In This Section

Introduction
Accommodation
When you can apply
How to apply
Fees

How long it will take
Conditions associated with a study visa
Supporting documentation
Extra documentation for unaccompanied students under 18 years
Return of documents

Introduction

This page explains everything you need to know if you want your child to attend a primary or secondary school in Ireland. If you want your child to attend a primary or secondary school in Ireland, you must:

  • Register the child in a private fee paying school

  • Pay the appropriate school fees before their arrival in Ireland.

You can find out more about the requirements below:

  • If your child is applying for a visa to attend school in Ireland for second level education, they must be enrolled in a fee paying school

  • We will refuse applications if a child is to attend a school

    • That does not appear on the website of the Department of Education and Skills
    • Where that school is a non-fee paying one.

You can check the website of the Department of Education and Skills.

Accommodation

You will also have to provide the following:

  • The address of where the student will stay while in the State as a student

  • In the case of a boarding school student, a letter from the school confirming that it will provide all necessary accommodation

  • In the case of a child who is attending a school as a day pupil and live with a family, you must provide the name and address of the responsible adults they will stay with.

The Visa Officer does not carry out any vetting or clearance of families that host unaccompanied students under 18 years of age. Parents / guardians should carry out all necessary checks. They should satisfy themselves their child will be hosted in a safe, secure and appropriate environment.

There is no entitlement on the part of other family members to travel with or join the student in the State.

The granting of a visa to a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of study does not give any entitlement to any other family member to accompany or join the student in the State.

When you can apply

  • You can apply for a study visa if you are planning to come to Ireland to undertake a course of study for more than 3 months

  • We ask you to familiarise yourself with our policy on non-EEA nationals studying in Ireland. Make sure that you meet the requirements of our policy before you make your visa application

  • You can apply for a study visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to Ireland
  • If you are visiting another State prior to travelling to Ireland, you must have the relevant visa for that State in your passport before applying for an Irish visa.

How to apply

You must apply online for a visa.

  • First, complete the online application process. The online system will then create a summary application form

  • Follow the instructions on the summary application form. The summary form will contain information on how to submit your supporting documents

  • You must print, sign and date the summary form and submit it with your supporting documents.

We may ask you to provide your Biometrics information as part of the application process.

A guide to supporting documentation is set out below.

Fees

  • Please refer to the table of Fees for information on the fee that you must pay
  • Some applicants are exempt from the requirement to pay the visa fee. However, you may have to pay extra charges. For example, relating to the submission of your documents
  • You may be able to pay the fee in local currency
  • Visit the website of the visa office, embassy or consulate. They will have details about extra charges and local payment options.

How long it will take

  • We process applications in date order
  • We ask you not to buy travel tickets before you know the outcome of your visa application
  • Processing times can vary between countries and visa office, embassy or consulates. They can also vary during high volume periods during the year. Generally, you can expect a decision within 8 weeks from the date on which you lodge your application.

Your application may take longer:

  • If you have not submitted all necessary supporting documentation

  • If we need to verify your supporting documentation

  • Because of your personal circumstances. For example, if you have a criminal conviction.

Visit the website of visa office, embassy or consulate that is handling your application. There you can check the processing times for applications.

If your application is being processed by the visa office (Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin), you can check the date of the applications currently being processed on our Visa Decisions page.

Conditions associated with a study visa

We ask you to read our policy on non-EEA nationals studying in Ireland. This outlines the conditions applying to such students who we permit to enter the State. Please read our policy before you make your visa application.

Supporting documentation

  • The documents below are important. They provide information about your personal circumstances in the country from which you are applying
  • The onus is on you to meet the requirements that are necessary to enable a Visa Officer to grant a visa for the purpose sought
  • The submission of documents does not guarantee that your application will be successful
  • You must provide original documents.

If you submit a document that is not in English or Irish, you must also supply a full translation. Each translated document must contain:

  • Confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document

  • The date of the translation

  • The translator’s full name and signature; and

  • The translator’s contact details.

All letters submitted by a business, company or other organisation should be on official headed paper. They must also provide full contact details so that we can verify them. These must include:

  • A full postal address

  • Name of contact

  • Their position in the organisation

  • Telephone number (landline)

  • Website, and

  • Email address (email addresses such as Yahoo or Hotmail are not accepted).

The Visa Officer will consider each application on its own merits. They may also request further information or documentation.

Provide your signed and dated summary application form and the appropriate fee (where applicable). These must go with the supporting documents set out below.

If you do not submit the required documentation we may refuse your application. This will be on the basis of insufficient documentation.

You must print your name and visa application reference number clearly on the back. More information on photograph requirements.

