Ireland is a favorite destination for students in India for its quality education and affordable tuition fees. It is one of the safest countries for international students. Like India, Ireland is also a young country with more than 35% of its population below the age of 25. Ireland is an open economy and ranks first for direct high-value foreign investment flows. The economy focuses on services in technology, life science, financial services, and agribusiness.
Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all-Aristotle
Location
The Republic of Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the north channel, the Irish Sea, and St George’s channel. The capital city of Ireland is Dublin, one of the most popular cities in Ireland. Belfast, Cork, Galway are the other major cities in Ireland.
Climate
The climate of Ireland is cold, warm, and humid though it has an abundance of rainfall. The average temperature ranges between 5 degrees Celsius from January to February and 15 degrees Celsius from July to August.
Life in Ireland
Ireland is one of the highly educated countries in the world and ranks third for the quality of life according to the UN’s human development index. The economy of Ireland is booming and, this is visible as most of the IT companies in Europe are moving their headquarters to Ireland. They are the largest software exporters. For the very same reason, we see ample job opportunities in the technology sector in Ireland. One of the safest countries to live in, Ireland attracts many expatriates.
Education
Universities in Ireland offer a research-based curriculum. Hence, Ireland is one of the most sought-after countries across Europe for international students to pursue their higher education. More than 2000 programs are available in universities and colleges. With the medium of instruction in English, the universities offer great programs with specializations at an affordable tuition fee that makes another reason for international students to seek admission in Ireland.
Students are eligible for a post-study work visa for 2 years after their course completion.
Public universities in Ireland are well known for their graduate employability and contribution to research in the field of science and technology.
Top Universities/Colleges in Ireland
Entry Requirement
As most of the programs in universities are highly competitive, admission to these universities is on academic merit. Students should score a minimum of 60% in their previous academics. However, there are many colleges and universities in Ireland that consider 50 % as an eligibility requirement for some programs. Since English is the medium of instruction in all the institutes, students need to demonstrate their language ability by clearing any of the language tests recognized by the universities in Ireland. The universities and colleges accept IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE language test scores.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for studying in all the seven public universities in Ireland. Here is the list of scholarships offered by the Ireland government to deserving students.
Government of Ireland international education scholarships program (HEA)The scholarships are awarded to students with high academic achievements to study for one year. The higher education authority of Ireland funds 10000 euros as scholarships to deserving candidates. Almost sixty scholarships are available in this category.
Apart from the government-funded scholarships, universities also offer scholarships to students based on academic merits. The scholarship amount varies based on the students’ academic profile.