Higher education in Ireland for international students. List of 21 top institutions, 2024 fees, rankings
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from 10500.00 € / yearApply with documents
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#285 in Top Performers on Social MobilityIrelandDublinCurrently watching: 9from 10250.00 € / yearApply with documents
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#81 in the world among Masters In MarketingIrelandGalwayCurrently watching: 2from 2750.00 € / 18 weeksApply with documents
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from 18153.00 € / yearApply with documents
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from 200.00 € / weekApply with documents
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from 3100.00 € / yearApply with documents
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#7 in Best Global Universities in IrelandIrelandMaynoothCurrently watching: 2from 13828.00 $ / yearApply with documents
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from 12500.00 € / yearApply with documents
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#5 in Best Global Universities in IrelandIrelandLimerickCurrently watching: 2from 13191.00 $ / yearApply with documents
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Apply with documents
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Education information
Today, Ireland is the leading country among best destinations for educational tourism according to foreign students. Ireland attracts international students with high-quality educational services, a wide range of schools and colleges, exciting cultural programs. SMAPSE offers TOP-10 prestigious Irish colleges and universities where international students can get high-quality and balanced higher education that will open wide career opportunitites.
Please, don't hesitate to contact SMAPSE experts as they are always ready to answer all your questions.
Ireland Educational System: features and benefits
Higher Education in Ireland: requirements and benefits
Ireland's educational heritage dates back to the Middle Ages, when priests received their education in Irish monasteries and then traveled to teach across Europe. To this day, the country is renowned for its exceptional education system, harmoniously blending time-honored traditions with modern approaches.
Respected Diplomas
While Irish universities may not consistently occupy top positions in global rankings, their degrees hold great value for employers in Europe and the USA. Graduates often find it easy to secure quality jobs.
Opportunities for Foreign Students
Ireland offers enticing prospects for foreign students. Many have the chance to secure part-time employment with leading companies during their studies, and post-graduation, they often find full-time roles, facilitating their stay in Ireland.
Competitive Research Environment
Ireland's research capabilities now rival those of the United Kingdom, thanks to substantial investments in the research field and active participation from foreign scientists. Dublin, in particular, stands poised to become a global scientific hub, with major IT giants such as Google, Facebook, and Zynga already establishing their presence in the city.

What firstly should be considered when choosing a university?
It depends on the student - everyone determines the most important criteria for himself. I would advise you to take several rankings and compare them with each other, plus take into account the cost of the course, the location of the university and its scale, the percentage of graduates' employment. See where graduates continue their studies or where they go to work.
Admission Process for Foreign Students to Get Higher Education
Ireland provides a streamlined admission process for international students pursuing higher education, with minimal language requirements and reasonable certificate scores, among other criteria.
Irish citizens are renowned for their friendliness towards foreigners. They are always eager to forge new friendships and extend assistance to newcomers.
Guide to Higher Education in Ireland for International Students
Structure Based on the Bologna System
Higher education in Ireland follows the Bologna system, encompassing three levels: bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. Undergraduates can opt for either a three-year Ordinary Bachelor Degree or a four-year Honors Bachelor Degree, with the latter often conferring honors upon graduation.
Master's and Doctoral Programs
The master's program in Ireland spans two years, with students engaging in research work under the guidance of a supervisor. It typically involves fewer lectures and seminars. Doctoral studies, on the other hand, last anywhere from 2 to 6 years.
Higher Education Institutions in Ireland for International Students
Ireland hosts different types of higher education institutions, each catering to specific preferences and career paths. Universities are ideal for those pursuing scientific careers and research-oriented studies. There are nine universities in Ireland.
Institutes and colleges are better suited for applied sciences, offering practice-oriented programs that thoroughly prepare students for their future careers. Many organizations place high value on diplomas from institutes and colleges, attributing it to the practical knowledge and skills they impart.
Academic Calendar and Facilities
The academic year in Ireland commences in September and concludes in June, encompassing two or three semesters. Students can expect a rigorous academic load, including numerous lectures, seminars, and one-on-one sessions with mentors. All Irish universities are well-equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including high-quality sports equipment, as physical activities are often a requirement. Additionally, students can participate in clubs, studios, and various student communities.
Opportunities for Part-Time Work
While studying, students can work up to 20 hours per week, and job opportunities are abundant. The country actively encourages final-year students to work in their respective fields. Many graduates continue their employment in Irish companies, thus remaining in Ireland. High-achieving students may also be eligible for financial incentives.
Admission to Irish Universities for Foreign Students
Admission to top Irish universities can be competitive. It is advisable to consider preparatory courses such as the University Foundation program. This one-year pre-university course is designed to assist international students in adapting to the new academic and linguistic environment. A high school diploma with excellent grades is typically required, alongside proof of language proficiency, often demonstrated through TOEFL certificate (550), IELTS scores starting from 6 points.