Your current passport must be valid for at least 12 months after your proposed date of arrival in Ireland.

In your letter you should:

  • Provide your full contact details
  • Outline your reason for wanting to come to Ireland
  • Provide details of any members of your family who are currently in Ireland, or any other EU Member State, and
  • Confirm that you will observe the conditions of your visa, that you will not become a burden on the State, and that you will leave the State on the expiry of your permission to remain.

Note: If the course you now wish to study does not follow on or relate to your educational/employment history, you must give valid reasons, supported by documentary evidence, for this change.

The letter should:

  • Confirm that you have been accepted and enrolled on a course of full-time education, involving a minimum of 15 hours organised daytime tuition each week
  • Give details of the course that you will be studying
  • State the amount of fees payable for your course
  • State the amount that you paid
  • State, if applicable, that the college has taken out medical insurance on your behalf.

Note: Where the course fees are less than €6,000 you must pay fees in full to the college before to applying for your visa.

Where the course fees are more than €6,000 you must pay at least this amount before applying for your visa. Evidence of this should be visible in your Letter of Acceptance. This minimum amount is an immigration requirement. However, the college you wish to attend may ask for full payment of fees.

You must provide information on any gaps since your last period of full time education. This must include the periods of time until your application to study in Ireland.

You must give full details of your employment history. We need this if you have filled any gap in education by periods of employment.

You must provide a copy of an Electronic Transfer of Funds (ETF) to the Irish Bank of the college. This must show details of the beneficiary’s name, address, bank details and the same details for sender

or

A valid receipt showing that the course fees have been lodged to an approved student fees payment service. For example, the electronic fee payment service offered by Pay to Study, formerly known as International Student Payments Service (ISPS).

You must provide evidence that you have the ability to follow your chosen course. For example, exam results or qualifications.

You must show that you have the capacity to do your chosen course through the medium of English. If you apply for an English language course, you must have a basic level of English before coming to Ireland. The minimum standard of English for visa purposes is set out in the English language requirements for study visas document. Please submit a Certificate from the test provider with your visa application. This must show the results of your English language test.

If you are doing a course taught in the Irish language then you must show that you have the capacity to do so. You must include a written statement from the school or college. This must set out the manner in which they have assessed your ability to speak and write in Irish.

You must show that you have enough funds to support your stay in Ireland. This should be without recourse to public funds, or the reliance on casual employment.

More information on the financial requirements that you must meet. This includes the evidence that you must submit with your visa application.

Private Medical Insurance cover is required. Your college may arrange this on your behalf. If so, your Letter of Acceptance from the college must include details of this. If it is not arranged by the college, you must organise this yourself. Please provide evidence of this with your application.

If you have been refused a visa in the past for any country, you must provide the details. You must provide the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country with your application.

If you do not disclose any previous visa refusals your application will be refused.

Extra documentation for unaccompanied students under 18 years

You must submit the child’s birth certificate with their application.

We need parental consent from both parents/legal guardians.
This consent must be a notarised document. It must provide full details of the person in whose care the minor will be in during their stay in Ireland. It must confirm:

  • The parents/legal guardians agreement to the child coming to Ireland for study purposes, and
  • That the school/host family/education agency is the legal guardian of the unaccompanied child student during the child’s stay in Ireland.

You must provide:

  • Copies of the biometric page of the parents/guardians passports, or
  • National identity cards showing the bearer’s signature.

Where only one parent has total custody, a Court Order bestowing sole custody of this child must be submitted.

You must submit the address of where the student will stay while in the State. This forms part of the supporting documents for the application.

Where at least one parent is joining the student for the duration of the student’s time in Ireland (while the student is under 18 years of age):

  • The parent must include details of their own visa application (where applicable).

If the parent does not need a visa to travel to Ireland:

  • The parent should include a statement that they will be staying with the student for the duration of the student’s stay in Ireland.

Where at least one parent is not joining the student for the duration of the student’s time in Ireland (while the student is under 18 years of age):

  • The parent must include clearance from the Garda Síochána (the Irish Police) in respect of where the student is living.

This clearance will be sought from the Garda Síochána by the school. You must submit evidence of having received clearance as part of the visa application.

No entitlement on the part of other family members to accompany or join the student in the State

The granting of a visa to a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of study does not give any entitlement to any other family member to travel with or join the student in the State.

Return of documents

  • All documents accompanying your application must be originals
  • You should keep copies of all the documents that you provide

  • We will return original documents such as marriage, birth or death certificates to you

  • We will not return other documents such as bank statements or letters of invitation

  • If there are particular documents that you wish to have returned, please provide a list of these documents with the application.
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This page was last updated on September 27, 2023