PERMANENT RESIDENCY

Once you have finished your studies in Ireland, you may wish to stay back a little longer and consider taking up a job to gain invaluable work experience. If you are enrolled as a full-time student, with an Irish accredited degree, and have the Visa Stamp 2 you may qualify for the Third Level Graduate Scheme. The steps to the process is as following –

• Students can apply for non-renewable extension of up to 2 years after course completion. This extension is granted for the purpose of finding suitable employment.
• Later on, you can apply for a green card (renamed Critical Skills Employment Permit) or work permit (renamed General Employment Permit).
• A new visa stamp – Stamp 1G – is now granted to foreign graduates who are authorized to work under the Third Level Graduate Scheme. So if you are granted Stamp 1G you don’t need to separately apply for visa extension.

The time of extension also depends on what your level is on the National Framework of Qualifications. For those pursuing degree at the level of 8 or above, the period for Graduate Employment Scheme is 12 months. For those with degree on level 7, a 6 month extension will be provided.

Generally, you can apply for residency after legally living in Ireland for 5 years. This includes General Employment Permit holders. However, as a nice advantage for techies, Critical Skills Employment Permit holders can apply for residency after just 2 years. Once you’ve been granted residency, you won’t need any further employment permits.

Cost of Education in Ireland

Not just studying in Ireland, but moving to a different country for your education comes with a whole lot of baggage and planning. Expenditure is one of the core aspects to look into since the economies of countries are highly variable. The student must be sure beforehand that he/she can conveniently afford the minimum living costs of the place along with the college fee. Thus, to make the process easier, we’ve compiled our research to present estimated costs of studying in Ireland, so that the student can move on to focus on the next step of their stay in the country.

TUITION FEE

This is going to be the primary expenditure a student has to face and will probably be one of the highest they come across. Although the amount of tuition fee would largely depend on the course and the university, along with any scholarships granted to the applicant. An indicative idea would be about €10,000 to €20,000 per annum. Anyone who’s already gotten into a college would be aware of the fee structure, and anyone planning to apply to should look into its tuition fee before concluding. A comprehensive list of the annual tuition fee of each program is mentioned below in EUROS:

1. Undergraduate (9,850 – 25,500)
2. Postgraduate (9,500 –34,500)
3. Doctoral (9,500 – 34,500)

Similar to most countries, generalized courses such as humanities and education courses are cheaper whereas specialized courses such as engineering and medicine are likely to be relatively more expensive. Similarly, post-graduate courses are much more expensive than undergraduate courses on a per annum scale but shorter in duration. It is highly recommended to also apply for scholarships, you never know when you get lucky!

VISA COSTS

It is best to consult a counsellor regarding the student visa process as it must not fiddled with. A valid student comes with its own costs and can cost an approximate of €60.

ACCOMMODATION COSTS

It is preferable that students, especially international ones, opt for on-campus accommodation facilities. It is not only much more affordable, but it would be much easier for you to connect with those around you as well as suit your educational requirements. Being around both international and native students from similar courses will enhance social life, bring you easy help and allow you to settle conveniently in a country you are absolutely clueless about – in short, it’s a great way to make friends quickly!

The only challenge posed is that not everyone would get to have access to this facility, which is primarily decided either based on score or a first-cum-first-serve basis. It is essential to book a slot for yourself as early as possible, which should cost around €300 – €600 per month.

If a student desires to live off-campus, they can take help (and should take help) from the accommodation office at the university. An off-campus solo-stay generally costs €427 per month, but is susceptible to influx based on location and season. In fact, a shared room may end up costing €400 per month whereas a private room may in a shared space may end up costing an approx. of €850.

LIVING EXPENSES

Living expenses cover a variety of sub-categories but essentially refer to all things that you need to survive in a city such as food, transportation, toiletries, social activities etc. It is a good practice to set a budget beforehand and document each expense so as to not overspend. Considering all costs, a student is Ireland generally carries a total of €650 – €1,000, based on the amount of luxury a student desires or their spending habits.

A breakdown summary of living costs per week in EUROS is highlighted below:

1. Food and drinks (250 – 350)
2. Gas and electricity (30 – 50)
3. Public Transport (65 – 85)
4. Phone and Internet (20)
5. Books and Stationery (75)
6. Miscellaneous (200 – 300)

An outline into transportation: Students generally have two options – either the college provides a shuttle services to and fro from the campus or the student would use public transportation

Transportation would be both short distance (regional trains, buses, DART, LAUS or local taxis) and long distance (rail, buses and flights). For short-distance travel, it can cost an average of €135 on a monthly basis, and is convenient – all schedules are often available on the internet accurately. To cut down costs further, do not forget to sign up for a Student Travel Card that may end up providing discounts up to 40%. A buffer amount should be kept for long-distance travel occasionally or in times of need.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance is a mandatory, so don’t even plan to skip on this. Enrolling for a medical insurance would cost an approximate of €500 – €800 on an annual basis in Ireland.

TAXES

Most college students prefer working part-time, alongside their education, to ease the burden of expenses. A student is permitted to work for 20 hours per week during academic sessions and full-time during vacations, the timings of which should be strictly adhered to. This earned Irish income is taxable, and should not be ignored.

The budgeting process involved varies on a lot of factors and there will be a high influx based on exchange rate variations. This makes a part-time job and scholarships a must during your stay in Ireland.

Following might help you as well.