Student Visa

If you’re from a visa required country and you want to study in Ireland, you’ll need to get D Study Visa. This allows you to complete your studies in Ireland, up to an aggregate period of seven years.

If you need help applying for your Irish student visa, contact us RNL Solicitors. We can handle the entire application on your behalf.

Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.

We work with individuals and corporations across the globe. We can be contacted outside of Irish office working hours and can communicate with you via phone, email and WhatsApp.

How do I become a student in Ireland?

Ireland has a number of excellent academic institutes which welcome international students from across the globe. If you want to join them, the rules vary depending on what nationality you are.

If you are a citizen from the UK, EEA or Switzerland, you are allowed to study in Ireland without restrictions.

If you are not a citizen from UK, EEA or Switzerland, you must select a full-time course that features on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP). ‘Full-time’ means that the course lasts an entire academic year and has a minimum study time of 15 hours per week.

You may or may not need a visa to study in Ireland. It depends on your country of citizenship. We’ve explained this in greater detail below.

Do you need a student visa to study in Ireland?

If you are from a visa required country, you must get a student visa before you travel to Ireland. You can check whether or not you need a visa to enter Ireland on the Immigration Service Delivery website.

If your course lasts for more than 90 days, you need to apply for a D Study Visa. ‘D’ visas are long-stay visas. If your course lasts for less than 90 days, you need to apply for a Short Stay C visa.

How do I get a student visa for Ireland?

Applications are made via the AVATS online application facility. You can complete the application yourself, or you can ask our immigration solicitors to do it for you. The application should be submitted after you have enrolled on your course and paid the tuition fees, but before you travel to Ireland. Otherwise, you may be refused entry into the country.

The following documents must be provided as part of the application process:

• An application summary document
• An application letter
• Two colour passport sized photos not more than six months old
• Your current passport and a full copy of all previous passports
• Evidence that you have enrolled on a privately funded course, such as an acceptance letter
• Evidence accounting for any gaps in your educational history
• Evidence of fee payment to the academic institute
• Evidence of your level of English or Irish, which usually entails taking a test
• Evidence that you have enough funds to support your stay in Ireland
• Evidence of private medical insurance
• Information regarding any previous visa refusals

Extra documents are required for those under the age of 18, including a birth certificate and parental consent.

All the documents provided as part of your application must be in either English or Irish, or translated into English or Irish.

What happens next?

After you submit your application, it will be reviewed and a Visa Officer will decide whether to grant you a study visa. If your application is successful, you can travel to Ireland.

Your student visa will stipulate how long you are entitled to remain in Ireland for. Student visas can be extended, although non-EEA nationals can only remain in Ireland on a study visa for an aggregate period of up to seven years.

So long as you are attending a course on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), you will get a Stamp 2 in your passport. This allows you to:

• Work up to 20 hours per week during term time; and
• Work up to 40 hours per week during college vacation periods

Get helping applying for a study visa Ireland

If you want to study in Ireland and you’re from a visa required country, we can help you. We specialise in Irish immigration and act on behalf of international students wanting to pursue their studies in Ireland.

We’ll prepare and submit your study visa application, ensuring you provide the necessary documents. This is a difficult task to complete yourself. The information requirements are extensive. Any gaps in your application could delay the processing time, or even cause your application to be rejected. This will be stressful, especially if you have already enrolled on a course and paid the tuition fees.

We also help students who require a visa extension, and those whose student visa application has been rejected.

Contact us now

We work with individuals and corporations across the globe. We can be contacted outside of Irish office working hours and can communicate with you via phone, email and WhatsApp.

Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.

Student visa Ireland – quick facts:

Do I need a visa to study in Ireland?

You need a visa to study in Ireland if you are from a visa required country. Everyone else can study in Ireland without a visa. However, if you are from a non-EEA country, you must get permission to remain in Ireland by reporting to an Immigration Officer at the port of entry.

What are the requirements for a student visa in Ireland?

To get a long-stay student visa in Ireland, you must fulfil the following requirements:

• Have been accepted onto a full-time course of study
• Paid the tuition fees in full
• Have sufficient English/Irish skills to complete the course (unless you are studying English as a foreign language)
• Have at least €7,000 for each year of your stay, or have a sponsor who has access to at least €7,000 for each year of your stay
• Passport valid for 12 months after your date of arrival

Do I have to take an English test to get a study visa?

You must demonstrate that you meet the minimum English/Irish language requirements for an Irish student visa. This usually entails taking an approved language test and getting a certain score. This test score depends on the test provider and the type of course you have enrolled onto. The minimum English language standard requirements are set out on the ISD website.

Do Irish student visa applications get rejected?

Student visa applications can be rejected. Often, this is because the applicant has not included sufficient evidence regarding their finances. Students must be able to show that they have enough money to support themselves for each year of their study, or that their sponsor does.

Can I stay in Ireland after graduation?

You may be able to remain in Ireland once you have finished your studies, so long as you have not already exceeded the seven year limit. The length of time you can remain after graduation depends on the course you studied in Ireland. Those who have completed a masters or doctoral qualification can stay for up to 24 months after finishing their studies. Those who have completed an honours undergraduate degree can stay for 12 months, while those who have finished an ordinary undergraduate degree can stay for six months.

If your student visa is due to expire and you want to stay in Ireland, you might want to investigate getting a work visa.

Can my family members join me on my student visa?

No, a student visa does not automatically permit your family members to accompany you to Ireland. If they want to accompany you to Ireland, they must get the necessary immigration permissions.

When should I apply for a student visa?

You should apply for a student visa at least three months before you intend to travel to Ireland. Applications are processed in the order they arrive. The application processing times therefore vary depending on how many applications have been received.

Do you need help with a student visa for Ireland? Contact us at RNL Solicitors today.

Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.