International Postgraduate

NCAD is home to students from over 40 countries around the world. Here you will find information on the International Postgraduate application process, and general information on studying in Ireland as an international student.

 

Céad Míle Fáilte (100,000 Welcomes!)

NCAD welcomes applications from qualified applicants from all over the world and each application will be considered on an individual basis. 

Check out the virtual tour of the NCAD campus below, to get a sense of what it's like to study at Ireland's most significatnt provider of Art and Design Education. 

 

Application Process:

International Applicants apply to NCAD in the same way as those applying from Ireland. All applications are made through our website. The application process for each programme can be a little bit different. View the full list of our available programmes here, to find the requirements of your course of choice. 

Application Fee:

  • The fee for applications in NCAD is €55.00 

  • NCAD does not waive this fee

Submitting Documents:

  • If your documents are not in English then you will need to provide a certified translation

  • We ask that you provide all documents in your home language and the certified translation. 

Conditional Offers:

  • NCAD do make conditional offers in some cases.

  • These will only be issued after an application has been submitted and reviewed.

When we do not issue conditional offers:

  • If the applicant has not submitted a Portfolio (where required)

  • If the applicant has not submitted a Statement of Interest (where required)

  • If the applicant has not submitted a Research Proposal (where required)

  • If the applicant has not paid the application fee. 

Full Offers/Offer Letters:

We understand that an offer letter may be a requirement for your application for a visa to study in Ireland. If you are made a full offer by NCAD it will be by email. We can issue this offer letter on headed paper. We can email you a scanned copy or send you a hard copy in the post. You can request this by emailing [email protected] 

NCAD will only issue offer letters in respect of applications where:

  • The applicant has met all of the requirements for their programme

  • Academic staff in NCAD have reviewed all of the material in the application 

  • The applicant has passed the interview stage (if required)

English Language Requirements:

  • All programmes in NCAD are taught through English.

  • International Postgraduate Applicants are asked to provide proof of their English Language Proficiency.

  • Full details of acceptable tests and the standard required can be found at the following link - English Language Requirement.

Scholarships & Funding:

  • Scholarship opportunities are limited in NCAD. You can find full information here

  • Please note: NCAD does not offer scholarships on a discretionary basis. Scholarships/Reduced fees are only offered in specific cases which you can read about here.

Coming to Study in Ireland

 

If you are a non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss, and non-UK national planning to study at NCAD, you will need to follow the student immigration process to comply with Irish immigration legislation and policy guidelines.

The process for student immigration starts with applying for a student entry visa, for visa-required students. After that, students can arrive in Ireland and present themselves to border control. Once in the country, they must complete the registration with the Irish immigration authorities. Students need to renew their immigration permission annually throughout their course of study. Upon graduation, students can apply for post-graduate permission, which allows them to stay in Ireland for work for a while.

Please check the Student Immigration Timeline and the Student Immigration Guidelines below for detailed information.

Student Immigration Timeline

 

Student Immigration Guidelines

Entry visa step by step

The Irish entry visa application process can be summarised in the following simple steps:  

  • Create your online application form via AVATS
  • Print and sign your completed form
  • Arrange your visa appointment with Visa Facilitation Service (VFS), if applicable.
  • Compile your supporting documentation  
  • Submit your documents based on the country-specific instructions on the printed AVATS form 
  • Pay your visa fee (country-specific)
  • Await the visa application outcome.

Further information on how to apply is available on the Embassy website, while information on Irish student visa policy is available on the Irish immigration website.

Irish Border Control

Entry to Ireland, for any non-EEA citizen, visa or non-visa required, is determined by the Immigration Officer at border control and is based on the documentation presented at the time of arrival.

All relevant factors are taken into account, including but not limited to, the purpose of the stay and your ability to support yourself during your stay in Ireland.

Each application for entry to Ireland is assessed on its own merits. Therefore, we advise all our students coming from outside the EU to carry any relevant documentation with them for presentation to the Immigration Officer on arrival in Ireland.

