An article in Irish media today should be read by all students considering Ireland, as I have attended two study abroad roadshows in India and the reality of life in Ireland is totally different. A false picture is being shared, students are taking huge loans and will be unable to clear them.

https://jrnl.ie/7088907

My_qualifications 7 years IT employee in Ireland, but looking to leave due to economy downturn and increasing racism.

Hi

I need to apply for IRP renewal early, but my health insurer doe not allow advance renewal of health insurance. Can I apply for IRP with the current policy? Current policy expires on 31/08/26 but renews automatically?

How I should explain this to my parents that LCA is pressing on my nerves and causing dairy irritation, I told them about PLC courses but they are not happy, it is not my fault I was shoved into an atmosphere I hate.

I need to get the certificate in order for them to leave me alone but I cannot continue LCA because of what happened in the 2025-2026.

I'm turning 18 in 2 days and I found a career for me but still they deny it for some reason. My college doesn't offer plc courses and staying there will be my biggest mistake because of a mental pressure, I need to get that certificate by alternatives without sacrificing my health.

Hi there, I'll be moving to Ireland to get my Masters -- for a year, maybe two if I get permission to stay on after my Master's. I'm not 22-year-old super healthy student though. I have chronic pain from an old back injury and occasionally get pinched nerves in my back or disc issues in my neck, needing adjustments or scans from time to time. I'd also like to be able to have access to a mental health therapist, if needed, and the ability to restock my anxiety meds every few months. What insurance is better for me? I've looked into VHI, Laya, Irish Life, or even Swisscare. All seem to cover international students from the US enrolled in a year-long program. All are in the 500-1300 euro/per year range. Which one do you know to be a good option and why that one? Thank you for your help.

I have a education loan sanction for 24 L and for my proof of funds i have from education loan 8 L and 5 L savings and for remaining gold loan of 1.8 L . Is it true we cannot show 2 loans as proof of funds?

I created and verified my account using a driving licence in which my name is slightly different from the name in the passport. How to change it and while booking an irp first time registration appointment, does it matter?

They state that I need ready access to 10000€ for each subsequent years, if im going to study an undergraduate course, do i need to show ready access to 40000€ ?

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone has been in a similar situation and can share their experience.

My physical IRP card has been lost/stolen, and I have already reported it to the Gardaí and submitted a replacement card request through the Immigration Service portal. I have proof of the police report and proof that my query/application has been submitted.

​I need to travel to Spain next month for an important competition that means a lot to me. I also have my invitation letter and my flight booked.

Has anyone travelled out of Ireland and successfully returned using proof of a lost IRP report and evidence of a replacement application? Were there any issues with airlines or Irish immigration when coming back?

Any advice on what I should do or who I should contact before travelling would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

My father is my sponsor and he saved quite an amount of money as cash and deposited it into the bank, its not a loan and the money is totally legit and taxed as well, but how can I prove it or explain it? There are hundreds of bills for that amount and I dont think I can add all those bills to prove it

I’ll be going to Dublin in July for a one-month Erasmus exchange. I’m 18, in case that matters for any advice.

I have a few questions:
- What clothing is essential in Ireland in July?
- Do people usually wear light summer clothes, or is it more like “layers all year round”?
- Is a waterproof jacket or umbrella more important?
- I only have 17 GB of roaming data included in my plan: is free Wi-Fi commonly available, or is it necessary to get an additional data eSIM? If so, which ones would you recommend?
- Are contactless payments (Apple Pay for example) widely accepted everywhere, or is cash or physical card still needed sometimes?
- What is the minimum age to enter most pubs and clubs in Dublin? Are there places that allow entry at 18, or is it usually 21+? Which places do you recommend?
- Any must-know tips before going to Dublin?

Thanks everyone in advance.

I’m moving to Ireland this year in September and I saw that i have winter holidays from 21st Dec to the 3rd of January, and then summer holidays in may i presume? Do international students usually end up going home during the winter break considering they have exams right when they get back? Do they go back to uni during the study weeks?

Hi everyone,

I am an EU passport holder and I have completed 2 years of secondary education in Ireland, including the Leaving Cert. I don't meet the 3-out-of-5-year residency rule.

