أيرلندا is an island country in Northwestern Europe that occupies most of the island of
أيرلندا. Along with
Malta, it is one of the only English-speaking countries in the European Union and uses the euro as its currency. Yes, that’s correct—
أيرلندا is part of the EU, despite many people confusing it with
Northern Ireland, which is part of the
المملكة المتحدة.
اقتصاد
The country is known for its modern economy, focused on services and advanced technologies, as well as for its high standard of living and quality education.
المؤسسات التعليمية
Like the
المملكة المتحدة,
أيرلندا is home to a number of educational institutions with a rich tradition and history.
Dublin is the capital and the largest city in Ireland, home to the prestigious
Trinity College Dublin, which is one of the oldest and
highest-ranked universities in the world. Its direct competitor is
University College Dublin. In the capital,
Dublin, are also located several other prestigious universities such as
Dublin Institute of Technology,
كلية دبلن للأعمال, and
Dublin City University.
Cork is the second-largest city in
أيرلندا and the center of
University College Cork, which offers strong programs in
science, arts, and business.
Limerick is the third-largest city and home to the
University of Limerick, known for its modern infrastructure and a focus on
entrepreneurship, innovation, and sports.
University of Galway is another prestigious university in
أيرلندا, renowned for its excellent department of
Theatre and Performing Arts, ranking in the top 100 globally for performing arts.
The
NCAD (National College of Art and Design) is Ireland’s leading art and
design school, where the most creative students study.
PROGRAMS & SPECIALITIES
The official English language of the country allows for the teaching of a wide variety of programs that are rarely available in English in other European countries. Here you can find niche specialties such as:
- Jewellery Design, Visual Culture, Furniture Design, Interior Design, Animation
- Culinary Arts,
- Electric Vehicle Engineering, Road Transport Technology, Energy Engineering,
- Cybersecurity, Cyberpsychology, Business IT, Games Development, Robotics, Computing — Mobile and Web,
- Digital Forensics, DNA and Forensic Analysis, Forensic Science, Criminology,
- Marketing with Online Technologies, Creative Media, Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship, PR & Digital Marketing,
- Agri-Business, Commerce, Human Resource Management, Digital Business and Innovation, Property Economics, E-Commerce,
- Event Management,
- Marine Biology, Genetics, Human Nutrition,
- Film Studies, Acting, Television,
- Astrophysics, Aeronautical Engineering,
- Climate and Environmental Sustainability
- Audio Production,
- Aviation Management, Pilot Studies
- Journalism,
- Government (Politics, Economics, and Law), European Studies,
- Equine Science,
- Beverage Industry Management.
These are highly specialized programs that are rarely found at other public universities worldwide.
DURATION OF DEGREES
Unlike most European programs, the bachelor’s degree in Ireland is 4 years long, not 3, with master’s degrees lasting between 1-2 years.
APPLICATION PROCESS & REQUIREMENTS
Applying in Ireland is very different from applying in the
المملكة المتحدة and other English-speaking countries. Based on the average performance of applicants, a score (called the points system) is determined, which usually goes
up to 600 points but can exceed 600 for specialties like Design (with bonus points from a portfolio) and Medicine (with bonus points from the HPAT entrance exam), interviews, and others.
In the
Bulgarian education system, students NEVER receive the maximum points because a top grade of 6.00 in the secondary school diploma translates to only about 500 points in the Irish system. This is because Irish authorities consider the Bulgarian system not sufficiently competitive compared to the UK, Irish, IB, or other international evaluation systems. Students can increase their points by another 25 if they come from a “Mathematics” profile, regardless of whether this subject is relevant to their chosen specialty. An extremely striking case is the conversion of Bulgarian professional diplomas, where a top grade of 6.00 only earns 390 points out of 600, which significantly reduces chances of acceptance into the most prestigious universities and programs.
On the other hand,
IB diplomas with scores
between 42 and 45 points are recognized with the maximum 600 points, which is a major advantage for applicants.
American diplomas are reviewed individually by each Irish institution, and in most cases, additional
SAT and
AP exams are required for admission.
In
أيرلندا, applications are due by
February 1st, and you can list up to 10 preferred choices in the
CAO portal, ranked by priority. Unfortunately, this is one of the few countries where applications are also
sent by mail, in addition to online submissions. To applicants’ great surprise, the results are only released at the end of August or the beginning of September.
TUITION FEES
The average tuition fees at Irish public universities range between 3,000 and 7,000 euros, but EU students may be exempt from these fees under certain conditions.
