Ireland Student Visa Policy

Ireland is renowned as a leading education country with internationally qualified universities recognized worldwide. This is also a place with a high standard of living, the most dynamic working environment in Europe and being headquarters of large companies such as Google and Facebook, etc. In addition, it is famous for amazing landscapes, unique culture as well as the Irish people’s life and behaviour that will fascinate you when you arrive. With its intense charisma, many international students consider this country an ideal place for a new learning journey in the future. 

Normally, the first thing you need to know when you want to study in Ireland is how to apply for a Visa. This is some essential information.

Firstly, we must clearly define what a Visa is. A Visa is a certificate received from the Government of a country that allows other foreigners to enter the country for a certain period.

Types of Ireland student visa

If you are a non-EU person, the classification of a Student Visa depends entirely on the duration of the course/program you apply for. 

There are 2 types of study visa for you:

• C-type visa (Visitor visa): is a short-term visa for courses/programs under 3 months such as learning English or Irish language, cultural studies, etc. 
• D-type visa (Student visa): is a student visa for long-term stay when studying courses/programs for more than 3 months. 

You should apply for a Student Visa online at the Website of the Ministry of Justice of Ireland (http://www.inis.gov.ie/). The best filing time is 3 months in advance because the processing process depends heavily on your nationality and some other issues. You can get results as early as about 2 months (8 weeks). Note that misleading or misunderstanding information should not be given otherwise you may be blocked from your Irish Visa for 5 years.

The fee for the Visa is about 60 EUR for one-time entry and 100 EUR for multiple entries.

C-type visa

Information required for C-type Visa Application

In your profile, you should clearly state your reasons for arriving in Ireland, your departure date, and your return date. In addition, you must undertake that you comply with visa conditions and regulations, do not use any public services such as public hospitals, do not allow you to work (pay or not pay in any way), especially do not stay in Ireland when your Visa expires.

You must specify the following necessary information:

• Accommodation: Certificate of your place of residence such as dormitory, hotel, shared or private, etc on the booking paper must clearly show the date you plan to stay.
• Letter of Acceptance: Irish Government-recognized school information, school acceptance letter and your name are enrolled, besides you must provide your personal information with the same name and time of completion of the course/program.
• Proof of payment: You must prove that you have completed the tuition such as a copy of electronic transfer or a valid receipt of an accepted student tuition payment service, which states the name, bank address of the school and the sender's bank information.
• Passport: Your current passport is valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave Ireland.
• Photo: Two signed passport size snapshots, using capital letters and your Visa transaction number from the registration web on the back.
• Financial proof: Prove your financial ability to afford your time living in Ireland. Provide clear information such as bank information declaration, the amount you have and the amount paid or withdrawn from the bank in the last 6 months.
• Health insurance: It is mandatory to buy insurance.

You must ensure that after the end of the course/program you must return home:

• If you are a student, you must prove that you will return to complete your course at a school in Vietnam with a letter specifying which course you are studying, what year you are in and when you will finish your course.
• If you are an employee, you must specify where you work, your salary in the last three months, the number of days off and the date you will return to work.

Note: If you are under the age of 18, the Visa application must be made by a parent or guardian. If you are travelling with a parent/guardian or traveling alone, you must have a letter of consent to travel to Ireland for short-term study purposes and a copy of your Passport or ID signed by the parent or guardian is required as well as an additional original Birth Certificate of the person under 18 years of age.

D-type visa

Before you apply for an Irish Ministry of Justice visa, you must apply for and pay the program/course tuition you wish to study at an Irish Government-recognized school. If the tuition fee is less than 6.000 EUR, you must pay the tuition fee before applying. On the contrary, if the tuition fee is more than 6.000 EUR, you will need to pay a tuition fee in advance. Upon completion of the tuition fee, the School will submit a Certificate of Acceptance (CoE) to confirm that you have been approved and enrol in the course at the school full-time with a duration of 15 hours per week.

Required information for D-class student visa application

The documents you use must be in English, if you have a Vietnamese version, you should translate it into English and have it notarized.

• Photo: Passport colour photo not exceeding 6 months. Signed, capitalized and has a visa application transaction number on the back.
• Passport: The current passport must be valid for at least 12 months after moving to Ireland. 
• Letter: State your personal information and why you want to study in Ireland. Make a clear commitment that you will comply with visa regulations as well as return home when your Visa expires.
• Letter of Acceptance: The letter of acceptance from schools recognized by the Irish Government is that you have been admitted to the school as well as clear information about the course/program name, start and end date, and the tuition fee and full payment of the school. 
• Proof of payment: Proof that you have paid the full tuition fee such as a copy of electronic transfer or a valid receipt of a student tuition payment service accepted by the Irish Government, including the name, bank address of the school and the sender's bank information.
• Proof of academic result: Prove your ability to pursue courses/programs with high school transcripts, relevant qualifications. Make sure you take your studies to your old school and explain why if you have gaps in your studies. 
• Proof of language level: Proof of your English language level with world-recognized certificates such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, etc These certificates must not exceed 2 years from the date you start studying at an Irish school.
• Financial Proof: Proof of your financial ability. The Irish government requires you to have at least EUR 700 for the first year. In addition, you must prove that you or your sponsor can afford 700 EUR for the following years, without tuition fees that year. 
• Health insurance: You must purchase private health insurance. This is compulsory and you can register at the school you study at.

Note: If you are under the age of 18, some additional information needs to be provided:

• Your original birth certificate  
• Confirmation of the parent/legal guardian accepting you to come to Ireland to study. In case of having a guardian in care during the course in Ireland, it is necessary to give the person's necessary personal information.  Schools, native families, educational institutions are legal guardians when studying in Ireland. 
• Certificate of accommodation in the States where you study. If you are travelling with a parent, you must make a separate Visa for that person or must commit to stay with the student during the learning process. If you don't go with anyone, the Irish Police will be licensed to manage and check where you live. 
• In addition to parents/guardians, other family members who do not have the right to accompany them also enjoy any benefits.