Academic System

Ireland has a very long & prestigious tradition in education. The well educated workforce developed by the education system in Ireland plays a vital role in attracting international students from all over the world.In Ireland, higher education is provided by Universities, Colleges, Institutes, Institutes of Technology and Schools. At present, there are seven universities & 14 Institutes that offer degrees at Bachelors, Masters & Doctorate levels. Teaching at Bachelors level is done by the way of lectures & tutorials, while at the Master and Doctorate levels, teaching is more research based.In recent years, the Irish education system has been changing from a three term teaching system to a two semester system. Almost all Universities have started following the semester system. The languages of instruction are English & Irish. Universities & institutions in Ireland are autonomous & self-governing, but are substantially state-funded.

Accomodation

Housing in Ireland is affordable & easily available. Students can search for accommodation in the local newspapers or through letting agencies. On-Campus accommodation provided by Universities is very popular. Almost all Universities have an on-campus student residence that provides all the basic facilities at very reasonable costs.Another popular option is self-catering rented accommodation. This is generally hired and shared by a group of students and is also very cost effective as the rent is shared by a number of students. Some students opt for “host family accommodation”, living in with a friendly & supportive Irish family

Climate

Ireland has a temperate maritime climate. It receives a huge amount of precipitation throughout the year.

The Northern part is covered with mountains & receives rainfall throughout the year. This area receives maximum amount of rainfall. During winters, the temperature sometimes reaches below freezing point that leads to frozen rivers & heavy snowfall. The driest part of the country is the eastern part where there are very few mountains.

Southern Ireland enjoys warm and sunny weather. There is light rain and rainfall is restricted to a few days. The months of July & August are very humid and thunderstorms are common.

Coastal areas have consistent weather conditions with little difference between summers & winters due to the moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean. The average temperature in this area is 10 degree Celsius.

Visa Regulations

A valid student visa is required by students of all nationalities to enter Ireland. Entry on the basis of a student visa is for a limited period. Students who have enrolled for longer duration courses must apply for a second study visa in Greece before the stipulated period ends. The study visa is granted on the basis of the attendance record of the student. The Garda National Immigration Bureau requires a student to have at least 15 hours of organized day time tuition per week to be eligible for the study visa.

A student who is pursuing a full-time course of at least one year is entitled to work under the rules of the study visa subject to a limit of 20 hours part time work per week during vacation periods. After completing of course, students who do not have a job offer must leave the country.

Public Transport

Public transport system in Ireland is developed, well-functioning, timely & cost effective. The primary mode of transportation in Ireland is buses. The bus network is very well established & covers almost every part of Ireland including remote areas.

Since most areas of Ireland can be explored by bus, the rail network is not very popular. It is costlier than other means of transport. Railways are suitable for long journeys as they are more comfortable & fast than buses.

National holidays