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Work & Education
The cost of education PDF Print E-mail

First and second level education

No fees need to be paid, unless you are attending a private school.

 

Third level education

If you are an undergraduate student at a publicly funded third-level educational institution, you do not, in general, have to pay fees.

Free fees

In order to qualify for free fees:

  • You must be an EU national or have official refugee status and
  • You must have been living in the EU (this includes any of the accession states) for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course and
  • You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 years duration and
  • You must not have a previous qualification to the same level (Students who hold a National Certificate or Diploma and are progressing to degree courses may be eligible) and
  • You must not be repeating the year (although this exclusion may be waived where a student has to repeat a year due to certified serious illness)

The undergraduate courses for which the free fees arrangements apply are courses in

  • Universities
  • Institutes of technology
  • Colleges of education
  • National College of Ireland
  • A number of religious education institutions

Free fees do not apply to courses in private colleges, whether they have Higher Education and Training Awards Council approval or not.

Students who qualify for 'free' fees have to pay a "registration fee": about €900.


EU fees

If you are not an Irish national and you do not qualify for free fees the third-level institution may charge you EU fees if you are either:

  • An EU citizen or have official refugee status and you have received all your post-primary education in the EU but have not been resident in an EU state for 3 of the 5 years before beginning third-level education you will qualify for EU fees or
  • you are not an EU citizen but you have been residing in an EU country for 3 of the last 5 years before entering third-level education you may be eligible for EU fees.

If you are not an EU citizen and you do not qualify for EU fees you may be charged non-EU fees. Each third-level educational institution sets its own fee rates. You should contact the ones you are interested in to find out more about their fees.

Postgraduate fees

Fees are payable for most postgraduate courses. However, there are some postgraduate courses - mainly diplomas - which are supported by the European Social Fund and so either no fees or reduced fees are payable. A list of such courses is available from the Department of Education and Science.
 
The Irish education system PDF Print E-mail

Education is compulsory for children in Ireland from the ages of six to 16 or until students have completed three years of second level education.

The Irish education system is made up of primary, second, third-level and further education. State funded education is available at all levels, unless you choose to send your child to a private institution.

Primary (first level) education

Children do not have to attend school until the age of six but it is usual for children to begin school the September following their fourth birthday. Four-year-olds and five-year-olds are enrolled in the junior or senior infant classes.

The curriculum for primary education covers the following key areas:
Language, mathematics, social, environment and scientific education, arts education including visual arts music and drama, physical integration, social personal and health education.

Primary schools are generally privately-owned by religious communities (or boards of governors) but are State-funded.

Second level education

Second level education is provided by different types of post-primary schools. That is, secondary, vocational, community and comprehensive schools. Secondary schools are privately owned and managed. In most cases the trustees are religious communities or boards of governors. Vocational schools are established by the State and administered by vocational education committees. Community and comprehensive schools are managed by boards of management of differing compositions.

Second level education usually consists of a three-year junior cycle followed by a two-year senior cycle.

Students generally commence the junior cycle at the age of 12. The Junior Certificate is taken after three years.

During their final two years in the senior cycle, students take one of three programmes, each leading to a State examination - the established Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme or the Leaving Certificate Applied.

The established Leaving Certificate is the main basis upon which places in universities, institutes of technology and colleges of education are allocated.

The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme differs from the established Leaving Certificate in placing a concentration on technical subjects and including additional modules which have a vocational focus.

The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme has as its primary objective the preparation of participants for adult and working life through relevant learning experiences. These aim to develop the following areas of human endeavour: spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, aesthetic and physical.

The Leaving Certificate Applied is not recognised for direct entry to third level courses but it can enable students to take Post-Leaving Certificate courses.

Third level education

Third level education is made up of a number of sectors. The university sector, the technological sector and the colleges of education are substantially funded by the State. In addition there are a number of independent private colleges.

There are seven universities and they are autonomous and self-governing. They offer degree programmes at bachelor, masters and doctorate level.

The technological sector includes institutes of technology which provide programmes of education and training in areas such as business, science, engineering, linguistics and music to certificate, diploma and degree levels. The Department of Education and Science has overall responsibility for the sector.

There are five colleges of education. These specialise in training for first level teachers. They offer a three-year bachelor of education degree and an 18-month post-graduate diploma.

The training of second level teachers usually involves completing a primary degree in university or other third level institution followed by a one-year higher diploma in education. In addition, there are colleges of education that specialise in the training of second level home economics teachers, teachers of religion and physical education.

Further and adult education

Further education comprises education and training which takes place after second level schooling but which is not part of the third level system. It includes programmes such as Post-Leaving Certificate courses; the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (second-chance education for the unemployed); programmes in Youthreach and Senior Traveller Training Centres for early school leavers; other literacy and basic education; and self-funded evening adult programmes in second-level schools.

 
 


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