Ireland offers a one-year taught master's in English with a straightforward application process and the Third Level Graduate Programme, which allows master's graduates to stay and work for up to two years. Fees sit below the UK for comparable programmes at several universities.
Admission is rolling, so places at popular programmes fill from autumn onwards, and the visa process takes weeks that have to be built into the plan.
At a glance
| Language | English throughout |
|---|---|
| Tuition | Non-EU master's roughly €12,000–€28,000 a year |
| Living costs for the visa | About €10,000 evidenced for the year |
| Main intake | September, with a January intake at some institutions |
| Where you apply | Directly to the university, or through the PAC system for some programmes |
| After graduation | Third Level Graduate Programme, 1–2 years |
What they require
- A good honours bachelor's, often an upper second or equivalent
- IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0 for most programmes
- Personal statement and CV
- Two references
- Portfolio or interview for creative and design courses
How admission actually works
Rolling review with decisions often inside four weeks. Scholarship rounds, including the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships, close much earlier than course deadlines.
Some programmes use the Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC) rather than the university portal.
How much does a supervisor matter?
Not needed for taught master's. Essential for research degrees.
Research master's and PhD places follow a supervisor and a funded project, often through Research Ireland or an EU-funded programme. Approach the academic with a short proposal and ask which funding calls their group is applying to.
When applications open and close
The pattern below is what these systems normally do. Every programme sets its own dates, so treat this as the planning shape and confirm on the official portal linked at the end.
Funding that genuinely exists here
A €10,000 stipend with a fee waiver for one year, with a spring deadline.
Partial fee awards, often automatic for strong applicants.
Project and centre funding that supports research degrees.
Irish universities take part in several joint programmes.
Documents this country asks for
- Transcripts and degree certificate
- Personal statement
- Two references
- IELTS or equivalent
- Proof of funds of about €10,000 and private medical insurance for the visa
Visa and permit
A Stamp 2 student permission requires the offer, the fee payment, insurance and about €10,000 in evidenced funds. Processing runs to four to eight weeks in peak season, so an application submitted in July for a September start is tight.
After you graduate
Third Level Graduate Programme, 1–2 years
Stamp 1G gives twelve months at level 8 and up to twenty-four months at master's level and above, with unrestricted full-time work while you search.
What they favour
- Clear professional purpose for the programme
- Early applications
- Evidence of relevant work or project experience
- Applicants who plan the visa timeline properly
Where applications fail
- Applying late to a rolling programme
- Missing the scholarship deadline months before the course deadline
- Leaving the visa until after the fee payment deadline
- Confusing PAC and direct applications
Official sources
Rules and dates change, sometimes mid-cycle. These are the pages that carry the authoritative version; if anything here disagrees with them, they are right. Reviewed September 2026.