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International Students
Non-EU citizens who want to live in Ireland to further their education can apply for a right of residence in the State once they have satisfied certain criteria. In order to be considered for permission to remain in the State on student conditions you must first be enrolled in a full time course on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP). In general courses on the ILEP are limited to higher education programmes and English language courses. International Students are limited in the number of English Language Courses they can undertake.
International Students who wish to apply for a visa to travel to Ireland to take up an educational course are required to have a letter of acceptance from an eligible college or university confirming they have been accepted in their course. You will also need evidence the fees have been paid and evidence you have sufficient resources to support yourself during each year of your studies. International students are expected to have at least €7,000 for each year of study, as well as evidence of private health insurance.
If an international student has the above documentary evidence and are granted a visa to enter the State they may register their permission to remain by booking an appointment online through the INIS website if they live in Dublin or by attending their local immigration office if they live outside Dublin. International students, upon satisfaction of all the requirements for student permission, will be granted permission to remain on student conditions (Stamp 2) to be renewed every year.
International students on Stamp 2 are entitled to engage in casual work for a period of 20 hours during the academic year and 40 hours from June to September (inclusive) and from 15th December to 15th January inclusive.
International students who graduate at a Level 8 or 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications may qualify for the Third Level Graduate Programme, with a Stamp 1G for a period of one year or two years respectively. Those who qualify for a Stamp 1G are offered an opportunity to engage in employment in their area of study to assist them in seeking an employment permit at the end of the Third Level Graduate Visa programme.
It is important to note that student permission (Stamp 2) is not regarded as reckonable residence for the purpose of long term residency or naturalisation.
For further detailed information please contact our Immigration Helpline.