Study Visas To Ireland

Ireland has become a popular destination for international students and it is this very reason that the Irish government regards global education inclusion an important aspect for Ireland and its educational system. The Irish Government has invested in the promotion of international activities and linkages of Ireland's colleges and to encourage students from overseas countries to study in Ireland.

Ireland therefore offers a variety of temporary study visas which offers its holders the potential to work towards permanent residency. In Ireland graduates from any Irish high education institution can extend their stay and work in Ireland under the Irish graduate scheme.

Benefits of Irish Study Visa

Irish student visas are usually granted for the duration of the student's course in Ireland it is therefore important to ensure that you apply for the right type of study visa. There are two study visa categories in Ireland, namely the 'C visa', and the 'D visa'. The former is designed for those who will be studying in Ireland on a very short-term course of less than three months; the latter is for those who need to study in Ireland for three months or more.

Study visas are not intended as a route to living and working in Ireland per se, but, these visas do permit the applicant to take up a limited amount of work in Ireland to supplement their income. Students are allowed to work part time in Ireland for a maximum of 20 hours per week. Visa candidates will be expected to show that they can support themselves and any dependents during their time in Ireland and this should not dependent upon the ability to work once they arrive in Ireland.

The key benefit of an Irish study visa is that students graduating from Irish institutions may be able to participate in the graduate programme. The graduate scheme applies to all students who successfully obtain a tertiary qualification from an Irish institution and allows the candidate to remain in Ireland for an additional six months during which time they may seek full time employment. If a candidate secures a position of employment they may be able to remain in Ireland through an Irish work permit or by making a green card application.

Applying for an Irish Study visa

The main prerequisite of an Irish study visa application is that the visa applicant must be in possession of a confirmed offer of acceptance from an Irish university or college. The letter of acceptance will have to be provided with the application form to show that the applicant has indeed been offered a place of study at a bona fide educational institution in Ireland. The course must include a minimum of 15 hours of study per week and in addition to the abovementioned requirements applicants for the study visa must also show that they have paid for their course fees in full.

Applying for a student visa in Ireland requires applicants to prove that they can communicate comfortably in English. Officially, English is the second language of Ireland behind Gaelic; however, English is far more widely used and in most cases will be the language through which university studies are taught.

As abovementioned applicants must be able to financially support themselves and any dependents throughout their time in Ireland and they also must show that they have medical insurance in place for the duration of their time in Ireland. Irish visas are generally granted as temporary visas however graduates can live and work in Ireland under the graduate scheme visa with their dependents. This option is available to graduates, but, in essence all applicants have to show first and foremost that they will return to their own country upon completion of their course in Ireland.

Irish Student Visa - Family immigration

Under the Irish immigration and visa law the immediate family members of the main visa applicant may live in Ireland for the same amount of time as that granted to the main applicant. A study visa may result in the applicant living in Ireland for a period of several years or perhaps indefinitely. As a result the spouse or partner, and dependent children may also relocate to Ireland. The dependents will be permitted to work where the applicant's course has duration of more than one year.

To find out how we at Global Visas can help, take our free online assessment and complete the request form and a friendly consultant who deals with all the Irish visas will be in contact with you.