I am not looking for a general rule explanation, as I know I fall outside the standard criteria. I am looking for advice on the practical side of requesting a manual fee assessment from the Fees Office. Specifically:

• Does anyone have experience communicating with a specific university’s Fees Office regarding a manual review based on partial Irish education history?
• Should I wait for an initial assessment before contacting them, or is it better to reach out to the Admissions/Fees office early?
• What specific supporting documents (other than school reports) were most effective in your experience to prove a connection to the Irish system?

I’m aiming for a transparent process and any guidance on the correct administrative path would be greatly appreciated.

Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone had a similar issue about health insurance come up and how they dealt with it

I have been accepted to a 1 year MSc program and international students are required to provide evidence of coverage for the duration of their stay. Let’s say the course starts on the 1st sept, I plan on entering the country on the 20th August. Student health insurances only cover 1 year exactly therefore it cannot cover my whole stay. Is it fine if I get travel insurance until my course starts, and then get a year of standard Irish student insurance?

Any other tips would be appreciated!!! Thanks :)

Hi everyone,

I have taken admission in a masters course in Ireland and while filling the VISA form, they ask for accommodation as well.

I am applying from India.

I am still looking out for Accommodation and if I mention the university name in the visa, what chance is there that the visa will be rejected on the grounds of no accommodation booked?

Thank you

Would showing a large portion of the funds in USD cause any problems?

All the grade is good and I am fully enrolled as well.

The list for stamp 2 renewals are as follows:

1. The biometric page of your current valid passport(s). This is the page that shows your photograph, passport number and date of birth.
2. The front and back of your current IRP card. This is the credit-card sized plastic card you received when you last registered your permission.
3. Proof of your enrolment on a full time higher education course of daytime education, and listed on the ILEP.
4. Proof of your exam results.
5. Proof that you have paid college/university fees.
6. IGNORE
7. Proof of your private medical insurance. Insurance MUST cover accidents & medical incidents including hospital stays for the duration of your residence. Travel insurance is NOT sufficient for Renewal.

The academic year 25/26 has just ended for me , for document 5 what fees must have I have paid for this renewal? Is it 50% for the next year 26/27?

for document 4 , my summer exam results release in June end , What exam results exactly are needed? Is it my final results for the year? or my semester 1 results which have already released in the winter?

for document 7 , should the insurance cover me for the next year 26/27? the one I'm on right now still lasts until 1/09/2026

last question is ; can I apply for the renewal through the website when I'm out of the country , as I am going back home for the summer and back in September.

I noticed there were already a few posts about this issue, but none that answered my question.

I was going to go with studyandprotect but noticed something in their agreement. It says you aren’t qualified if you’re diagnosed with a pre-existing psychiatric condition

Well, imagine my surprise. I don’t think I’m ’clinically diagnosed’ but I suppose I have to be if I’m taking lexapro right now.

Is there another alternative to studyandprotect? One that might allow me to keep taking medication? Or would it be alright to get studyandprotect, if they don’t rip open my supply of SSRIs and expose me at the border?

I am so. Confused.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

My friend is applying for a student visa for Ireland (Master’s in Computer Science) and had a question about proof of funds.

He's planning to fund his studies using personal savings (no education loan or property backing). Some of the money is currently held in cash and will be depositing it into his bank account.

He has already filed his ITRs and can show income history, but I’ve read that large lump-sum deposits right before the visa application can raise concerns.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

How did you show proof of funds?

How did you justify recently deposited money?

What documents worked for you (bank statements, affidavits, income proof, etc.)?

Any advice or real experiences would be really helpful.

Thanks!

So I will be moving soon for my masters program & Iam from Pakistan. I want to know what skills and certifications should I get before moving to Ireland for the PART TIME jobs?

And how soon people get jobs? Im a physical therapist.

Should I get my licensed done?

has anyone used RAINS before? is it good? or are there any other brands with normal looking backpacks that are waterproof enough for ireland? thanks!

I recently applied for an Irish art university and was pleased to see that my portfolio received 600 point score out of 600 and I was wondering how rare that was!

Hey, so I checked the ILEP to make sure the programs I want to apply for are still on there, but apparently now it’s been SEVERELY reduced. Has anyone else checked it recently? I was planning on applying for programs in the sciences, but it’s now like 90% English programs with a few arts programs sprinkled in. I sent the ISD a query about it but they usually take weeks to respond, so I thought I’d ask here. Thanks!