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The application process in Ireland consists, most of the time, in a form to be sent with a relevant documentation (diplomas, transcripts…etc.). The documents requested by colleges are – more or less – similar. Some extra pieces are often required to apply for a postgraduate degree; including a personal statement (a kind of more developed cover letter).
First-year applicants
Those wishing to apply for the 1st year of any course will have to use the Central Application Office (CAO). For more information, please contact the CAO directly by clicking on the following link: www.cao.ie
First-year applicants who are not originating from European Union can apply directly to the University of their choice.
Click on the following link to view the complete list of higher education providers in Ireland:
Admissions to Irish universities are made through application forms. To apply for an undergraduate programme in Ireland you will need in most cases:
– a certified English translation of your documents required for the application of the college of your choice (transcripts, diplomas, professional experience … etc.)
– an Irish equivalence of your qualifications
– a CV in English
– a proof of your ability to take courses in English (most of the time: an English test). Here is our article on this topic:
English tests: how to choose between IELTS and TOEFL
This list might slightly vary from one university to another. We advise you to visit the website of the college of your choice to check their list of documents required for your application.
In addition to a personal statement, applying for a postgraduate course may require more documents as well as an interview (depending on the specificity of your chosen course).
To get more information about the higher education system in Ireland, we recommend our article on this topic:
Studying in Ireland: a guide to understand the higher education system
Students from a non-EU country will have to apply for a Student Visa for the duration of their studies in Ireland. You will find the necessary information for this Visa application on the following website:
The submission deadlines of applications are specific to each university and may vary according to the chosen course. Thus, it is recommended to ask the university of your choice to know their limit date to submit applications. However, most universities have a deadline around the end of April or May (even June in some cases).
The different deadlines of the CAO regarding first-year applications can be checked on the following link:
Studying in Ireland: a guide to understand the higher education system
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English tests: how to choose between IELTS and TOEFL
Universities in Ireland: a list of higher education insitutions