Student Life in Ireland

Ireland is a small country in the European Union, globally known for its academic excellence, friendly people and notable academic institutions. It offers excellent academic opportunities in diverse fields at low costs. That’s why the country houses more than 30,000 international students. It is probably the best option if you are looking for a peaceful and safe study abroad destination. Ireland currently ranks in 3rd position in the Global Peace Index 2023. Irish people are welcoming, friendly and full of life. If you are all set to study in Ireland and are wondering how will be your student life in the country, then, let us go through this blog and learn about it. Given below are some major highlights:

Academics	8 universities ranked in the top 1000 globally by QS World University Rankings 2024
Average Tuition Fees	EUR 9,000 – 26,000/year (for UG courses) EUR 9,000 – 35,000/year (for PG courses) EUR 9,000 – 40,000/year (for doctoral programs)
Average annual living expenses	EUR 12,000 in Dublin, potentially lower in smaller cities
Lifestyle	Vibrant cities with numerous pubs, clubs, and cultural events Stunning natural landscapes ideal for outdoor activities Friendly and welcoming locals Cost of living is high, especially in Dublin
Student Visa Fee	EUR 60 (single entry) EUR 100 (multi-entry)
Scholarships	DIT Centenary Scholarship Programme, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology scholarships, National College of Ireland Scholarships, NUI Galway International Student Scholarships
Part-time Work Opportunities	Available (20 hours/week)

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How to Make the Most Out of Your Student Life in Ireland?

1. Manage Your Funds 

As soon as you are done with settling in your place, begin by creating a budget for your monthly expenses. A major part of the cost of studying in Ireland will go into the living expenses, thus, it is essential to be pre-planned about how you will manage your expenses.

As per your estimated monthly expense, set aside the amount for your rent, grocery shopping, bills, transportation costs, etc so that you have an idea about how much you can spend daily. 

DO you know? Ireland offers more than 5000 programs in fields like Science and Technology, Medicine, Business, Engineering, Law,  Literature, History, and much more. To know more check out our blog- Top Colleges in Ireland.

2. Choose the Right Transportation 

Travelling to the chosen university or college is a prominent part of one’s daily schedule while studying in Ireland. For your daily commute, you can prefer public transport like buses, trains, etc or you can take a cab. As we know Ireland is a small Island, so you will easily find ferries connecting cities and towns. The railway networks in the country are also well-spread to help you in the case of a long daily commute. Also, you can rent a car or bicycle every month and commute on your own. 

Several institutions like Trinity College Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons and NCAD are located at the heart of the city centre, thus, you can easily reach them by bus. The TCD has a fully serviced campus including various public transports and mainline railway stations. For NCAD 13, 40; UCD 25x, 27x; Law Society 37,39 are the bus numbers that will help you reach your destinations. 

Do you want to know why Ireland is called the ‘Emerald Isle’? This is because it houses the second highest cliffs in Europe. So, hop on your sports shoes and let’s get started the adventure!   

3. Fit into the Best Accommodation 

Accommodation plays a crucial role in having a content student life in Ireland. With more and more students making their way through to Irish hearts, the country has now become one of the most welcoming countries when it comes to Indian students.

According to your budget, you can choose the locality as well as the type of accommodation you want. Common options like hostels, university halls, and international student halls; are the prominent types of on-campus accommodations that would roughly cost you around EUR 600-900.

Also, the apartments for rent are available at every nook and corner in Irish cities for which you will have to pay around EUR 800-1,200. To make this option pocket-friendly, you can share it with your friends. Apart from this, you can choose to stay with families that have registered to be a part of student exchange programs by spending EUR 350-500.

To help international students find the right accommodation there are specific websites for popular cities like Dublin, Galway, etc and you can choose from the list of colleges and universities in that city.

Ireland is no less than a paradise for those who have an innate love for literature as it is recorded to be the land of great names in this domain like James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan. 

Find out the Cost of Studying in Ireland

4. Be a Social Butterfly 

The more you socialize with people, it will be easy for you to overcome the cultural shock. Attend all your major university events, especially the ones organised in the first week. Academic events and social gatherings are ideal for interacting with new people. Also, you can enjoy the nearby concerts during the weekends.

Academic institutions also have various societies and clubs which you can be a part of. You can also interact with your local community members during the regional festivities. 

On the other hand, you can also enjoy the joyous celebrations of many cultural events that take place in Ireland. The Barn Dance Festival will unleash the dancing diva in you; during the Vanvastival, you can enjoy interacting with friends and family on the May bank; you can let your creativity leash out during the Galway International Arts Festival.

Also, the country houses various rock music concerts going on the entire year, which are a must on every student’s checklist.

Owing to Irish education, you will have a calm mind when it comes to career opportunities as many leading MNCs, like Google, Apple, Facebook, IBM, Pfizer; have made the country their hub.

5. Enjoy the Food and Culture 

Adjusting to the local food tastes and habits is considered to be one of the most difficult aspects of studying abroad. But your student life in Ireland is secured from such shocks as you can easily find food joints serving common street food. As the population of Indian students in Ireland is growing every year, many restaurants have now started to serve Indian cuisine as well.

To experience authentic Irish food do not forget to visit popular restaurants like The Woollen Mills Eating House, Dublin; Kai Cafe + Restaurant, Galway; to taste the authentic delicacies of Ireland or you can get seated in any of the nearby restaurants. 

We can bet that in no time you will blend with the folks in Ireland as the country has around 40% of its total population less than and equal to 25!

Also Read: All About MBA in Ireland

Must-Visit Places in Ireland

To pump up your student life in Ireland, there are certain attractions which you must please your eyes with. Ireland is considered to be one of the most scenic countries in the European continent. You can take short trips over weekends and explore what Ireland has on offer.

You can visit Cliffs of Moher, Killarney National Park and Muckross House of Gardens, Kilmainham Gaol, The Ring of Kerry, The Little Museum to Dublin and much more. If you are a shopaholic, then, Grafton Street in Dublin is no less than a paradise for you. 

FAQs

We hope that after reading this blog on student life in Ireland you now have a better idea about it. Do you want to experience a student life like mentioned above? If yes, then our experts at Leverage Edu are here to assist you in making your way through to Irish universities.