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The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship 2026/7 Call

Overview

The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) programme supports high-calibre international students who wish to study at  (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 (HEA).

Application Deadline

The 2026 call will open on 29 January 2026, and the application deadline is 5pm (Irish time) on 12^th March 2026. You can visit the official .

Eligibility for ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Applicants

In order to be eligible for a GOI-IES, ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ applicants must have:

• A domiciliary of origin outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and
• A conditional or unconditional offer for an eligible UL programme (see below for list of eligible programmes)

Candidates will first need to apply for admission to an eligible master’s or PhD programme offered by UL.

Eligible Programmes at the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ

Postgraduate Programmes:

• Human Rights in Criminal Justice – MA (Full-time option only)
• International Studies - MA
• Peace and Development Studies - MA (Full-time option only)
• Sociology and Data Analytics - MSc (Full-time option only)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages – MA
• Migration Studies - MA
• Public Administration - MA (Full-time option only)
• Sociology (Youth, Community & Social Regeneration) - MA (Full-time option only)

PhD Programmes:

All PhD areas ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ are eligible for the GOI-IES. 

Applicants will need to complete the PhD application process and must hold a conditional or unconditional offer. 

Please visit the UL Doctoral College website for further information about the PhD application process. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who can I contact if I have more questions about the GOI-IES that relate to UL?

Contact: ULGlobal@ul.ie.

2. Which courses are eligible for the GOI-IES ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ? 

Please see above information under Eligible Programmes at the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ.

3. What are the shortlisting criteria applied during the HEI review process?

UL will consider both conditional and unconditional offer holders. During the review process, we assess the applicant’s academic achievements, professional experience, and the quality of their personal statement. Preference will be given to candidates who hold a first-class bachelor’s degree ( Level 8), or equivalent, from a recognised institution. 

4. Is the admission application fee waived for (successful) GOI-IES applicants?

No, the application fee cannot be waived under any circumstances. All applicants are required to pay the €50 application fee when submitting their application. For successful GOI-IES recipients, the scholarship covers tuition and registration fees, but not the initial application fee.

5. Where can applicants find information about the admission application process on your HEI’s website?

Please visit the UL Global website for further information or alternatively email ULGlobal@ul.ie. 

6. Which fees will not be included in the GOI-IES fee waiver for successful applicants?

The GOI-IES scholarship provides a full fee waiver including tuition and registration fees.

7. What is your institution’s approach to the payment of deposits/acceptance of places in relation to GOI-IES applications? For example, would a candidate with an expired offer be considered during the shortlisting process, or when proposed for an award (after the external assessment)?

GOI-IES applicants are not required to pay an acceptance deposit upon receipt of an offer to study ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ. Applicants may wait for the outcome of the scholarship competition before accepting their offer.