Perks of studying in Ireland

Ireland, also known as the Republic of Ireland, is a European island. Although Ireland is mainly famous for its history, sports, and pubs, one other thing that has gained popularity in recent years is Ireland’s higher education. Ireland is attracting more and more international students every year, and it is no accident. There are a plethora of reasons why more and more international students are choosing Ireland as their study abroad destination, and that is why we have decided to come up with a list of the perks of studying in Ireland and why you should make it a part of your study abroad journey.

1. High-quality education

High-quality education is one of the main reasons why international students opt for Ireland. Ireland is home to numerous top-ranked universities and colleges, such as Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin (UCD). Ireland also has various international standard research universities focusing on a range of research topics and highly recognised faculties to help students gain deep knowledge in their respective fields.

According to the QS world university rankings for 2023, here are the top eight universities in Ireland.

2. Part-time Jobs

Part-time jobs are an excellent way for students to cover their expenses. Many students choose to do part-time jobs while studying, and Ireland has very friendly policies regarding this. In Ireland, students are allowed to work for 20 hours every week, with an exception of 40 hours every week during college vacations and the holiday season (June to September and 15th December to 15th January, respectively).

Note: There are two types of student visas in Ireland: Stamp 2 and Stamp 2A. Students with Stamp 2 are allowed to do part-time jobs, whereas students with Stamp 2A are not allowed to work part-time.

3. Job opportunities 

Ireland is a fast-growing economy, and one of the reasons international students choose to study here is the job opportunities it offers. Ireland has one of the highest employment rates in the world, and it is also home to several MNC offices, including Accenture, Medtronic, CRH plc, AXA Insurance, JP Morgan, and many more. That is why a large number of students prefer to stay and work in Ireland for a long period of time.

To help you learn more, here is a list of high-demand jobs in Ireland:

• IT
• Construction
• Accounting and Finance
• Creative Design
• Language
• Business skills
• Web Development
• Nursing
• Customer Service 
• Teaching

 Read here: Top 10 Tips to Kickstart Your Career

3. Safety and Diversity

Ireland welcomes thousands of international students and tourists every year. It is one of the safest and most peaceful countries in the world, and it also ranks third in the world in the global peace rankings. So overall, it is a safe place to study, and you can also think of staying there after completing your studies to experience the rich culture Ireland has to offer.

Along with being a safe country, Ireland is also filled with diversity. You can easily meet students from different countries and cultures and experience their cultures while sharing yours. So if safety and diversity are on your list of priorities, you should definitely consider Ireland as your next home.

5. Low-cost Education

While being known for high-quality education, Ireland is also a cost-effective place if compared to other top study abroad destinations. The credit for affordable education mainly goes to the Irish government, as they provide financial backing to most universities. For instance, a few programmes in Irish universities start at as low as 7,000 euros, which is cheaper than many other institutions in Europe. The tuition fee may vary depending on the degree and the university where you intend to study.

The average postgraduate course fee might be between 9,000 and 20,000 euros, and the average undergraduate course charge can be between 9,000 and 21,000 euros.

Along with being reasonably priced, living expenses are also fairly low in Ireland. The average annual cost of living for an international student, including personal expenses, is between 5000 and 9000 euros.

6. Post-study visa

All international students studying in Ireland are automatically eligible and entitled to a post-study work permit after completing their higher education. Students are not required to go through any additional process or provide documents as it is included in the study visa for Ireland.

The duration of the post-study work visa in Ireland may vary based on the type of course you are pursuing. Students pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in Ireland are automatically eligible to stay back and find a job. After completing their studies, students can stay back and look for job opportunities. This can be both part-time and full-time work. This is good for students as they can get relevant work experience that will help them find employment if they wish to return to their home country.

After finding a job, if students want to continue working past the completion of their post-study visa period, they can apply for a work visa in Ireland. As a large number of companies in Ireland are looking to hire fresh graduates, international students can easily get a lot of opportunities to land a job that will also provide them with a work permit.

Given below is the duration of a post-study work permit in Ireland.

To summarize, Ireland is the best country to study abroad for students seeking a high-quality education while immersing themselves in the welcoming multi-cultural environment of a country that enjoys sports, pubs, and is known for its sense of humour.

Also see: Top 8 Reasons to Study in the United Kingdom.