Are you aware that the cheapest universities in Ireland for international students have drawn a large number of students from both within and outside the European continent?
Ireland is a popular country among many others because it has constructively created one of Europe’s largest and most friendly educational systems over the last few decades.
Its landmass is home to several prestigious public and private universities and colleges. With a fast-growing economy, this country has emerged as an appealing destination for international students in the last decade.
Students who study abroad in Ireland can be assured of high educational standards because the country is ranked high among the world’s top education providers, and it is particularly well-known for its high-quality academic education in engineering and technology.
Another factor that consistently contributes to the country attracting an increasing number of international students from all over the world is the fact that Ireland has a plethora of best universities for international students.
We will cover a lot for you in this complete students guide to studying in the cheapest universities in Ireland for international students; starting from why you would love to make studying in Ireland your first choice, to the cost for both EU and non-EU students.
Table of Contents
Is studying in Ireland worth it?
Yes, studying in Ireland is worth it because the country is an excellent place to study.
The Irish are widely regarded as the happiest people on the planet. This explains why international students are greeted so warmly upon arrival.
Because of its young and vibrant population, international students are sure to find a plethora of social activities to participate in during their free time.
Most importantly, Ireland is a good place to study due to the high quality of education available. For example, Dublin is a hub of several internationally renowned universities. These universities have the best educational facilities to make learning easy and enjoyable.
Why Should You Study in Ireland for Your Next Degree?
There are numerous reasons why you should consider studying in Ireland; below are the top reasons:
- Numerous universities in Ireland are fully open and welcoming to international students. As a result, students can interact with people from various cultures around the world.
- Universities in Ireland provide high-quality education at reasonable tuition rates.
- Ireland is a modern and safe country, and the cost of living is among the cheapest in Europe because studying in Ireland is less expensive than studying in the United Kingdom and others.
- The country is a diverse, multicultural country with many exciting opportunities for international students.
- Ireland is one of the greatest and safe places to study because it is a part of the European Union.
Universities in Ireland for international student requirements
Here are several steps you can take to improve your chances of studying in Ireland:
- To be able to study abroad, you must have a financial plan. This can take the form of attending low-cost universities in Ireland, working while studying, or simply paying out of your pocket.
- There are numerous requirements that you must meet, such as language requirements and application requirements. Make sure you understand the requirements and plan ahead of time!
- Then, you must apply to Irish universities using their application portal.
- Get a student visa.
How to get a student visa for Ireland
Depending on your country of origin, you may require a student visa to study in Ireland. There are also several other countries whose citizens are not required to obtain a visa, as listed on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
You must register with immigration authorities when you arrive in Ireland. This can be done online through the Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service. You will need to provide certain documents to apply for the visa.
A letter of acceptance, proof of medical insurance, proof of sufficient funds, two recent passport photographs, proof of English proficiency, and a passport valid for six months beyond the end of your course are all required.
List of the 10 Cheapest universities in Ireland for international students
The following is a list of the 10 cheapest universities in Ireland:
- Trinity College Dublin
- Dundalk Institute of Technology
- Letterkenny Institute of Technology
- University of Limerick
- Cork Institute of Technology
- National College of Ireland
- Maynooth University
- Dublin Business School
- Athlone Institute of Technology
- Griffith College.
Cheapest universities in Ireland for international students with tuition and acceptance rate
Here are the cheapest universities in Ireland for international students in 2022:
#1. Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College has established itself as one of Ireland’s most affordable universities. It was founded in 1592 and is one of Ireland’s oldest universities.
The school is well-known for offering a wide range of reasonable and cost-effective courses to non-EU students. Many undergraduate and postgraduate courses are available here for international students.
The following are the courses available at Trinity College Dublin:
- Business courses
- Engineering
- Social sciences
- Medicine
- Art
- Management sciences
- Law and other martial sciences.
Tuition: The fees are determined by the course you choose. The cost, on the other hand, ranges from €20,609 to €37,613.
