Overview: The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) program offers financial support to outstanding international students pursuing postgraduate studies in Ireland. Funded by the Government of Ireland in collaboration with Irish higher education institutions (HEIs) and managed by the Higher Education Authority, the program awards 60 scholarships annually. These scholarships support one year of full-time study at NFQ levels 9 or 10, covering master’s, postgraduate diploma, or PhD program.
Scholarship Benefits: Recipients of the GOI-IES scholarship will receive:
- A stipend of €10,000 for one academic year.
- A full tuition fee waiver from their host higher education institution.
Successful scholars must commence their studies in September or October 2025.
Eligibility Criteria To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must:
- Be domiciled outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
- Apply for admission to a relevant master’s, postgraduate diploma, or PhD program at an eligible Irish higher education institution.
- Hold a conditional or final offer of admission at the time of applying.
- Not have previously been awarded a GOI-IES scholarship.
Note: Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, applicants from Russia and Belarus are ineligible.
Application Process:
- Candidates should carefully review the call documentation to confirm eligibility.
- Applications must be submitted via the online portal.
- Each application requires two reference letters, which must be uploaded via the portal.
- Early submission is recommended to avoid technical issues on the deadline day.
- No modifications can be made once the application is submitted.
Selection Criteria: Applicants will be assessed based on:
- Outstanding academic achievements.
- Strong communication skills.
- Active participation in extracurricular activities (e.g., humanitarian work, politics, arts, or sports).
- A well-articulated motivation for studying in Ireland and how the scholarship aligns with their long-term goals.
Higher education institutions will review applications for eligibility and shortlist candidates based on institutional priorities. An independent panel of assessors will then evaluate the shortlisted applications. The full details of the assessment process are outlined in the 2025 Call document.
Key Dates:
- Application Deadline: 5 PM (Irish time), 5 March 2025
- Results Announcement: Early June 2025
For further details, applicants should refer to the official 2025 Call document
