IrelandStudy
Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.
Foundation programmes that prepare international students to meet the minimum academic requirements for a higher education programme in Ireland.
Foundation Programmes prepare international students to meet the minimum academic requirements to study a higher education programme in Ireland.
A foundation programme listed on the ILEP or TrustEd list, linked to a conditional offer of an Honours Bachelor degree (level 8) or a postgraduate award (level 9 or 10).
If you want to study in Ireland for longer than 90 days, you must choose a course from the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) or the TrustEd Ireland Providers eligible programmes list
Acceptance on a foundation course is linked to a conditional offer to study an Honours Bachelor degree at level 8 or a Postgraduate award at level 9 or 10.
Immediate access to at least €10,000 for the first year and €10,000 for each later year, in addition to course fees; full-time daytime programme (part-time or distance learning does not qualify); private medical insurance; course fees under €6,000 must be paid in full before applying for the visa, and where fees exceed €6,000 at least €6,000 must be paid before applying.
For all academic courses due to begin after 1 July 2023, you must show evidence that you have immediate access to at least €10,000
You must also demonstrate that you and/or your sponsor(s) have ready access to at least €10,000 for each subsequent year of your studies in addition to course fees for each of those years.
In order to be granted student permission in Ireland, you must enrol on a full-time day time programme. Part-time or distance learning courses do not qualify for student permission.
Yes all non-EEA students coming to Ireland need to have private medical insurance.
Where the course fees are less than €6,000, you must pay fees in full to the college before to applying for your visa. Where the course fees are more than €6,000, you must pay at least this amount before applying for your visa.
Up to 20 hours a week in term time and up to 40 hours a week in June–September and 15 December–15 January; students typically cannot bring family members, except in very exceptional circumstances.
Yes, you can work up to 20 hours per week during term time. During June, July, August and September, and between 15 December and 15 January, you can work up to 40 hours per week.
No, students are typically not permitted to bring family members with them. There are some very exceptional circumstances where this may be permitted.
Counts toward the 7-year overall limit on student permission; students must progress to higher NFQ levels. No post-study work route is documented for the foundation programme itself. The official source does not state the length of the foundation-year permission.
You can stay up to seven years as a student. If you have studied before in Ireland it will count towards your total time as a student.
All students must progress in their studies, enrolling on programmes at a higher level on the NFQ throughout their studies in Ireland.
These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.
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Not legal advice. No eligibility verdict or ranking. Check the linked sources before applying.