Higher Education in Ireland. Cost and Fees for international students
Ireland stands out as one of the most budget-friendly English-speaking countries for higher education. Tuition fees in leading Irish universities typically range from 15,000 to 20,000 euros annually, with medical specialties being the exception, costing around 30,000 euros. Education at less prestigious institutions is more affordable, averaging about 15,000 euros per year. Living expenses vary depending on location, with the capital cities being pricier. On average, students in Ireland can expect to spend between 7,000 and 10,000 euros per year, making it approximately 30% cheaper than studying in the UK.
General statistics on education in Ireland - rankings, specialties, universities
Learning programs-summary information
Name | Meaning | Equivalent | Min. age | Duration, years |
Next stage | Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GCSE | General certificate of secondary education | secondary education (non-accomplished) | 14 | 1–2 | A-Levels | 15,000 USD+ |
A-Levels | Advanced level | secondary education (accomplished) | 16 | 2 | University | 15,000 USD+ |
BTEC | Business and Technology Education Board | secondary special education | 14 | 2–3 | University/ work | 15,000 USD+ |
Oxbridge Preparation | Preparing for Oxford and Cambridge | secondary education (accomplished) | 17 | 1 | University | 15,000 USD+ |
International Baccalaureate | International baccalaureate | secondary education (accomplished) | 16 | 2 | University | 18,000 USD+ |
Foundation/ Pathway Year | Preparatory year | admission to the 1st year of university | 17 | 1 | University | 14,000 USD+ |
NCUK | The Northern consortium | 2 year university | 17,5 | 1 | 2 year University of NCUK | 13,000 USD+ |
Special Preparation (Medics/Math/Business) | Specialized training | - | 14 | optional | optional | 4,000 USD+ |
Academic English | Academic English | Language school | 8 + | 6–12 months | School or University | 8,000 USD+ |
Top 15 best universities in Switzerland 2024
1 | Glion Institute of Higher Education Switzerland |
2 | Les Roches International School Montana |
3 | César Ritz Colleges Switzerland |
4 | IHTTI School of Hotel Management |
5 | Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne |
6 | Geneva Business School |
7 | EU Business School Montreux |
8 | HIM Hotel Institute Montreux |
9 | Swiss Hotel Management School |
10 | Webster University Geneva |
11 | Business and Hotel Management School |
12 | Luzern IMI |
13 | Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) Caux |
14 | International University in Geneva |
15 | Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland |
Top 10 best universities in Netherlands 2024
Top 35 best universities and colleges in Canada 2024
1 | University of Toronto |
2 | McGill University |
3 | University of British Columbia |
4 | University of Alberta |
5 | Simon Fraser University |
6 | Montreal University |
7 | University of Windsor |
8 | York University |
9 | University of Guelph |
10 | McMaster University |
11 | University of Manitoba |
12 | University of Waterloo |
13 | Royal Roads University |
14 | Vancouver Film School |
15 | Kwantlen Polytechnic University |
16 | University of Calgary |
17 | Dalhousie University |
18 | Fanshawe College |
19 | University of Ottawa |
20 | Laval University |
21 | Sheridan College |
22 | University of Regina |
23 | Brock University |
24 | Thompson Rivers University |
25 | Humber College |
26 | Vancouver Island University |
27 | Mohawk College |
28 | Centennial College Toronto |
29 | Niagara College |
30 | Capilano University |
31 | Seneca College |
32 | Algoma University |
33 | Saint Clair College |
34 | Douglas College |
35 | LaSalle College |
Times Higher Education’s top 50 best universities in USA 2024
World University Rank | US Rank | University | City | State |
2 | 1 | Stanford University | Stanford | California |
3 | 2 | Harvard University | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
4 | 3 | California Institute of Technology | Pasadena | California |
5 | 4 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
7 | 5 | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley | California |
8 | 6 | Yale University | New Haven | Connecticut |
9 | 7 | Princeton University | Princeton | New Jersey |
10 | 8 | University of Chicago | Chicago | Illinois |
12 | 9 | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore | Maryland |
13 | 10 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
15 | 11 | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles | California |
17 | 12 | Columbia University | New York City | New York |
19 | 13 | Cornell University | Ithaca | New York |
=20 | 14 | Duke University | Durham | North Carolina |
22 | 15 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | Michigan |
