As an English-speaking EU member, Ireland attracts learners who want to study and legally work part-time. The system is well regulated, and the welcome is famously warm.
Work rights (the main attraction)
Non-EU students on eligible long-term courses receive Stamp 2, allowing part-time work of 20 hours/week during term (and up to 40 in set holiday periods). This can offset living costs over a longer stay.
Choose an ILEP-listed course
For a study visa and work rights, your course must be on the ILEP (Interim List of Eligible Programmes). Typical eligible programmes are 25 weeks of tuition plus holidays; expect roughly €2,800–4,500 for the year-long package.
Dublin vs Cork vs Galway
- Dublin: most schools and jobs, highest rents.
- Cork: smaller, friendlier, a little cheaper.
- Galway: lively student city on the west coast, limited housing.
The accommodation crisis
Ireland has a genuine housing shortage. Rooms are scarce and expensive, and securing accommodation is often harder than getting a course place — arrange it before you commit to dates.
Is it right for you?
Ireland is ideal if part-time work and an EU base matter. If pure speaking-practice-per-euro is the goal, compare it with an all-inclusive intensive option — see our total-cost guide or the Philippines model.