Student Permission (Ireland)

Ireland lets non-EEA nationals live in the country while they study on an approved full-time course. Your right to stay is shown by a registration card issued after you arrive, and the stamp on it is Stamp 2. Stamp 2 allows study and limited work.

Irish Immigration Service Delivery, part of the Department of Justice, runs the system. Depending on your nationality you may also need a visa before you travel, and the visa decision is separate from the permission you receive on arrival. Having a place on a course does not guarantee either one.

Your course must be a full-time programme at level 6 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications, and it must appear on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes, known as the ILEP. The ILEP is the official list of courses that count, so check that your exact programme is on it before you pay a deposit.

A course that is not on the list will not give you student permission, even if the college is well known. Other types of course may follow different rules, so read the guidance for your type of course.

You need to show that you can support yourself without relying on public funds. For a course of one year the official figure is 10,000 euros. For a longer course you need evidence that you can cover each year of study.

Keep the evidence clear and recent, such as bank statements or a letter confirming a scholarship or sponsor. If someone else is paying, expect to explain how you are connected to them. Do not assume that a figure you saw on a college website is the official one. Use the Immigration Service Delivery page.

You must have private medical insurance that covers you in Ireland for the length of your permission. Keep the certificate or letter from the insurer, because you may be asked to show it at the border and at registration.

Choose a policy that meets the immigration requirements, not just the cheapest one. If your cover lapses, you risk breaching the conditions of your permission.

When you arrive you must register with immigration. This is done through the local registration office or the online process that applies to your area, and you will need your passport, proof of enrolment, proof of funds and proof of insurance.

The registration fee is 300 euros. You receive a registration card, which you should carry. The card is your proof that you are lawfully in the State, and it must be renewed before it expires.

Stamp 2 lets you take casual work, with limits. In term time you can work up to 20 hours a week. During the official holiday periods you can work up to 40 hours a week. Those periods are 1 June to 30 September and 15 December to 15 January.

You must stay within these limits. Work beyond them can lead to problems when you renew your permission or apply for another status later. Your hours are counted across all employers, so add them up if you have more than one job.

If your course includes a work placement, check with your college and the official guidance before you start it.

Your permission depends on your studying. You are expected to attend, complete the course and progress from one year to the next. Repeating a year, changing course or moving to a lower level can affect your renewal.

If you plan to change course, talk to your college and check the immigration guidance first. Changes are easier to manage before you make them than after.

The overall limit on student permission is seven years. This is a cumulative limit, which means time spent on earlier courses counts. Plan your studies with that in mind, particularly if you intend to move from a degree to a master's or doctorate.

After your course you may be able to move to the Third Level Graduate Programme, which gives you time to look for work. See our guide on that programme.

If you need a visa, the Irish government lists the fee as 60 euros for a single entry and 100 euros for multiple entries. Visa fees are not refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn.

Apply early. Processing information is published separately by the Irish immigration service.

Do not assume a course is eligible without checking the ILEP.

Do not leave insurance and funds to the last minute, because both are needed at registration.

Keep a record of your working hours. If you ever apply for another status, you may need to show that you stayed within the limits.