When you land in Ireland, we recommend that you have the following documentation with you:

  • Passport (with your valid student entry visa if you are a visa required national).
  • NCAD offer letter. You can contact [email protected] for this. 
  • Evidence of private medical health insurance with detailed coverage information.
  • Evidence of tuition fees paid, scholarship or sponsorship details or US Financial Aid if applicable.
  • Accommodation details.
  • Evidence that you have access to at least:

- €7,000 for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or greater

- €585 per month or €4,680 (in total) for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or less

All documents presented should be originals and, if in a language other than English, accompanied by translation.

On approval, you will get a temporary immigration permission valid for up to 90 days stamped in your passport. You must register with the Irish Immigration Service within the timeframe stamped on your passport in order to obtain an Irish Residency Permit (IRP) card which provides permission to remain in Ireland beyond the date stamped on your passport.

Please be aware that it is not possible to change to student status if you receive a tourist immigration stamp on arrival.

If you arrive via the border with Northern Ireland to study in the Republic of Ireland, you must report to an Immigration Officer at the Dundalk Immigration Office, a port of entry at Dublin Airport or Port, or a local Garda Síochána (police) immigration office within 30 days of your arrival.

Immigration Registration

First time registration with the Irish Immigration Service.

All non-EEA/UK students who are staying in Ireland for longer than 90 days, must register with Irish Immigration Service after they have registered with NCAD and before the expiry date stamped on their passport by immigration officials at the airport. 

If you are resident in Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Cork or Limerick please call Freephone 1800 800630 and attend the Burgh Quay Office which is located in Dublin City Centre. If you are residing outside of these counties, you will be registering with Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).

Please be aware that your biometric data such as fingerprints and photo will be collected as part of your registration process.

You must have the following when you go to register:

  • Your passport
  • Certificate of Attendance - You can contact [email protected] for this
  • Proof that you have paid at least €6000 in course fees - You can contact [email protected] for this
  • Proof of scholarship funding (if relevant)
  • Proof that you have private medical insurance 

If you did not need a visa to come to Ireland, you must also prove that you can support yourself financially while you are in the country. You can do this by showing you have direct access to:

- €7,000 for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or greater

- €585 per month or €4,680 (in total) for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or less

Please see further information about evidence of finances on the Irish Immigration website. A credit/debit card is needed for the payment of a €300 registration fee.

You can check all requirements for first time registration on the Irish Immigration website. If any of the documents are missing, your application will be refused.

Please note that students under the age of 18 must have their guardian present at the time of first registration. Guardians must have their own passport, written authorisation from the students parents (proof of guardianship) and proof of residence in Ireland. The 300 euros fee is waived for these students.

On successful completion of your ISD registration, you will be issued with an Irish Residency Permit  (IRP) card which is your registration certificate. This will be sent to you by post/mail within 10 working days. This is valid for one year, or for single semester students, until the end of their course. Your IRP card is a very important document and you must carry it with you at all times.

If you do not receive the card within 10 working days, contact ISD at [email protected] with your full name, registration number (if available), nationality and date of birth.

IRP Card Renewal

A new online Registration Renewal system is currently in place for students residing in Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Cork and Limerick. This means all students from these counties looking to renew their registration will no longer have to book an appointment and attend the registration office in person. If you live outside these counties you should contact your local immigration office to arrange a time to register. 

Prepare to renew online by registering through the INIS Online renewal application portal.

Please see the documents you must upload to the portal for the renewal of registration:

  • Copy of Biometric page of your current valid passport(s)
  • Copy of your current Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or 'IRP card'
  • Proof that you are enrolled on a course of full time education (Certificate of Attendance available in SiSWeb). 
  • Proof that you have paid UCD fees (you must be able to show you have paid at least €6,000. An online copy of your Fee Receipt (known as a Fee Statement) is available through SISWeb. This receipt is an accurate and official reflection of your fee account.
  • To access your Fee Statement in SISWeb, navigate to Registration, Fees and Assessment > Programme Fees and Payments > Generate Statement.
  • Proof of scholarship funding (if applicable)
  • Proof that you have private medical insurance (you cannot use travel insurance)

A €300 fee applies to all renewals and this is paid online at the time of application.

