Education system in Ireland

Find out how the Irish education system works!

 An education in Ireland offers you academic excellence, internationally recognized qualifications, an enjoyable vibrant campus life, development in research work and tremendous opportunities for work during your studies and after graduation.

Stages of academic study in Ireland 

One of the elements of the quality of the Irish education system is its very similarity to the education system in the neighboring United Kingdom. The academic stages in Ireland are mainly classified into four levels:

• Primary and pre-primary education

• Post-primary education

• Additional education and training

• Higher Education

National Qualifications Framework

The National Framework for Qualifications (NFQ) sets out the standards and requirements that qualify students for the different stages of Irish education. This framework measures and compares the educational standards and advantages of various qualifications and provides an opportunity for students to transfer from one educational institution to another according to their desire and level as long as they fulfill the requirements and conditions of the student travel visa. The standards of this national framework are aligned with those of the European framework, making your Irish degree internationally recognized.

It is worth noting that Irish universities, institutes of technology and private colleges in Ireland also offer tertiary qualifications under the cover and supervision of the National Qualifications Framework.

Fee and tuition structure

Ireland has a stunning natural beauty that makes you enjoy your educational trip there and makes you enjoy the high quality of life and the cultural richness of this country. In addition, the tuition fees in Ireland are reasonable and affordable and it is important that you plan to manage your expenses well anyway. Tuition fees for international students vary according to the major and the type and duration of the course. Each university in Ireland sets its own tuition fees depending on the scientific field and academic level. We can say that the expenses in total range on average between 10,000 and 25,000 euros annually.

Teaching and learning style

Universities and colleges in Ireland offer an interactive and innovative educational approach where you will engage with your classmates and professors alike while understanding and discussing various scientific topics. The Irish education system strives to support international students both in the classroom and outside of their public lives.

You should realize that you will be doing a lot of independent learning that involves more tasks than doing your homework, in addition to reading a lot of academic resources and taking important notes during your lectures. In addition to the lectures, additional tutorials are also organized to help the students to better understand the subjects of study. Classrooms and lecture halls are relatively small in size, and English is the medium of instruction. As an international student, it may take some time to get used to the Irish English accent, but once you get the hang of it, you'll see why it's called the most charming English in the world.

Higher education - the third level

Higher education in Ireland consists of universities, colleges and institutes of technology, most of which are funded by the Irish government. Ireland has 7 universities, 7 colleges, 15 private higher education institutions and 14 institutes of technology. There are a few additional private tertiary academic institutions in Ireland that offer specialist education in specific areas such as business studies, art and design, law, medicine and more.

Higher education provides academic study programs with university degrees and without according to the study program system and the desire of the applicants.

Academic programs without associate degrees

 Academic certificate programmes