Scholarships to study in Ireland
Ireland Government Scholarships + Trinity / UCD merit awards. Catalog is refreshing — try the live search shortly.
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The flagship award is the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship: 60 places a year, each worth a €10,000 stipend (about ₹10.9 lakh) plus a full tuition fee waiver for one year of master's or PhD study, with the 2026 round closing on 12 March 2026 and the 2027 round expected to open in early 2027. Below it sit university merit awards that are mostly automatic at offer stage: UCD's 10–35% International Student Scholarship and 50–100% Global Excellence Scholarship, University of Limerick's €2,000–€2,500 a year, UCC's 20% for first-class graduates, Galway's €1,500–€2,000 fee waivers and MBA scholarships: up to 50% of fees at Galway, fixed awards of €5,000–€18,000 at Trinity and partial awards at Smurfit.
What scholarships can Indian students get in Ireland?
Ireland funds international students in two layers. The top layer is the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES), run by the Higher Education Authority: 60 awards a year, each a €10,000 stipend plus a full waiver of tuition and registration fees for one year of full-time study at NFQ Level 9 (master's, postgraduate diploma) or Level 10 (PhD). It is the only fully funded, open-to-all-subjects award in the country, and Indian applicants are eligible because eligibility is defined by domicile outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
The second, much larger layer is university money: merit scholarships that reduce the non-EU tuition fee by a fixed amount (€1,500–€4,000) or a percentage (10–100%), most of them awarded automatically when the admissions office reads your transcript, and a set of MBA scholarships that go up to half the fee. With non-EU master's tuition running roughly €11,000–€40,000 a year (Education in Ireland's 2025/26 figures: business €14,000–€40,000, arts and humanities €12,000–€23,000), a 20% award is worth about €2,200–€8,000 (₹2.4–8.7 lakh), and a UCD Global Excellence award at 100% is worth the whole fee.
What Ireland does not have is a large pool of government-funded undergraduate scholarships for Indian students or need-based aid for non-EU applicants. Indian families should therefore treat scholarships as a discount on a self-funded plan, not the foundation of it, and should apply early: almost every award is tied to holding an offer, and several close in March and May for a September start.
Ireland scholarships for international students: amounts, eligibility and deadlines (2026/27)
All values are taken from the funder's own page on 26 September 2026; where a page still shows dates from an earlier intake (Galway's arts college page shows 2024), the row says so. "Automatic" means no separate application: the university assesses your admission file and states the award in the offer letter.
| Scholarship | Value | Approx. INR | Who is eligible | How and when to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) | €10,000 stipend + full tuition and registration fee waiver, 1 year | ₹10.9 lakh + fees (about ₹12–44 lakh) | Non-EU/EEA/UK/Swiss domicile; conditional or full offer for an eligible Level 9/10 programme; 60 awards | HEA online portal with two references; 2026 deadline 5pm Irish time 12 March 2026, results early June; 2027 call expected January–February 2027 |
| UCD Global Excellence Scholarship | 50% or 100% of tuition fees | ₹10–40 lakh depending on fee | Non-EU fee-paying applicants holding an offer for an eligible full-time programme | Separate application via UCD SISWeb after the offer; apply to the programme at least 3 weeks before the scholarship deadline; outcome within 7 weeks |
| UCD International Student Scholarship | 10% – 35% tuition discount | ₹1.6–10.3 lakh on a €15,000–€27,000 fee | Non-EU applicants to eligible programmes | Automatic at offer stage; some programmes excluded |
| UCD Aryabhata Science Scholarship | 50% – 100% tuition fee waiver | ₹10–30 lakh | High-achieving students from India entering undergraduate science at UCD | Competitive; contact india@ucd.ie after applying |
| University of Limerick faculty merit scholarships | €2,000 a year (Science & Engineering; Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences; listed Education & Health master's) · €2,500 a year (Kemmy Business School) | ₹2.2 – 2.7 lakh a year | Non-EU applicants, academic merit | Automatic; decision arrives with the offer |
| University of Limerick — Jim Kemmy India Scholarship | €4,000 a year for 4 years of an undergraduate business degree | ₹4.4 lakh a year (₹17.4 lakh total) | Indian students with 75%+ in Class X and XII including English and Maths, Kemmy Business School programmes only | Automatic on application to a KBS undergraduate programme |
| UCC CACSSS International Merit Scholarship | 20% fee reduction on taught master's | ₹4.0 lakh on an €18,500 fee (other CACSSS fees: €19,900 or €23,500) | Non-EU students with a first-class (1H or GPA equivalent) bachelor's in Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences programmes | Automatic once the offer is accepted; cannot be combined with other UCC awards |
| UCC College of Business & Law and SEFS merit scholarships | Value stated in the offer letter | Varies | Non-EU taught master's and undergraduate applicants | Automatic at offer stage (UCC table updated 17 April 2026) |