Acceptance rate: Trinity College has a 33.5 percent acceptance rate.
#2. Dundalk Institute of Technology
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) was established in 1971 and is now one of Ireland’s foremost Institutes of Technology due to its high-quality teaching and innovative research programs. The institution is a government-funded Institute of Technology with nearly 5,000 students, located on a cutting-edge campus.
The courses offered at Dundalk Institute of Technology are as follows:
- Arts & Humanities
- Business, Management & Marketing
- Computing
- Creative Arts & Media
- Early Childhood Studies
- Engineering & Built Environment
- Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts
- Music, Drama & Performance
- Nursing & Midwifery
- Science, Agriculture & Animal Health.
Tuition: Annual tuition fees for international students at Dundalk Institute of Technology range from €7,250 to €12,000 per year.
Acceptance rate: Dundalk Institute of Technology is one of the institutions that does not provide acceptance rate information. This could occur because a university has programs in which an applicant only needs to meet admission requirements to enroll and does not have to compete with others.
#3. Letterkenny Institute of Technology
Letterkenny Institute of Technology was founded as the Letterkenny Regional Technical College. It was designed to address the labour shortage of skilled technicians.
Students at the institute benefit from the use of cutting-edge facilities to supplement their education. To meet the needs of the students, the institute also has sports and recreational facilities. Students who want to stretch their muscles can also take advantage of free exercise classes.
Programs offered at these universities are as follows:
- Science
- IT & Software
- Medicine & Health Sciences
- Business & Management Studies
- Engineering
- Design
- Animation
- Hospitality & Travel
- Accounting & Commerce
- Architecture & Planning
- Teaching & Education
- Nursing
- Law
- Mass Communication & Media
- Arts ( Fine / Visual / Performing ).
Tuition: For Undergraduate and Postgraduate Courses, Non-EU students must pay the current Non-EU fee rate. This equates to €10,000 per year.
Acceptance rate: Letterkenny Institute of Technology has an acceptance rate of 25%.
#4. University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is another university in Ireland that has been ranked as an affordable university in Ireland for international students.
It was founded as a public university in 1972. The University of Limerick is well-known for offering low-cost courses to international and non-EU students from all over the world. This university has a large number of scholarships available for international students.
The courses available at the University of Limerick are as follows:
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Natural sciences
- Business Administration
- Architecture.
Tuition: Fees vary depending on the program, but most students pay up to EUR 15,360.
Acceptance rate: The acceptance rate at the University of Limerick is 70%.
#5. Cork Institute of Technology
The Cork Institute of Technology was founded in 1973 as the Regional Technical College, Cork. This low-cost university in Ireland is made up of two constituent faculties and three constituent colleges.
Programs offered at cork institute of technology are as follows:
- Electronics
- Electrical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Applied Physics
- Accounting and Information Systems
- Marketing
- Applied Social Studies.
Tuition: For all levels of study, the current annual tuition fee for non-EU students is €12,000 per year.
Acceptance rate: Cork Institute of Technology has a 47 percent acceptance rate on average.
#6. National College of Ireland
Apart from being one of the cheapest universities in Ireland, the National College of Ireland (NCI), situated in the centre of one of Europe’s fastest-growing economies, takes pride as an institution designed to meet the current and future needs of man.
The courses available at the National University of Ireland are listed below:
- Engineering
- Management sciences
- Business Administration
- Medicine
- Social sciences
- Many other courses.
Tuition: Tuition fees and housing are among the expenses associated with funding your studies at the NCI. This could cost up to €3,000.
Acceptance rate: This university normally records up to 86 percent admission rate.
#7. St. Patrick’s College Maynooth
St. Patrick’s College Maynooth, founded in 1795 as the National Seminary for Ireland, is one of the cheapest universities in Ireland for international students.
Anyone who meets the requirements can enroll in undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the institution.
Programs that are available at the institution are as follows:
- Theology and Arts
- Philosophy
- Theology.
