Why Should You Choose to Study in Ireland?

Picture this, you got off a hectic class. It’s a warm glowing morning that made you decide to take a walk. You sit by a river cafe. The sound of water calmly spaces in, while you admire a beautiful historical bridge lightly covered with snow. As you sip your coffee, the winter breeze brushes through you. You return to the city noise greeted by chuckles from the other table. Life is beautiful. And this is the life in Ireland.

When you study in Ireland, you can explore your highest potential. Over 35,000 international students in Ireland come from 150 countries to indulge in the academic excellence the land has to offer. Ireland, a popular student destination, is the 13th most peaceful place on Earth. Students can choose from a variety of programmes in areas of medicine, science, technology and engineering, business and law, and more. It is the hub of 28 universities and colleges, 12 institutes of technology and many other world-leading education and research centres – all ranked among the global top 5%. It also has a high-quality scientific research facility housing state-of-the-art facilities. 8 of the Irish research fields rank in the top 1% in the global index.

Ireland is rising to be a top choice for international students. The residential population has the highest educational participation rates in the world. Students in Ireland have their foundations built on a remarkable academic quality recognised by the world. It has a leading education rate with its 34 highest education institutes. These schools offer an extensive range of over 5000 programmes with qualification quality assured by Quality & Qualifications Ireland.

Education in Ireland

Students in Ireland can be a part of some of the highly respected business schools. These are centres of scientific and technological excellence and language, humanity and arts facilities. Ireland’s higher education system is in the top 20 worldwide. Academic excellence and world-class facilities generated by government investments act as an advantage for students studying in Ireland. These investments are statistically rising by an average annual rate of 10%. Studying in Ireland goes beyond the class curriculum.

Ireland has been the land of inventions – from the submarine, the modern tractor and the guided missile to colour photography, the nickel-zinc battery and the Gregg system of shorthand speed writing. Science, too, has witnessed advancement in the face of the modern stethoscope, the aircraft ejector seat, the portable defibrillator and treatment for leprosy. Robert Boyle, the father of Chemistry, Richard Cantillon, of the fathers of modern economics and monetary theory, Francis Rynd, the inventor of the hypodermic syringe, and Charles Parsons, the developer of the world’s first steam turbine, were all Irishmen. They could come in your list of the famous and favourites after the Shelby family, but their contributions are much more revolutionary.

Ireland, with its monks and monasteries, has been the centre of learning in Europe since 500 AD. It is known as the Land of Saints and Scholars. The island holds a refined history in art, music and literature. These are preserved and made available for students to admire and be inspired.

Choice of Courses

From the 2000 programs available, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Biotechnology, and Pharmaceutical Sciences are the most in demand. One can apply for up to 10 courses and has the flexibility to change them during the academic years. Their 95 quality assured English Language Teaching Organisation (ELTOS) are recognised by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. ELTOS presents General English for adults and juniors, Business English, English for Academic and Professional Purposes (ETAPP), English with Work Placement and other such courses. Courses on the IELTS Exam, Cambridge, TOEFL, Oxford Test and Duolingo English Test are also available.

Ireland education has a flagship education programme of the European Education System named Erasmus. It has enabled 2 million students to participate in semester or year-long exchanges since 1987 without any fee! Furthermore, it supports students with work placements within Ireland.

There are 2 semesters for students to enrol in. September intake is open from February to July and January intake from September to October.

Education Fees and Cost of living

The tuition fees vary after your course, university and location. One may consider the average starting fee as approximately 8.83 Lakh INR. This could go up to 22.87 Lakh INR for undergraduate courses and 30.95 Lakh INR for postgraduate and doctoral degrees. Some courses in humanity, education and art are relatively cheaper, whereas some in medicine, engineering and business are more expensive.

The cost of living in Ireland sums up to 9.6 Lacs per year. Monthly accommodation ranges from 23,000 INR in student halls to 68,000 in private renting. With utilities and transportation at around 10,000 a month each, and food and groceries at 27,000, one can sustain a decent lifestyle in Ireland as a student. The other areas of investment will in visa application, travel and health insurance.

Several government and non-government scholarships are available for eligible candidates to help them enrol in the courses of their choice. The government of Ireland provides 60 scholarships for a year of study under the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships Programme. The University of Delhi Graduate Scholarship aids up to 50% of the fees while Global Excellence Postgraduate Scholarships, Academic Year Study Abroad Excellence Scholarship and Generation Study Abroad Scholarship help with up to 5000 EUR, 3000 EUR and 2000 EUR respectively.