24 | 16 | Northwestern University | Evanston | Illinois |
26 | 17 | New York University | New York City | New York |
28 | 18 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
29 | 19 | University of Washington | Seattle | Washington |
33 | 20 | University of California, San Diego | San Diego | California |
38 | 21 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta | Georgia |
44 | 22 | University of Texas at Austin | Austin | Texas |
48 | 23 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Champaign | Illinois |
49 | 24 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Madison | Wisconsin |
50 | 25 | Washington University in St Louis | St. Louis | Missouri |
53 | 26 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles | California |
=54 | 27 | Boston University | Boston | Massachusetts |
=56 | 28 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
61 | 29 | Brown University | Providence | Rhode Island |
=64 | 30 | University of California, Davis | Davis | California |
68 | 31 | University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | California |
=80 | 32 | Ohio State University (Main campus) | Columbus | Ohio |
=85 | =33 | Emory University | Atlanta | Georgia |
=85 | =33 | University of Minnesota | Minneapolis | Minnesota |
90 | 35 | University of Maryland, College Park | College Park | Maryland |
=94 | 36 | Purdue University West Lafayette | West Lafayette | Indiana |
=98 | 37 | University of California, Irvine | Irvine | California |
=101 | 38 | Dartmouth College | Hanover | New Hampshire |
105 | 39 | Michigan State University | East Lansing | Michigan |
=111 | 40 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Tennessee |
=114 | 41 | Penn State (Main campus) | State College | Pennsylvania |
117 | 42 | University of Virginia (Main campus) | Charlottesville | Virginia |
120 | 43 | Georgetown University | Washington D.C | |
=121 | 44 | Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland | Ohio |
=124 | 45 | University of Arizona | Tucson | Arizona |
=124 | =45 | Rice University | Houston | Texas |
=131 | 47 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder | Colorado |
=133 | 48 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
=140 | 49 | Indiana University | Bloomington | Indiana |
=147 | 50 | University of Rochester | Rochester (NY) | New York |
Top 50 best universities in the UK 2024
1 | Cambridge |
2 | Oxford |
3 | St Andrews |
4 | London School of Economics |
5 | Imperial College London |
6 | Loughborough |
7 | Durham |
8 | Lancaster |
9 | University of Bath |
10 | East Anglia (UEA) |
11 | University College London |
12 | Warwick |
13 | Exeter |
14 | Birmingham |
15 | Bristol |
16 | Edinburgh |
17 | Leeds |
18 | Manchester |
19 | Southampton |
20 | Glasgow |
21 | King's College London |
22 | Nottingham |
23 | York |
24 | Newcastle |
25 | Royal Holloway, University of London |
26 | East Anglia (UEA) |
27 | Aberdeen |
28 | Queen's University Belfast |
29 | Sheffield |
30 | Heriot-Watt |
31 | Cardiff |
32 | Dundee |
33 | Swansea |
34 | Liverpool |
35 | Surrey |
36 | Queen Mary, University of London |
37 | SOAS University of London |
38 | Leicester |
39 | Reading |
40 | Sussex |
41 | Essex |
42 | Harper Adams University |
43 | Aston |
44 | University for the Creative Arts |
45 | University of Stirling |
46 | Nottingham Trent |
47 | Kent |
48 | Arts University Bournemouth |
49 | Oxford Brookes |
50 | Lincoln |
Cost of living in Ireland
Expenses - USD/Month. | Min. | Med. |
---|---|---|
Accommodation | 407 | 528 |
Food | 213 | 442 |
Transportation | 90 | 197 |
Communications and utilities | 98 | 121 |
Clothing | 24 | 92 |
Sports and leisure | 27 | 98 |
Total | 860 | 1,477 |
Statistics of English courses in Ireland
Programs | Intensity | Group | Language requirements | The minimum cost of the week |
---|---|---|---|---|
General English | 15-22,5 | 8-12 | Beginner | €130+ |
Intensive Courses | 25-30 | 5-10 | Beginner | €220+ |
Combined Courses | 25-30 | 5-10 | Beginner | €305+ |
IELTS Preparation Courses | 25-30 | 8-10 | Intermediate | €220+ |
Cambridge Preparation Course | 20-30 | 8-10 | Intermediate | €130+ |
English for Business | 25-30 | 6-10 | Intermediate | €220+ |
One-to-one tuition | individual | 1 | Beginner | €35+ lesson |
Academic Year Programme | 20 | 10-15 | Beginner | €2,70 |
Accommodation in Ireland
Shared room outside of centre | 411$ |
---|---|
Shared room in city centre | 533$ |
1 bedroom apartment outside of centre | 780$ |
1 bedroom apartment in city centre | 944$ |
Estimated Costs
Estimated Costs | Min., € | Average € |
---|---|---|
Consular fee of the embassy | €60 | €60 |
Flight (Moscow - Dublin - Moscow) | €227 | €550 |
Medical insurance | €100 | €120 |
Study material | €35 | €65 |
Delivery of invitations by express mail | €45 | €75 |
Transfer/Escort | €90 | €120 |
International exams | €130 | €175 |