Scholarship Options for International Students to Study in Ireland

Looking to study in Ireland but worried about the expenses? Check out this article to know about the various government, non-government, and university scholarships available for international students in Ireland.

Scholarship Options for International Students to Study in Ireland
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Apr 26, 2023 01:40 AM
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Ireland is becoming a popular choice among international students for higher education because of its quality education and high tech facilities. However, studying in a new country could be expensive. Therefore, it is important for students to check for scholarships to gain some financial support. There are many criteria that decide the eligibility of an international student for a particular scholarship like academic score, institution, subject and the chosen destination. The scholarships can fund the education either fully or partially. Here, in this article we are going to introduce some of the popular government, non-government and university scholarships that can be availed by international students who choose to study in Ireland.
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Source : Trinity College Dublin

Government Scholarships for International Students to Study in Ireland

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Source : Source: Trinity College Dublin
There are several scholarships sponsored by the governments to enable and facilitate the international students who study in Ireland.

1. The Government of Ireland Scholarship Scheme

Degree : Undergraduate and Postgraduate

As the name ‘Government of Ireland Scholarship scheme’ suggests, it is a government-run scholarship scheme designed for academically proficient students. The Higher Education Authority primarily manages the programme with the support of the Irish Department of Education and Skills.
The government of Ireland awards this scholarship to highly competent students from non-EU nations to encourage them to pursue a full-time degree from Irish universities over a period of one year.

Financial benefits :

The higher education authority will provide a fund of €10,000 to the student for one year to help them cover their academic and living expenses.

2. The Walsh Fellowship

Degree : Postgraduate

The Walsh fellowship is a scholarship programme awarded by the state agency Teagasc Research Programme. Students who are pursuing a post-graduate degree from an Irish University in agricultural-related fields  like Animal and Grassland Production, Crops, Environment and Land Use, Rural Economics and Development are eligible for this scholarship. 30 students are awarded this scholarship every year.
The applicant should either be enrolled in a two year master’s in science course or in a Doctoral degree.

Financial benefits :

Every year the organization awards €22,000/student to both masters and PhD applicants.

3. Claddagh Scholarship Programme

Degree : Undergraduate and Postgraduate

The Claddagh Scholarship Programme intends to help Chinese students pursuing their higher education in Ireland. All Chinese nationals pursuing their post-graduate degree except for the ones studying business, are eligible to apply for this scholarship. A maximum of ten scholarships are awarded each year. The students can also apply for this scholarship through their respective universities under certain conditions.

Financial benefits :

An amount of €2500 or €5000 will be reduced from the total tuition fees of the students receiving the scholarship under the condition that the student is registered for a full-time course in the university.

4. Fulbright Scholarship

Degree : Post-graduate

The Fulbright Ireland is a U.S scholarship program offered to students from the United States who want to study or do research in Ireland. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Financial benefits :

The Fulbright scholarship offers a maximum grant of €15,000  or a combination of €15000 and a tuition waiver.

5. Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) scholarships:

Degree : Post-graduate

The Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) scholarships was designed to fund students and scholars doing cutting-edge research in humanities, social sciences, law and business with a goal of benefiting Ireland economically.
This scholarship is open to all the students who have to reside in Ireland for less than 3 years and are citizens of EU/EAA member states. Besides this, the students applying for this scholarship should be registered for a full-time post-graduate research program.

Financial benefits :

Selected candidates will be awarded €16,000 over a period of one year.

Non-government Scholarships for International Students to Study in Ireland

There are some scholarships that are sponsored by private organisations that can benefit the international students who study in Ireland.

1. Student Essays Scholarship

Degree : All

An independent organization called the My student essays awards these scholarships to all students above the age of 18. The purpose of this scholarship is to support students financially to pay their tuition fees, buy books and supplies.
All the students need to do is Introduce themselves briefly and cite ten reasons why they deserve the scholarship.

Financial benefits :

The organization gives a $1000 scholarship to five outstanding students every year.

2. British Council IELTS Award

Degree: Undergraduate and postgraduate

These scholarships enable students to be financially independent to pursue an undergraduate or post-graduate anywhere in the World. All applicants should have minimum overall band score of 6.5 and a minimum score of 6.5 in each section.
Besides this, the applicants should be planning to pursue a full-time program in English-based academic system.

Financial benefits :

The British Council IELTS award will range anywhere between £3,000 and £10,000 depending on the tuition fees of the institution the winner chooses to study in.

University Scholarships

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Source: Scholarship Positions
Apart from the government and non- government sponsored scholarships, the universities themselves sponsor some scholarships. We have discussed some of the popular scholarships offered by universities.

1. NUI Galway International Students Scholarships

Degree : undergraduate, post graduate and research programs

International Students from non EU countries enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate courses in NUI Galway university can avail this scholarship. Eight students are awarded the Undergraduate Merit Scholarship and twenty students are awarded the Postgraduate Merit Scholarship by the university.
For the complete list of scholarships this university offers, please visit :

Financial benefits :

The Undergraduate Merit Scholarship and the Postgraduate Merit Scholarship offer €2,000 per student.

2. Maynooth University Scholarships

Degree : All

There are a variety of Scholarships offered by this university for undergraduate and post graduate courses. The types of scholarships available are MU Sports Scholarships, MU Entrance Scholarship, MU Undergraduate Scholarship for students with Disabilities.
For the complete list of scholarships offered by this university, please visit :

Financial benefits :

The financial benefits range from $ 1200 – $ 3440 per year depending on the scholarship awarded.

3. Trinity College of Dublin Scholarships

Degree : Undergraduate and Postgraduate

Trinity College of Dublin offers scholarships for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Undergraduate Scholarships:

TR080 Global Business (Bachelor in Business Studies) Scholarshi E3 Undergraduate Scholarship for Engineering, Biological and Biomedical Sciences and Geography and Geo sciences. For comprehensive details about the undergraduate scholarships, please visit :

Post graduate Scholarships :

Msc  Law and Finance Scholarship E3 Excellence Postgraduate Scholarships in Engineering, Environment and Emerging Technologies. For comprehensive details about the postgraduate scholarships, please visit:

Financial benefits:

Business Scholarship –  €5000 is reduced from the tuition fees for  the first year only.E3 Undergraduate Scholarship – €4000 – €5000 is reduced from tuition fee for all four years of the course. MSc Law and Finance Scholarship – €5000 is contributed towards the tuition fee. E3 Excellence Postgraduate Scholarships – €1000-€5000 is reduced from the tuition fee for the first year only.

4. University College Cork Scholarships

Degree : Postgraduate and Phd

This university offers Excellence Scholarships for Postgraduate and Phd students. Eleven successful students from each category can avail these scholarships.
For the complete list scholarships offered by this university, please visit:

Financial benefits:

The scholarship covers only EU fees and Non-EU students have to pay the balance.

Conclusion :

Getting a scholarship can reduce the financial burden of studying in a foreign country. That’s exactly why knowing the available scholarships, its eligibility criteria and financial benefits can be beneficial. This article has discussed relevant information about different scholarship options for students who wish to study in Ireland so that they use the opportunity to apply to the scholarship that is best suited for them.

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