Study in Ireland

Ireland (Éire in the Irish language) is situated in the extreme northwest of Europe,  between the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Ireland,is made up of 32 counties, the six northeastern of which make up Northern Ireland, part of the  United Kingdom. The capital of Ireland is Dublin, and St. Patricks Day, 17 March,  is the National Day. Ireland has a population of approximately 4.1 million. There are  two official languages, Irish and English but for the most part everyday life and study is conducted in English. Ireland is a two-house parliamentary democracy with an elected President  as Head of State.

From a cultural point of view most Australians will find it relatively easy to feel at home in Ireland since Irish culture has itself had such a major impact on Australian life. The higher education system, and the various aspects of life are all quite similar.

Ireland has an extensive tertiary sector for small country. There are seven major universities in Ireland, then another fourteen institutes of technology and numerous colleges and institutes. With the Irish boom of the 1990s still continuing higher education has been a major beneficiary with major investments made in infrastructure over the past years. While Ireland does still not have a strong focus on attracting and providing support for foreign students compared to some other European countries it is lifting its sites in the area of research and universities are actively seeking out talented postgraduates. All this means you may have to dig a little deeper to find funding support for your study in Ireland but there is a strong and growing research community there. Moreover you are likely to find Ireland different enough to be stimulating, yet familiar enough to quickly feel comfortable and at home.