| University of Galway — Arts, Social Sciences & Celtic Studies merit | €1,500 fee waiver (60 postgraduate awards) · €2,000 for undergraduates | ₹1.6 – 2.2 lakh | Top-ranked international applicants by programme | Automatic once you accept your offer and pay the deposit by the college's deadline (the cited page shows 1 May 2024 for the last cycle; no 2026/27 date is published there, so confirm it with the college) |
| University of Galway MBA scholarships | Up to 50% of the €18,300 MBA fee | up to ₹10 lakh | Accepted MBA applicants; MedTech, ICT, Social Impact, 30% Club (women), alumni and other streams | Scholarship form after accepting the place; 2026 deadline extended to 15 July 2026 |
| Trinity MBA scholarships | Merit average €8,000 · 30% Club two awards of €18,000 (women) · Social Impact four of €10,000 · Alumni four of €5,000 | ₹8.7 lakh average; ₹19.6 lakh top award | Trinity full-time MBA applicants | Scholarship form with the MBA application; 30% Club deadline 8 June 2026; others rolling |
| UCD Smurfit MBA scholarships | Range of partial awards | Varies | Full-time and Executive MBA applicants, often requiring an early GMAT | Apply early; scholarship rounds may close before general admissions |
Sources: hea.ie, ucd.ie, ul.ie (page dated 23 April 2026), ucc.ie (16 March and 17 April 2026), universityofgalway.ie, tcd.ie and smurfitschool.ie scholarship pages, checked 26 Sep 2026. €1 = ₹109. Galway's Postgraduate Excellence Scholarship (€1,500) is for EU students only and is not open to Indian applicants.
Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship: how it works
GOI-IES is a competition, not a fee discount. Each year the HEA invites applications from students who already hold a conditional or unconditional offer from an eligible Irish higher education institution for a one-year programme at Level 9 or 10. You apply on the HEA portal with your academic record, a personal statement and two references that you upload yourself through the portal; the host institution shortlists, external assessors score, and the HEA announces about 60 winners. For 2026 the portal closed at 5pm Irish time on 12 March 2026 and outcomes were due in early June; University of Limerick's page says the 2027 dates are still to be confirmed, so watch hea.ie from January 2027.
The award covers tuition and registration fees in full and pays a €10,000 stipend toward living costs; bench fees on laboratory programmes (UCC lists €1,000 on some food science and geoscience MScs) are not covered, and the €50–€70 application fee is not refunded. Universities differ on which programmes are eligible: UCC lists 16 master's programmes across law, arts, public health, sustainable energy and food science; UL lists eight eligible postgraduate programmes (MA and MSc) plus all PhD areas; UCD, Trinity and the other universities set their own lists. Check your target university's GOI-IES page before choosing a programme if this award is central to your plan.
Two practical rules from the universities themselves: you do not have to pay an acceptance deposit while you wait for the GOI-IES result (UL says so explicitly), and preference goes to first-class bachelor's graduates with a strong statement of purpose that links the Irish programme to a career plan. Indian applicants with 75%+ in a relevant degree, research or work experience and a clear reason for Ireland are competitive; the field is international, so treat it as a 5–10% shot and pursue university awards in parallel.
How to apply for scholarships in Ireland from India: a timeline for September 2027
Because nearly every Irish award requires an offer first, the scholarship calendar is really the admissions calendar pulled forward by two months.
October–November 2026: apply to programmes early
Rolling admissions mean early applicants receive offers in December and January, before scholarship deadlines. UCD advises applying at least three weeks before a scholarship closes; Galway's arts-college merit awards go to students who accept and pay the deposit by the college's deadline (1 May on its last published cycle, 2024; confirm the current date).
December 2026 – January 2027: collect offers and read the scholarship line
Automatic awards (UCD ISS 10–35%, UL €2,000–€2,500, UCC 20%, Galway €1,500–€2,000) appear in or alongside the offer letter. If nothing is stated, email the international office and ask which merit awards you were assessed for.
January–March 2027: apply for the Government of Ireland scholarship
Once the HEA opens the 2027 call, submit on the portal with your offer letter, statement and two references well before the deadline (the 2026 deadline was 12 March). Ask referees early; applications cannot be edited after submission.
January–March 2027: submit university-specific applications
UCD Global Excellence needs a separate SISWeb application after the offer; MBA scholarships at Trinity, Galway and Smurfit need a scholarship form with or soon after the programme application, and Trinity's 30% Club award had an 8 June deadline in 2026.
April–June 2027: accept the best combined offer
UCD notifies scholarship results within 7 weeks of the deadline and gives you 2 weeks to accept; GOI-IES results come in early June. Where two UCD awards are offered, only the higher applies. Confirm whether an award is renewable in year two for two-year programmes.
June–August 2027: use the award in your visa file
Include the scholarship letter with your funds evidence. A fee waiver reduces the tuition you must show as paid; a stipend counts toward the €10,000 living-cost requirement only once it is confirmed in writing.
What Indian applicants should know before counting on a scholarship
- Merit is read from your transcript: first-class (70%+) graduates trigger UCC's 20% and most automatic awards; 60–65% profiles rarely receive money beyond small flat waivers.
