IRELAND

Spreading over 84.5 thousands square kilometers approx., Ireland, the third largest island of Europe, is a land of approval. You land here and you find friendly faces everywhere. With 10 percent of a total population of 6.5 million people , consisting of immigrants from all over the globe, study in Ireland and have a safe academic experience in  one of the world’s friendliest and safest countries.

ECONOMY

Ireland is a knowledge economy. In matters of economic freedom ,it stands sixth in the world with an economic freedom index of 80.4 . Thus, with a diverse economy, it is a big market for machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, and animal products. Its main economic resource is its large fertile pastures specifically the mid-land and the southern regions.

Why study in IRELAND

• Ireland is a multicultural country
• The country is known globally for world class research opportunities
• Ireland is an English speaking nation
• Ireland has picturesque landscapes that provide great living and travelling opportunities
• It has one of the world’s friendliest and safest countries
• Ireland has one of the best education systems in Europe which led to its major economic growth in recent years.
• Scholarships ranging from 2000 euros to 100 percent are available
• Ireland has a young and dynamic population with over 40 percent of the total people coming under the age of 25.
• It is less than an hour’s distance from London via flight.
• 2 years of post-study work permit is available to all international Masters Students.
• Moreover, Ireland has a “work and stay-back” policy for its international students for a period of 2 years. Unlike Ireland ,United Kingdom doesn’t provide its international students any stay-back opportunities.This scheme is particularly helpful when it comes to gaining some  work experience before landing on a permanent employment in your country or elsewhere. The foreign ambiance with world class work environment gives you the best Launchpad to blast-off into the coolest and most paid jobs you may otherwise fail to get.

5 Irish Universities make it to the top 400 according to the QS World Rankings 2018 :

• Trinity College Dublin
• University College Dublin
• National University of Ireland , Galway
• University College, Cork
• Dublin City University
• Ireland’s seven public universities are ranked among top 700 in the world.
• Universities in Ireland rank in the top 5 percent in the world and its research institutions are among the top 1 percent in the world
• Not just that , 9 of the world’s 10 best pharmaceutical companies are here in Ireland
• Compared to its neighbor United Kingdom (which is one of the world’s most expensive study destinations), Ireland serves as a very good value for money. It serves as a cost-effective study destination with its euro-currency offers. The cost of tuition in Ireland – without any scholarship – can be as low as €10,000 for certain undergraduate courses in Humanities and Arts.
• Living and accommodation costs (including the housing costs) shall vary from €7,000 to €12,000 annually, outside of their education.

When to apply?

The intake period is September for most universities in Ireland while some Universities offer a February intake. So according to the University you are applying for, you must check its intake period on its website.

Entry requirement

1.  English requirement: English is the language of instruction in all the Irish Universities. Hence the students must demonstrate their proficiency in the English language. Students need to give TOEFL in which a minimum score of 220(Internet based test) is generally accepted.
2. International students willing to study in Ireland have two options:

• Either, they can attend secondary school in Ireland and obtain Leaving Certificate Examination, along with Irish students. Students, who take up English language tuition to show their proficiency in the language, opt for studying secondary school in Ireland.
• Alternatively, they can study secondary school in their respective countries and take the recognized public examination. They should be able to secure minimum grades and marks in order to become eligible for admission to the university they are applying to. Plus, they must check whether their qualification complies with the educational qualification demanded by the university.

 Eligibility Criteria for IELTS

• For diploma courses and undergraduate courses : Composite score of 6.0- 6.5 with not less than 6.0 in any one component
• For postgraduate diploma courses and certificates : Composite score of 6.5 with not less than 6.0 in any one component

Work permit for students

Students are eligible to work on or off campus from day one.

For this, students are provided with a study permit which allows them to work on/off-campus for up to 20 hours per week during the academic session and full-time (i.e. 40 hours per week) during scheduled breaks without the need to apply for a separate work permit.

The only criterion to hold a study permit is that one should be pursuing an academic, vocational or professional training of six months or more that would lead to a degree, diploma or certificate at a Designated Learning Institution.

Moreover, many of the programs are bundled with inbuilt internships of one or two semesters, which help in providing the required experience and industry exposure to the students.