Opportunities in Ireland

The main national scholarship for international postgraduate students in Ireland is the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship, run by the Higher Education Authority together with Irish universities. It supports one year of full-time master's study for non-EU/EEA applicants, who generally need an offer from a participating institution first. Each institution can add its own criteria; Trinity College Dublin, for example, limits it to certain country income groups. In recent years the call opened in late January and closed in March, with awards offered around June. Universities also run separate scholarships.

Non-EEA students need immigration permission to study and register with Irish Immigration Service Delivery. Graduates with a level 8 or higher qualification who hold the right permission can apply to the Third Level Graduate Programme, which allows a period of full-time work while looking for a graduate job. The length depends on the qualification level, and applications are made after final results, so a lapsed student permission can cause problems.

Otherwise, non-EEA nationals generally need an employment permit, which the employer applies for well before the planned start date, and some permit types require a labour market test. Common mistakes include applying for the scholarship without an admission offer, assuming permits are processed quickly, and relying on rules from older guides. English-language requirements vary by course, so each programme's admissions page is the reference.