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Country Guide to Eire: The Republic of Ireland
It’s famous for St Patrick’s Day, Guinness and boy bands but Ireland is fast becoming a place known for the quality of its undergraduate education. QS Top Universities looks at the pros and cons of studying abroad in Ireland.
Country Overview
The Republic of Ireland or Éire to use its Gaelic name, is home to 4.5million people, Irish, English and Europeans. In fact, non-Irish nationals from the EU, China and Africa make up 12% of the population. Situated to the west of the UK and south of the little country known as Northern Ireland (part of the UK), the Republic of Ireland – or Ireland as it is more commonly known and referred to – is the 120th largest country in the world covering 70,280sq km. Ireland has made a name for itself on the world music scene, in the international rugby arena, in literature, history, discovery and legends. Every year, people all over the world celebrate Ireland’s national day – St Patrick’s Day on 17 March - toasting the patron saint and downing a pint of Guinness in his honour.
The Irish language, also known as Gaelic, is recognised as the country’s first official language. English, admittedly spoken with a very strong Irish accent, is the second official language, which contributes to Ireland being a popular study, work and tourist destination.
Ireland’s capital city is Dublin, a hotspot of Europe and a popular city break. Home to the country’s oldest university, The University of Dublin Trinity College (and the Book of Kells), Dublin is fast becoming known for its vibrant music scene, nightlife and festivities. Ireland’s many cities provide a variety of experiences, very different from those of the little country towns dotted around the attractive landscape. It’s a safe and easy country to travel around in (see our section on transport below) and has much to offer, from taking a tour through the Guinness Factory to kissing the blarney stone.
Pros and cons
| Pros Cons | |
|---|---|
|
It’s wet! Rain can be forecast in Ireland from anywhere between 150 and 225 days a year. |
Education is free for domestic students
Scarce and expensive transportNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland, with a population of over 1.5million people, is situated on the top of the island. However, it is not governed by Ireland’s political system and instead is part of the United Kingdom of England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland’s capital city is Belfast, its currency is pounds and it has two universities: the University of Ulster (UU) and the Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB). For more information on living and studying in Northern Ireland, please see the UK country guide.
Education
Ireland has a “Free Fees Initiative” which means that all education in Ireland up to and including tertiary level is free. There are seven universities in Ireland:
• University of Dublin (Trinity College) (TCD)
• Dublin City University (DCU)
• University College Dublin (UCD Dublin)
• University College Cork (UCC)
• University of Limerick
• National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUI Maynooth)
• National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway)
There are also two universities in Northern Ireland:
• University of Ulster (UU)
• Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB)
Under the "Free Fees Initiative" the Exchequer will pay the tuition fees of students who meet relevant course, nationality and residence requirements as set down under the initiative. A "registration fee" of approximately €800 is payable on most courses at the start of the academic year, and covers student examinations, registration and services.
Of Ireland’s seven universities, two were ranked in the top 200 of the Times Higher – QS World University Rankings 2007. Trinity College Dublin (TCD) was ranked =53 and University College Dublin (UCD) 177. For more information on the performance of the Irish universities in the Times Higher QS World University Rankings 2007 click here
The website www.educationireland.ie has valuable information on studying in Ireland including examples of study and tuition fees.
This table shows an example of tuition fees for 2006/2007 for undergraduate, non-EU students at a tertiary institution. Tuition fees vary depending on the institution and the study program.
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