Tuition: International students in the school pay a tuition fee of 11,500 EUR per year.
Acceptance rate: When contemplating an applicant, his or her academic performance is always the deciding factor.
#8. Dublin Business School
This cheapest university in Ireland for international students initially assisted students in preparing for professional accounting exams. It then began to offer courses in Accounting, Banking, and Marketing.
The school’s offerings were expanded over time, and it is now one of Ireland’s leading educational institutions.
Programs that are available at the Dublin business school are as follows:
- Computing
- Media
- Law
- Psychology.
Also, the institution has part-time programs and professional diplomas in Digital Marketing, Project Management, Psychotherapy, and Fintech.
Tuition: Fees at Dublin Business School for international students goes from €2,900
Acceptance rate: The school has up to 60 percent acceptance rate.
#9. Athlone Institute of Technology
The Athlone Institute of Technology, which was founded in 1970 by the Irish government and was originally known as the Athlone Regional Technical College, is among the cheapest university in Ireland for international students.
It was initially managed by the Vocational Education Committee but gained more autonomy following the passage of the Regional Technical Colleges Act. In 2017, the college was designated as a sanctuary college.
Available programs at the Athlone Institute of Technology are:
- Business and Management
- Accounting and Business Computing
- Civil Construction
- Mineral Engineering
- Nursing
- Healthcare
- Social Science and Design.
Tuition: International students pay around 10,000 EUR per year.
Acceptance rate: Athlone Institute of Technology has a less 50 percent acceptance rate for students each year.
#10. Griffith College Dublin
Griffith College Dublin is a private higher education institution in Dublin’s capital city. It is one of the largest and oldest private colleges in the country, having been founded in 1974. The college was established to provide students with business and accounting training.
Programs available at the university are:
- Engineering
- Medicine courses
- Business Administration
- Social sciences
- Art
- Law.
Tuition: The fees in this college go from EUR 12,000.
Acceptance rate: Griffith College Ireland has a preferential admissions process, and its acceptance rate is lower than many other universities.
Cost of studying in Ireland for EU students
The Irish government encourages students to charge no fees to EU nationals. There are no fees for undergrad programs at public universities for both local students and EU residents. This is listed under the “Free Fees Initiative,” where students are only required to pay registration fees upon admission to the respective degree programs.
Tuition fees at public universities in Ireland range from 6,000 to 12,000 EUR/year for undergraduate degree programs, and from 6,150 to 15,000 EUR/year for postgraduate / master programs and research courses for non-EU students.
Cheapest University in Ireland for International Students from India
Higher education in Ireland is slightly more expensive for Indians. As a result, every student who wishes to pursue a degree in the country seeks admission to affordable universities.
Here is a list of affordable universities in Ireland that also have a good reputation which will lower the cost of studying in Ireland for Indian students:
- University College Cork
- St. Patrick’s College
- University of Limerick
- Cork Institute of Technology.
Cost of studying in Ireland for international students
The cost of studying in Ireland for international students varies depending on where you choose to study and where you come from.
For full-time undergraduates, there is a free fees initiative. If you are an EU student attending a public university, you will not have to pay tuition. Fees must be paid if you are an EU student who is not attending a public university or pursuing a postgraduate degree.
Even if you are not required to pay tuition, you will almost certainly be required to pay a registration fee. If you are from another country, you will have to pay fees regardless of the level of study you are taking or where you are studying.
You may be eligible for a scholarship to help fund your studies; inquire with your preferred institution for more information.
If you choose to live in a larger city, you will pay more than if you live in a smaller city or town. If you have an EHIC card, you will be able to get any healthcare you need for free.
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Conclusion
Studying abroad is an amazing experience, and Ireland is an excellent choice for making your dreams of becoming an international student a reality regardless of your financial situation.
However, to be considered eligible for enrollment in one of Ireland’s cheapest universities for international students, you must obtain the necessary documents and achieve the required minimum score on any English proficiency tests.
