Receiving an Offer to Study Abroad in Ireland – What’s Next?

Ireland is one of the world’s most sought-after study destinations, with plenty of international students having it near the top of their shortlist from the time they decide they want to study abroad.

There are many steps in your journey to study abroad in Ireland. First and foremost is to secure an offer letter from one of many prestigious colleges in Ireland. If you have successfully got one, congratulations! But what else do you need to know?

Wait For More Offers

February through March is typically when most of the applications to study abroad in Ireland occur. After you have submitted your application, confirmation of enrolment normally happens within a few weeks or through multiple rounds until the end of July.

It’s very likely that you have applied for more than one college, and most colleges have different processing timelines for applications.

In your offer letter, there should be a deadline when you have to accept the offer. If the deadline is far away, you can just take a cup of tea and wait for more offers to come.

Remember, you are not obliged to accept your offer immediately and it’s always good to have more options to choose from.

Accepting an Offer

If you receive multiple offers, have you weighed the pros and cons of each college? If yes, you can proceed to this next step.

Once you have been offered a place, the college or university will require you to pay a non-refundable deposit (typically less than €1,000). This can vary by institution and even by course, so it is recommended you verify it wherever you are studying! Some universities also accept payments made from students’ home countries and currencies if they are arriving from abroad.

Apply For A Scholarship

Scholarships are a very common avenue for international students to pursue when looking to study here in Ireland. Most Irish college scholarships require candidates to acquire an offer from the college before applying. So you must accept an offer before applying for a scholarship.

There are a huge variety of scholarships available from a number of institutions. Most if not all major colleges in Ireland like UCD, DCU or Trinity offer various full and partial scholarships specifically for international students.

The best way to find out if you are eligible is to get in touch with the institution or organisation you are applying to and they can tell you the specific criteria and requirements:

The Student Visa Process

Assuming you have already secured a spot in your course, one of the most daunting aspects of studying abroad can often be getting a student visa or permit organised ahead of your trip.

Though Ireland is within the EU, it is not part of the Union’s border control-free Schengen Zone. While this won’t affect those coming from EU, the EEA, Switzerland or the UK, it means that everyone from outside of those countries will need an Irish study visa. Typically, it’s recommended that you apply for your study visa about three months before your arrival. The process can take very long, especially during the summer months.

The requirements to get a visa are somewhat long but also very straightforward. An application letter, proof of your studies, English language proficiency and some standard documentation – nothing too out of the ordinary. You can see the full list on the application form.

Accommodation

Truth is… it’s not easy to find accommodation in Ireland, especially in Dublin. While planning for your stay in Ireland, having your accommodation booked in advance is a great way to prepare and check a big item off of your list. Our blog ‘Why Choose Private Student Accommodation?’ takes a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of different types of student accommodation here in Ireland.

Just so you know, Point Campus offers a great environment for international students and is located right in the heart of Dublin. We also have cashback offers for those looking to book their accommodation early.

If you are still unsure about anything surrounding studying in Ireland or student accommodation in Ireland, you can always get in touch with our team on Facebook or Instagram and our team will be sure to help however we can!

Point Campus

Published on Mar 24, 2022