The Government of Ireland has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 International Education Scholarships, a fully funded programme that offers international students the chance to study at leading Irish universities.
The initiative is administered by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and is regarded as one of Europe’s most competitive and generous scholarship schemes.
According to the programme guidelines, the award creates pathways for outstanding students to pursue Master’s and PhD degrees across virtually all academic disciplines.
The scholarships are open to applicants from non-EU/EEA countries and cover both Master’s and Doctoral degree levels. Candidates can apply for:
Applicants must hold a relevant Bachelor’s degree for Master’s programmes or a Master’s degree for PhD studies.
The scheme accepts provisional certificates for candidates awaiting final results. There are no age restrictions, but applicants must secure a confirmed supervisor at an Irish institution and demonstrate English language proficiency.
The programme guidelines further note that applications will only be accepted through the online application system and must be submitted by October 23, 2025.
A wide range of Irish higher education institutions are participating in the 2026 edition of the scheme.
These include: Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University of Galway, University of Limerick, Dublin City University, Maynooth University, University College Cork, Munster Technological University, Atlantic Technological University, and Technological University Dublin, among others.
Specialist institutions such as the Royal Irish Academy, the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences are also part of the programme, giving applicants diverse academic options.
The scholarships provide extensive funding support valued at over €33,000 per year. Benefits include:
This package makes the Government of Ireland Scholarships one of the most financially comprehensive programmes available to international students.
The scheme covers a wide range of disciplines across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as well as social sciences, arts, and humanities.
Research areas highlighted include:
The government stressed that the scholarships strengthen Ireland’s position as a global education hub while fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.