Deadline: March 12, 2026
Applications for the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships 2026 are now open. The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) programme supports high-calibre international students who wish to study at NFQ levels 9 or 10 (master’s, postgraduate diploma or PhD) in Ireland.
The programme is funded by the Government of Ireland in partnership with Irish higher education institutions (HEIs) and managed by the Higher Education Authority. Under the initiative, 60 scholarships are awarded each year for one year of full-time study at NFQ levels 9 or 10.
Scholarship
- A Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship consists of a stipend amounting to €10,000 for one year of full-time study at NFQ levels 9 or 10. The awardees’ host higher education institutions are required to give a full fee waiver to the awardees for the year of their scholarship.
Eligibility
- In order to be eligible for a Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship, applicants must have a domiciliary of origin outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
- Candidates will first need to apply for admission to a master’s, postgraduate diploma or PhD programme offered by an eligible Irish higher education institution as per that institution’s admission procedures.
- Candidates are advised to make enquiries directly to the relevant higher education institution about the eligibility of their course for GOI-IES.
- Applicants must have a conditional or final offer of admission to an eligible Irish higher education institution at the time of applying for a Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship. Proof of admission must be submitted with the GOI-IES application, in the relevant section of the GOI-IES application form.
- Prospective candidates who have previously held a GOI-IES scholarship are not eligible to apply.
- Russian and Belarusian nationals are not eligible to apply.
Assessment Process
Applicants are expected to demonstrate:
- a record of outstanding academic achievement;
- excellent communication skills;
- participation in extracurricular activities, for example, humanitarian work, politics, arts or sport;
- a strong rationale for pursuing their study in Ireland that indicates how a Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship would align with their longer-term goals.
Application
For more information, visit Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships.
