Scholarships to Study in Ireland (2026)

Below: the main scholarships in one table, an honest word on why Ireland is mostly self-funded, who qualifies, how to apply, and how we help — with no false promises.

Best scholarships to study in Ireland for international students

These are the main scholarships open to African students in Ireland. Award values and deadlines change every year — confirm each one on the official site before you apply.

The GOI-IES is for master’s and PhD only (NFQ level 9/10) — there is no equivalent national award for bachelor’s. The Ireland Fellows Programme – Africa lists Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe as eligible African countries; South Africa is not on the eligible list. For how scholarships work across all our destinations, see our scholarships to study in Europe hub.

The honest point: Ireland has few scholarships and is largely self-funded

Here is the part most agents skip. Ireland is one of the harder destinations to get fully funded. Compared with Germany (DAAD, Deutschlandstipendium, free public tuition) or Hungary (Stipendium Hungaricum’s hundreds of places), Ireland’s funded options are narrow: essentially two government schemes plus partial university discounts.

Two things make the gap bigger:

• There is no free public tuition. Unlike Germany, non-EU/African students in Ireland always pay full international fees — roughly €9,850–€60,000/year, with medicine and dentistry the most expensive (up to ~€60,000/yr). A partial €5,000 university discount barely dents a €25,000 STEM fee.
• You must prove you can self-fund. For the student visa you must show €10,000 for the first year (the immigration “cost of living” benchmark) in addition to course fees, with ready access to the same amount for each later year. This requirement rose on 30 June 2025 and is volatile — verify before you apply.

So be realistic: the GOI-IES gives only ~60 awards a year across all non-EU nationalities, and many Ireland Fellows places are by invitation. Most African students in Ireland pay their own way, often choosing lower-fee private colleges (~€10,000–€18,000/yr) or working the permitted 20 hours/week during term (40 in holidays) at the €14.15/hour minimum wage to offset living costs. See the full money picture on our cost of studying in Ireland page.

Fully funded vs partial — know what you’re getting

Ireland’s awards split cleanly into two tiers. Check the coverage line before you spend weeks applying.

• Fully funded. The Ireland Fellows Programme – Africa is the genuine full ride — fees, flights, accommodation, stipend and even visa costs — but it is one-year master’s only and heavily oversubscribed, with many places by invitation. The GOI-IES covers a €10,000 stipend plus a full fee waiver for one year, but only ~60 are awarded across every eligible country.
• Partial / top-up. Most university scholarships are fee discounts (a few thousand euro or a percentage), not living-cost grants. They help, but you will still need to prove the €10,000 living-cost funds and cover the remaining tuition yourself.

If your goal is to study in Ireland for as little as possible, the honest strategy is usually a lower-fee university or private college + a partial scholarship + part-time work + family support — not a single award that covers everything.

Eligibility — who qualifies

The two government schemes look for different things, but the patterns repeat. To compete you will usually need:

1. The right study level. The GOI-IES is for master’s and PhD (NFQ level 9/10) only — not bachelor’s. The Ireland Fellows Programme – Africa funds a one-year taught master’s. Plan around postgraduate study if national funding is your goal.
2. An offer in hand. The GOI-IES requires you to already hold an offer for an eligible programme; you apply for admission first, then the scholarship.
3. Eligible nationality / domicile. The GOI-IES is for students domiciled outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland/UK (Russia and Belarus excluded). The Ireland Fellows Programme – Africa lists specific eligible African countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe are in; South Africa is not.
4. Strong academics. Master’s entry typically needs a recognised bachelor’s at a 2:1 or 2:2 equivalent; competitive scholarships expect the higher end. Your qualification is mapped to the Irish NFQ via NARIC Ireland (run by QQI) — note that Germany’s APS does not apply to Ireland.
5. English evidence. Master’s programmes typically want IELTS ~6.5 (no band below 6.0); some clinical or law courses ask 7.0. Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa are often treated as English-speaking so IELTS may be waived — but this is case-by-case and not automatic.

How to apply

Each scheme has its own route, but the order of operations is the same.

1. Secure (or target) admission first. Both government schemes assume you have, or are pursuing, a place — the GOI-IES requires an offer. Apply via CAO (undergraduate), PAC or directly to the university’s International Office (postgraduate); the main intake is September, with a smaller January intake.
2. Get your credentials recognised. Use a NARIC Ireland comparability statement to map your degree to the Irish NFQ. Non-English documents need a notarised English translation.
3. Apply to the scholarship on its own portal. The GOI-IES is administered by the HEA (hea.ie); the Ireland Fellows Programme – Africa runs through Irish Aid / the Department of Foreign Affairs (irishaidfellowships.ie); university awards are applied for via each institution, often alongside admission.
4. Prepare your funding proof anyway. Unless you win a full scholarship, you must still show €10,000 living-cost funds (plus paid fees) for the long-stay “D” study visa — applied for online via AVATS — so build your funding evidence in parallel.
5. Apply early. GOI-IES results come ~early June for a September start, and Irish student-visa processing runs 4–8 weeks. References, transcripts and NARIC statements all take time, so start six to nine months ahead.

How we help

World Study helps African students find the few Irish scholarships they actually qualify for, build a competitive application, and submit it on time — honestly, with no false promises. We don’t guarantee awards (no one credibly can, and with ~60 GOI-IES places a year, claims like that are a red flag). What we do is match you to the right scheme, sense-check your NARIC recognition and English evidence, and make sure your funding proof and documents are airtight before they go in.

For a hands-on review of your scholarship shortlist and application, see our scholarship application service. Our core university-application guidance is free — start with the study in Ireland hub for the full picture, or browse all scholarships to study in Europe to compare Ireland against better-funded destinations.

Talk to an advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which scholarships realistically fit your grades and goals.