Student Visas
Applying for a Visa can be a long and complicated process and it is best to avoid delays if at all possible; it is therefore prudent that you carefully gather all the information that is relevant to your case before making your final submission. After all, it costs money every time you make an application!
Who requires a Student Visa?
International students who are nationals of the countries listed on the citizens information website do not need to apply for an Irish Student Visa:
Application Forms
Application forms are available from the Irish Embassy/Consulate or Visa office in your country of residence. The contact details of every embassy, consulate and Visa office are available at www.dfa.ie
Applying for a Student Visa
Students who do not come from countries listed in the table above must be able to show the following when applying for a Visa:
You are enrolled on a privately-funded course involving at least fifteen hours of
organised daytime tuition each week
You have paid the requisite fees to the college
You have the academic ability to follow your chosen course
You have a level of English language sufficient to do so (except in the case of
an application that is solely for an English language course)
You have immediate access to at least €7,000. This is the estimated cost of
living in Ireland for a student for one academic year; you must also demonstrate that you or your sponsor has ready access to an amount of at least €7,000 for each subsequent year of your studies, in addition to the course fees for each of those years
You have private medical insurance
You can account for any gaps in your educational history
Your intention is to return to your country of permanent residence following
completion of your studies in Ireland
Examples of acceptable documentation that prove the you meet the requirements above and further helpful information can be found at www.inis.gov.ie
Along with this documentation, applications must also include a completed questionnaire that is also available at the above web address.
Where/How to Apply?
It is now possible for international students who require a visa and are residing in certain countries to apply directly to Dublin online. A full list of these countries and the link to the online application form is available at www.inis.gov.ie
Residents of all other countries should send their completed application forms, relevant documentation, and completed questionnaires to the Irish Embassy/Consulate or Visa office in your country of residence (see above for contact details). If there is no Irish Embassy/Consulate or Visa office in your country of residence or home state, then please contact the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (Tel: 00 353 1 616 7700) for instruction on where to send your application.
Additional Information
For details of your application fee (if any), please contact the Irish Embassy or Consulate that you are making the application to.
It is strongly recommended you apply for a Visa at least two months before your planned arrival in Ireland. You don’t want to be late for your first day in college!
All documents you supply with your application must be in English, or accompanied by a notarised translation of same.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the expected completion of your studies in Ireland
For information on the ongoing status of your application please contact the Embassy/Consulate that you submitted your application to, or in the case of online applications, the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service in Dublin.
Casual Employment for Students
Earning some money through part-time employment is a good way to lessen the financial burden of studying abroad, but student visa holders must ensure that they are legally entitled to hold down a casual job.
Only students attending a full-time course of education of at least one year’s duration, and leading to qualifications recognised by the Dept of Education, will be permitted to take up casual employment. Casual employment is defined as 20 hours part-time work per week, or full-time work during normal college vacation periods, and it should never interfere with the student’s attendance record. A stamp placed in your passport by the Garda National Immigration Bureau will indicate whether or not you are permitted to take up casual employment.
Please be aware that many English language courses are not regarded as full-time, precluding the right of these students to apply for casual employment.