- Awards are per year and usually for year one only unless stated; UL's Jim Kemmy award is a rare four-year commitment and depends on progression each year.
- Awards cannot normally be stacked: UCC says its CACSSS scholarship cannot be combined with any other UCC award; UCD applies the higher of two.
- Conditions continue after arrival: UCD requires a GPA of 3.08 or better, full-time enrolment and ambassador duties to keep a Global Excellence Scholarship.
- Scholarships are tied to the programme and start date: defer or switch course and UCD says the award is not retained.
- A scholarship does not change the visa maths for living costs: the immigration requirement of €10,000 in accessible funds still applies, though a fee waiver reduces the tuition deposit you must show as paid.
- Sports scholarships exist at UL, Galway and others for students representing a recognised national governing body; they are small and competitive.
Where the real savings are
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship?
Each GOI-IES award is a €10,000 stipend (about ₹10.9 lakh) plus a full waiver of tuition and registration fees for one year of full-time master's, postgraduate diploma or PhD study. About 60 are awarded nationally each year; bench fees and the application fee are not covered.
When is the deadline for the Government of Ireland scholarship 2027?
The 2027 dates were not published as of 26 September 2026. The 2026 call closed at 5pm Irish time on 12 March 2026 with results in early June, so expect the 2027 portal to open in January or February 2027 and close in March. You need an offer from an Irish institution before you apply.
Are there fully funded scholarships in Ireland for Indian students?
The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship is the only broad fully funded award, covering full fees plus €10,000 for 60 students a year. UCD's Global Excellence Scholarship can cover 100% of tuition but not living costs. Most other Irish awards are partial fee reductions of €1,500–€4,000 or 10–50%.
Do Irish universities give automatic scholarships to Indian students?
Yes, several do. UCD assesses all non-EU applicants for a 10–35% International Student Scholarship at offer stage; University of Limerick awards €2,000–€2,500 a year on merit with the offer; UCC gives first-class graduates 20% off Arts and Social Sciences master's; Galway's arts college gives €1,500–€2,000 fee waivers.
Can I get a scholarship for an MBA in Ireland?
Yes. University of Galway offers MBA scholarships of up to 50% of its €18,300 fee; Trinity's MBA Merit Scholarship averages €8,000, with two €18,000 30% Club awards for women and four €10,000 Social Impact awards; UCD Smurfit runs several partial MBA scholarships that often require an early GMAT.
What marks do I need for a scholarship in Ireland?
Automatic merit awards typically start at a first-class or high second-class degree: UCC's 20% requires a 1H (about 70%+) equivalent, UL's Indian undergraduate award requires 75% in Class X and XII, and GOI-IES universities say preference goes to first-class bachelor's graduates. Strong statements and references matter for competitive awards.
Do scholarships in Ireland cover living expenses?
Rarely. Only GOI-IES (€10,000 stipend) and a few programme-specific awards such as UCD Earth Sciences' two €20,000 stipends contribute to living costs. University merit awards reduce tuition only, so you still need to show €10,000 in accessible funds for the visa (the immigration service's estimate of one academic year's cost of living) and should check current rent and living costs for your city before budgeting beyond that.
Can I apply for more than one scholarship in Ireland?
You can apply for GOI-IES and a university award at the same time, and UCD lets you apply for several of its schemes, but awards are usually not stacked: UCD applies the higher one and UCC's CACSSS award cannot be combined with any other UCC scholarship. Read each scheme's terms before accepting.
Official sources used on this page
- Higher Education Authority — Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships — Higher Education Authority · checked 26 September 2026
- University College Cork — GOI-IES 2026 at UCC (eligible programmes, terms) — University College Cork · checked 26 September 2026
- UCD Global — Scholarships for international students — University College Dublin · checked 26 September 2026
- University of Limerick — Scholarships for international postgraduates (incl. India awards, GOI-IES) — University of Limerick · checked 26 September 2026
- University College Cork — CACSSS international merit-based scholarships 2026/27 — University College Cork · checked 26 September 2026
- University College Cork — Scholarships for students from outside the EU (table) — University College Cork · checked 26 September 2026
- University of Galway — College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies international scholarships — University of Galway · checked 26 September 2026
- University of Galway — MBA fees and scholarships 2026/27 — University of Galway · checked 26 September 2026
- Trinity Business School — Full-time MBA fees and scholarships — Trinity College Dublin · checked 26 September 2026
- UCD Smurfit School — Full-time MBA admissions and fees — University College Dublin · checked 26 September 2026
- Education in Ireland — Postgraduate tuition fees 2025/26 — Enterprise Ireland / Education in Ireland · checked 26 September 2026
- Wise — EUR to INR mid-market rate — Wise · checked 26 September 2026
Official sources
Visa rules change. Always confirm the latest requirements for Ireland on the government portals below before you apply.
- Irish Immigration Service — Coming to study in Ireland — official immigration authority for international students
Last reviewed: September 2026
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