Guide to Study In Ireland From Sri Lanka

Ireland, the “Emerald Isle” of Europe is a beautiful Island widely known for its greenish valleys, verdurous rolling hills, grassy fields, which covers most of the land. The country is best known for tourism and travel, but in recent years, it has been making headlines by emerging as a new international education destination for its impeccable commitment to quality education. This can be seen in the country’s organisation and structuring of primary (first-level) and secondary (second-level) education, where the syllabus and curriculum are student-focused, enhancing the student's skills and knowledge. The curriculum also prepares students to face their higher education in a confident manner. With so much focus and dedication to providing valuable education, the country has seamlessly reached one of the top positions of countries providing quality education to international students.

Apart from the education system, Ireland is famous for its amazing travel locations, nature and student-friendly cities. With just five cities in the country, the country has already earned a name for itself among international students. The cities are clean and vibrant with no less engagement factor for them. There are many cultural activities planned throughout the year that students can enjoy and, through it, can learn more about the country’s culture and heritage. Each city has something unique to offer in terms of cordiality, art, nature, education, etc. A day in Ireland can never be boring and plain; a student will be more than grateful for choosing the country as their higher education destination.

2. Plenty of Scholarships - Ireland may be a small country, but the government and universities of Ireland provides numerous and generous scholarships to international students. The amount varies from college to college, but the country ensures deserving students get the best possible monetary funds. Trinity College Dublin provides bursaries worth Eur 5000, NCI Galway Eur 2000, and UCD provides 50% to 100% of fee waivers.

3. Tech Hub of Europe - Ireland’s Capital, Dublin, is the Tech Hub of Europe, meaning many international organisations’ headquarters are located here. This is a great opportunity for international students wanting to do their internships in any of the greatest tech companies. To name some of the companies - Microsoft, Google, Dell, Apple, etc.

4. Affordable Education and Living Costs - Compared to other nations, Ireland provides world-class education at an affordable cost. Since many universities are state-funded, the tuition fee is much lesser. Besides, living costs are also manageable in Ireland’s cities as they have a low taxation scheme.

The Higher Education System of Ireland is categorised into four divisions. Let us see them one by one.

Universities

Universities are the higher educational institutions in Ireland providing degree courses for students like Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate across a wide range of study courses. Totally, there are 7 universities in Ireland which all are state-funded.

Institutes of Technology

Institutes of Technology are the training institutions for students, helping them to gain extensive practical skills and be job-ready. The study areas which are taught are Business, Science, Engineering, Linguistics and Music. The degrees offered here are Diploma, Training Certificates, Training Degrees, etc. There are fourteen technological institutes in Ireland, each having its own selection criteria and credit requirements, etc.

College of Education

Colleges of education are higher educational institutions offering specialised training programmes to aspiring teachers. Only two degrees are offered - one is a three-year Bachelor of Education, and the other is the 18 months postgraduate diploma. A candidate preferring to teach secondary students must complete a three-year bachelor's course with an 18-month postgraduate diploma.

Private Colleges

As the name indicates, private colleges are funded by private organisations or by a group of people. These colleges offer education and training in specialised areas like art and design, medicine, business studies, rural development, theology, music and law. Degrees offered here are Vocational degrees, Training Certificates and Training Degrees.

• Data & Business Analytics - Business Analytics is again a top-performing field for finding solutions for business problems. This is an interesting and suitable field for students who like to work on large volumes of data.

• Finance - Finance is the basic and default field for students interested in learning about money and finance management. Studying this course helps students to gain comprehensive knowledge of Money, Finance and its types.

• Investment Banking - Invest Management is the learning of Finance Management in an advanced way. Also, students will learn how to predict an economy's future financial status and help individuals or companies with their money investment and management. As this is an advanced field, the salary given is pretty high.

• Pharmaceutical Sciences -  This field is the study of formulation, development and manufacturing of new drugs. If students aspire to be a Chemist, Medicine Developer/Formulator or a Pharmaceutical Scientist, they can opt this course.

• Engineering - Engineering is most related to the development of machines and systems. This is one of the lucrative fields where students can earn more than a handful of money.

Comparing to other European countries, studying in Ireland is less expensive. Students, if learn to live with a minimal budget, can easily surpass the studying years in Ireland with no financial burden.

Entrance Tests are mandatory and part of the admission process to prove your English fluency. There are many tests available, and students can select any one of them according to their strengths and convenience.

• Cloud Architect - €120,000-€140,000

• Supply Chain Manager - €75,000-€100,000

• Data Protection / Privacy Lawyers - €70,000– €100,000

• Financial Accountant/ Finance Analyst - €50,000-€65,000

• Quantity Surveyor - €65,000 - €90,000

• Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs Specialist - €40,000-€65,000

• Recruitment Consultant/ Talent Acquisition Specialists -  €40,000-€90,000

• Digital Marketing Manager - €60,000-€85,000

• Valid Passport
• Admission acceptance letter from the College or University you have applied for.
• Online Payment Receipt of registration and tuition fees.
• Proof of financial funds.
• Recent passport size photographs.
• Study permit and Visa.
• Explaining the gaps in your education.
• Score certificate of English proficiency test.

• Apply to a recognised college or university in Ireland.
• Receive your admission confirmation letter.
• Fill in the AVATS Online Application form.
• Fill in the Student Visa Application form.
• Pay the Application form Fee.
• If paid online, take a print of the payment receipt.
• Book the online appointment through VFS.
• Print the online appointment confirmation page.
• File all your necessary documents.
• Schedule the visa interview.
• Attend the visa interview.

AECC Sri Lanka, your trusted study abroad educational consultancy, always ensures we deliver our best services to students to help them in their abroad educational journey. Feel free to contact us, and we will be more than willing to assist you in your dream education path.