If you are a Non-EU citizen who wishes to live in Ireland for the purposes of furthering your education, you can apply for a right of residence in the state once you have met the criteria outlined by the Irish Department of Justice.

If you are enrolled in a full time course which is included on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) you may be given permission to remain in Ireland as a student. The courses on this programme are generally higher education programmes and English language courses. It is important to note that there is a limit on how many English language courses one student can take. The Irish Council for International Students offer advice and information on English Language schools in Ireland which can assist you in choosing a suitable course.

If you are intending to apply for a visa to travel to Ireland to take up a course included on the ILEP, a letter of acceptance from the college or university you will be attending is required. You will also need to provide a receipt of the fees paid and evidence that you have sufficient resources to support yourself for the duration of your year of study - i.e. €7,000  for each year of study and proof that you hold or are covered under a private health insurance policy. 

If all of the above criteria have been met, you will need to register your permission to remain in Ireland by booking an appointment with INIS through their website. Outside of Dublin, you should attend your local immigration office, details of which can be found on the INIS website.

If all of the requirements for permission to remain as a student are met, this permission will be granted on Stamp 2 conditions which need to be renewed every year. Under Stamp 2 conditions, you are also entitled to engage in casual work and further information can be found under the Permission to Work section of this website.

For additional advice and information on studying English in Ireland, you can also visit: internationalstudents.ie.