How Much Does It Cost to Study in Ireland? Tuition Fees and Housing

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

In Ireland the price of a degree depends on who you are more than on what you study. Students who qualify for the state's Free Fees Initiative pay only a yearly student contribution. Everyone else, including all non-EU students, pays a fee set by the university, which is many times higher.

Free fees and the student contribution

Under the Free Fees Initiative the state pays tuition for a first full-time undergraduate degree at a public university, technological university or eligible college. To qualify you normally need to:

be a citizen of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the UK (some other immigration statuses also count), and
have lived in the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the UK for at least 3 of the 5 years before your course starts.

Students who qualify still pay the student contribution, which covers registration, exams and student services. For 2026/27 it is €2,350 a year. Budget 2027 cut it from €2,500, and anyone who had already paid for 2026/27 gets €150 back from their college.

Free fees are not automatic for every EU citizen. If you miss the residence rule, you may still get the lower EU fee rate, which each institution sets for itself; if you do not qualify for that either, you can be charged the non-EU fee. Ask the admissions office early.

What non-EU students pay

Students who do not qualify for free fees pay the fee each institution sets for its international students. At public institutions in our catalogue it starts at €10,950 a year, with a typical figure of €14,500. Business, computing and arts courses, especially at technological universities, sit at the low end; science and health courses at the older universities cost more, and medicine reaches up to €55,000 a year.

Each programme page shows the 2026/27 first-year fee where the institution publishes it. Fees can rise in later years, so read the university's fee table before you accept.

Private colleges

Private colleges are not covered by free fees, even when their courses appear on CAO. EU students there pay a typical €6,060 a year in our catalogue and non-EU students a typical €13,500. A few independent institutions, such as RCSI and the National College of Ireland, take part in free fees for eligible students.

Other compulsory costs

CAO application fee: €35 if you apply online by 20 January 2027, €50 by 1 February, €65 for a late application.
Immigration registration for non-EU students: €300 when you first register your Stamp 2 permission, payable by card.
Private medical insurance is required for Stamp 2 registration. See our guide to health insurance for students.

Housing

Campus rooms are limited and are allocated months before term, so many students rent privately or share a house.

As an example of official prices, University College Dublin's 2026/27 list for a two-trimester stay (September to May) charges about €678 a month for a place in a shared twin room, about €838 a month for a single room in its cheapest hall, and from about €1,161 to €1,408 a month for an ensuite room in a campus apartment, utilities included. A refundable deposit of €775 is paid on booking. Prices differ between universities and cities, so check each university's own price list. Our guide to finding student housing in Europe covers the private market.

Money you must show for a visa

Non-EU students must prove they can live in Ireland without relying on casual work. For a course of more than eight months, the Irish Immigration Service asks for immediate access to at least €10,000 for living costs, plus your tuition fees. You must also show access to €10,000 for each later year of study, on top of the fees for those years. Degree students can use an education bond of at least €10,000 instead of bank statements. Before you register, you must also have paid at least €6,000 of your fees, or the full fee if it is lower.

With a Stamp 2 permission you may work up to 20 hours a week during term and up to 40 hours a week in June to September and from 15 December to 15 January. See working while studying in Europe.

How to keep costs down

Check whether you qualify for free fees before anything else. It is the difference between €2,350 and €14,500 or more a year.
Compare non-EU fees between institutions. Technological universities often charge less than the older universities for similar courses.
Apply for campus housing as soon as you have an offer, and compare residence prices between universities.
Ask about scholarships for international students; many universities offer some. See scholarships and financial aid.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.