A unique, interesting and welcoming country, Ireland appeals to many international students looking to study at the undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD level. However, studying abroad can be expensive. Luckily, Ireland offers a range of financial support through the government, universities and other organisations. Here we run through some of the top scholarships in Ireland to help you narrow down your options and start applying for financial aid.

Government-run scholarships in Ireland

Government of Ireland Scholarship

High achieving students from outside of the EU/EEA may be eligible for a scholarship offered by the Irish government. Successful applicants will receive EUD 10,000 for one year of study. This grant can be applied to undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD level programmes.

The scholarship may be used for:

• Last year of your undergraduate degree
• One year of a taught postgraduate degree
• One year of a research programme

A total of 60 scholarships are expected to be awarded to international students in 2021/22. These scholarships are offered to any discipline, depending on the availability of places.

Eligible students must:

• Possess excellent communication skills
• Be involved in extracurricular activities (arts, sports, politics, humanitarian work)
• Demonstrate why Ireland is best for your studies/future
• Have an excellent academic background
• Have a conditional or final offer from an eligible Higher Education Institution in Ireland

Applications are to be submitted through the Higher Education Authority online application platform.

Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme

Funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and managed by the Irish Research Council, this scholarship is strictly for postgraduate applicants only. This financial aid is offered across all disciplines to talented individuals who are looking to pursue full-time research at the master’s, doctoral or postdoctoral level. Several partners work with the council to support this programme. These include:

• The Department of Foreign Affairs
• The Environmental Protection Agency
• The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation
• Met Eireann
• The Department of Rural and Community Development (postdoctoral)

If successful, applicants will be awarded:

• EUD 16,000 per year
• A contribution of up to EUD 5,750 for fees per year
• EUD 2,250 for research expenses per year

Eligibility requirements include:

• First class or upper second-class honours bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
• Must not have two previously unsuccessful applications to the programme or any of its affiliate programmes

Competition for this scholarship scheme is high as there are fewer places for international applicants compared with those from the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

Want to dig a little deeper and find out what Ireland has to offer international students?

University-run scholarships

Most universities in Ireland offer scholarships or bursaries to support international students through their studies. Some of these are merit-based and will be granted without the need to apply separately. However, for others you will need to make a separate submission.

University of Limerick (UOL)

At the University of Limerick, many faculties such as engineering, humanities and business offer merit-based scholarships of EUD 1,500 for undergraduate programmes and EUD 2,000-3,000 for postgraduates.

The university offers a range of other scholarships based on a variety of means such as:

UOL Chinese Students Scholarship

Chinese students applying to the University of Limerick could be eligible for EUD 5,000 per year for undergraduate courses within the following faculties:

• Kemmy Business School
• Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science
• Faculty of Education and Health Science

UOL Progression Scholarship

If you decide to progress onto a master’s programme at UOL after completing your four-year bachelor’s degree at the university, you could be granted EU fee status despite being a non-EU student. This would reduce your tuition fees by approximately 50 per cent.

Trinity College Dublin Scholarships (TCD)

Trinity College Dublin offers several scholarships depending on nationality, academic achievement and choice of programme.

Bachelor in Business Studies Scholarship

If you want to study business at the university, you could be eligible for a tuition fee reduction of EUR 5,000 in your first year. Applicants must have non-EU status and be paying non-EU tuition fees.

Applications will be assessed on academic excellence and consideration of how the applicant will positively contribute to the TDC community.

• Trinity College offer letter
• 200-word statement on “How I will contribute to our Trinity College Dublin Community”
• CV

Other TDC scholarships are awarded to applicants from countries such as Japan, India, China, and Brazil.

Other Irish universities offering scholarships include:

• Maynooth University
• University College Cork
• University College Dublin

Want to know more about the best universities in Ireland?

Organisational scholarships

Fulbright Scholarships

Fulbright scholarships provide grants for US citizens looking to study abroad. Several different schemes are offered to US students looking to study in Ireland:

The Fulbright scholarships do not exceed one year in duration, but funding can continue to be paid by the university if that has been agreed.

Hopefully you found a suitable scholarship here and are now ready to apply to university in Ireland!

Still searching? Check out our course matcher tool to find what’s right for you.

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