Studying outside Ireland

You may choose to study abroad because:

• Entry requirements are easier for your preferred course
• The course you want is not available in Ireland
• You want to experience studying outside of Ireland

Before deciding whether to study abroad, you should find out about:

• How you apply for courses in different countries
• College fees and grants you can access to help with costs
• Other practical matters, like accommodation and living expenses
• Visa requirements if you are considering studying outside the EU

This page has information about studying in an EU country, a country in Europe that’s not in the EU, or in a country outside of Europe.

You can also read about studying in the UK, including Northern Ireland.

If you are already a third-level student in Ireland, your university or college may have information about opportunities for studying outside Ireland.

You can also get information by contacting a third-level institution directly and requesting a prospectus.

You can find information about studying abroad from:

• The European Commission, including college admissions, course fees and grants, and other areas relevant to studying in Europe
• The European Youth Portal, which covers studying in Europe, studying abroad from Ireland, and working, travelling, and volunteering in Europe
• The International Association of Universities and UNESCO, who have collaborated to provide a searchable online database of higher education institutions from around the world – the database has information on admission requirements, applying for different institutions, and fees
• EUNiCAS, an independent application support service that helps Irish students access college programmes abroad

Student exchange programmes

Many Irish third-level institutions offer their students the opportunity to travel through their course of study, often through student exchange programmes.

Irish institutions establish initial contact with institutions abroad and maintain an ongoing relationship with them.

Students move between the 2 institutions on study and work placements. Students are offered services such as:

• Student orientation
• Language training
• Accommodation services

Contact your college for information about any student exchange programmes they may offer.

You can travel to experience work, study or train abroad on the Erasmus+ programme. You apply for Erasmus+ through your school, college or place of work.

Countries covered by Erasmus+ include:

• All EU countries
• Iceland
• Norway
• Liechtenstein
• The Republic of North Macedonia
• Turkey
• Serbia

Erasmus+ funding generally covers travel costs and living expenses, such as accommodation and food. Erasmus+ students do not have to pay fees for registration, tuition, examinations, or charges for access to libraries or laboratories in the institutions where they are studying.

If you are planning to study outside of the EU, you may require a visa or study permit to study abroad (unless you have a passport for the country you are travelling to). You can find out about entry requirements and applying for visas and permits on the immigration website of your destination country.

If you are travelling to another country as part of a student exchange programme, your college may have information about what you need to know before travelling. However, students are generally responsible for making their own visa applications.

Applying for a student visa

As part of applying for a visa, you generally need to attend an interview.

Depending on where you are going, you may also need to provide:

• A copy of your passport (it should be valid for at least 6 months)
• Passport-sized photographs
• A letter from the university in the country you’re travelling to that shows you have been accepted
• A receipt confirming your visa application fee has been paid (if you are asked to pay this before your visa interview)
• Proof that you will be returning to Ireland after your period of study has ended
• Proof that you have enough money to cover living expenses during your study period (such as bank statements from you or your parents or guardians, or confirmation from SUSI if you are getting a student grant)

Getting a J1 visa to work in the United States

Every year, many students from Ireland travel to the United States on the Intern Work and Travel Programme (also known as the J1 Programme). You can apply for a J1 visa to work and travel in the United States while on your summer break from college.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has published travel advice for Irish J1 students. Read more about the Intern Work and Travel Programme and about qualifying for a J1 visa.

The International Education Financial Aid (IEFA) website provides a database of financial aid information for students who want to study abroad. The site has a comprehensive list of grants, scholarships, loan programmes and other helpful information.

EU grants

Erasmus+ provides students with a mobility grant to help with travel costs and living expenses. The amount varies from year-to-year depending on certain criteria. You can read about the award criteria in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

You can read about other grants and funding available in Europe in the European Funding Guide.

Irish maintenance grants

If you are studying in another EU country, you can get a maintenance grant under the Student Grant Scheme if:

• You are studying a full-time undergraduate course that lasts at least 2 years
• Your course is in a publicly-funded third-level institution
• You meet the income, residence, age, academic and nationality criteria to qualify for the grant

You apply for a grant online on the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) website.

Read more about the different funds and grants available in Ireland on the Higher Education Authority website.

Funding for postgraduate study

There are different sources of funding for postgraduate students, and many postgraduate students compete for limited funding.

Institutions running postgraduate courses may offer financial support, or you may need to apply to an external body for funding.

Funding may cover maintenance or only cover fees. Eligibility rules and deadlines for application vary and are strict, so you should check with the institution or organisation providing the funding about what you need to do to apply.

Postgraduate research or study scholarships

Scholarships for study abroad are awarded annually by governments to Irish students. These are awarded to students who have completed, or are currently studying, a third-level course.

Scholarship details are shared with universities and third-level institutions. You may also find scholarship details published on the websites of:

• The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS)
• The European University Institute
• Scholarships, grants and financial support - European Education Area

Tax relief on tuition fees

You can claim tax relief if you have paid the fees, either on your own behalf or on behalf of another person. You cannot claim tax relief on any part of the tuition fees that is met directly or indirectly by a grant, a scholarship or otherwise.

Undergraduate courses

Tax relief is available for tuition paid for approved full-time or part-time undergraduate courses in both private and publicly funded third-level colleges in any EU member state.

It is also available on full-time or part-time undergraduate courses operated by colleges in any EU member state providing distance education in the State.

Postgraduate courses

You can claim tax relief on third-level fees for postgraduate courses in a university or publicly funded college in another EU member state, including colleges that provide distance education in the State.

Tax relief is also available for postgraduate courses in a university or publicly funded third-level college in non-EU countries.

You can claim tax relief on tuition fees using Revenue's myAccount service.