Please make sure you have your correct address in MyNCAD as it will be printed on your documents. If you need to change this please contact [email protected]. Your new IRP card will be posted to the address you provide.

Processing times can be checked here. You can find further information about registration renewals on the Irish Immigration Service website and you can submit a query by emailing [email protected] 

Graduate Visa - Stamp 1G Permission

Ireland's graduate visa, also known as stay-back visa, refers to the Third Level Graduate Programme that allows non-EEA students, who have graduated from Irish higher education institutions, to remain in Ireland to seek employment. You must have graduated after 1 January 2017 with a Level 8 or above degree to qualify.

The details of the programme are set out in the policy document which can be accessed from this site and should be read carefully. Please visit the Irish Immigration Service website for further information.

NCAD students can apply to avail of the Programme once their Academic Transcript is available, confirming that their award has been achieved. You can check the date of release of final results here.

Health Insurance

Private health insurance is insurance that helps cover medical and hospital costs incurred while you are in Ireland. The Irish Immigration Service requires students from outside the EU/EEA to obtain private health insurance for visa application and immigration registration purposes. NCAD does not arrange health insurance for students.

Non-EEA Students

Non-EEA students must obtain private health insurance. You can purchase insurance in your home country for your first year, however you will need to ensure that it is valid in Ireland and in any other countries you plan to travel to. The requirements are below:

Private Medical Insurance or Travel Insurance with medical cover for accidents and medical incident including hospital stays in Ireland, valid for 12 months, or if less than 12 months for the duration of your stay.

There are different levels of private health insurance available. Students are advised to read their policy documents carefully and pay close attention to “waiting periods” particularly if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. In addition, students should ensure that repatriation cover is included in their policy.

There are three main health insurance providers in Ireland - Vhi, Irish Life and Laya Healthcare.

Further information on health insurance in Ireland, including a health insurance comparison tool, is available through the Health Insurance Authority website.

EU Nationals

Students from EU Member States in possession of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are entitled to public health services in Ireland. The EHIC card is available from the health authorities in your home country. For further information and information on your entitlements to healthcare while in Ireland, please see the European Health Insurance Card website.

ISD Health Insurance Requirements for Continuing Students

Health insurance must be purchased from an Irish provider after the first year - this requirement is applicable to any student renewing their IRP card. In summary:

1. For Registration - Private Medical Insurance or Travel Insurance with medical cover for accidents and medical incident including hospital stays in Ireland, valid for 12 months, or if less than 12 months for the duration of your stay.

2. For renewals - 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.

Accommodation

NCAD does not provide on-campus accommodation. There are various private providers of student accommodation in Dublin City and some of these are located very close to NCAD, such as Highlight and Binary Hub. 

NCAD advises that you should NEVER hand over money for student accommodation in the private rental sector, without viewing a property in person and receiving a signed lease. For further details see guidelines by Threshold, the Housing Association.

Many websites offer properties and rooms to let. Some of these are listed below. These are all external sites, and NCAD is not responsible for their content, nor does this sharing denote endorsement. We urge all students to research accommodation options thoroughly, and never hand over a deposit without seeing a place in person and signing a lease first.

www.daft.ie (Go to ‘Student accommodation’ for the option to look at near-campus or transport route accommodation)

www.rent.ie

Short-term options are available at:

www.airbnb.ie

www.hostelworld.com

Student House offers a free house finding service for students, primarily within the Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector.

NCAD Students Union has a Facebook page which students may use to find accommodation - SU Accommodation Network

Cost of Living

The cost of living for a student in Ireland can vary depending on what part of the country you live in, what type of accommodation you choose, your transport options for travelling to and from classes, as well as a range of other factors.

ICOS - Irish Council for International Students have good information on the costs of living and tips on how to keep costs down. Information on the cost of living can also be found on the website, Numbeo.

We recommend that students research the cost of living in Dublin and arrange their finances accordingly. 

Any more questions? 

Contact us on [email protected]

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