Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships (GOI-IES)
Higher Education Authority, Ireland
Sixty Irish government scholarships a year for non-EU/EEA students: a EUR 10,000 stipend plus a full fee waiver for one year of a master's, postgraduate diploma or PhD in Ireland. The 2026 call closed on 12 March 2026; the 2027 call is expected early in 2027.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- All except Switzerland, United Kingdom, Russia, Belarus, Eu
- Education required
- Bachelors completed
- Fields
- Any field of study
- Language
- Programmes are delivered in English. The HEA call sets no central English test score — each eligible Irish higher education institution applies its own English language admission requirements, and because you must already hold an offer of admission before applying for the scholarship, you will have satisfied the institution's language requirement first.
- Residency
- Applicants must have a domiciliary of origin outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
- Also required
- Must have a conditional or final offer of admission to an eligible Irish higher education institution at the time of applying, with proof of admission submitted in the scholarship application
- Candidates apply for admission to a master's, postgraduate diploma or PhD programme through the institution's own admission procedures first
- Previous GOI-IES scholarship holders are not eligible to apply again
- Russian and Belarusian nationals are not eligible to apply
- A maximum of one application per candidate may be submitted per cycle
- Check with the institution whether your specific course is eligible for GOI-IES
About this opportunity
The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships fund one year of full-time postgraduate study in Ireland for students from outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Sixty scholarships are awarded each year at NFQ levels 9 or 10 — master's, postgraduate diploma or PhD. The programme is funded by the Government of Ireland in partnership with Irish higher education institutions and managed by the Higher Education Authority.
Each award consists of a stipend of EUR 10,000 for that year, and the host higher education institution is required to give the awardee a full fee waiver for the scholarship year. Note the shape of this: it funds one year, not the whole programme, so a two-year master's or a four-year PhD needs a plan for the remaining years. The award is not portable between institutions and previous GOI-IES holders may not apply again.
The order of operations matters. You apply to an eligible Irish higher education institution first, through its own admissions process, and you must already hold a conditional or final offer of admission when you submit the GOI-IES application — proof of admission is uploaded with the form. Applications go through the HEA's online portal, one per candidate per cycle, and need two references uploaded by the applicant. Assessors look for outstanding academic achievement, excellent communication skills, participation in extracurricular activities such as humanitarian work, politics, arts or sport, and a strong rationale for studying in Ireland that connects to longer-term goals. Institutions shortlist against their own strategic objectives before an independent panel assesses the shortlist.
- Level
- Master's, PhD
- Where
- Ireland
- Duration
- One year of full-time study at NFQ level 9 or 10
- Number of awards
- 60 scholarships each year
- Difficulty
- High · about 8 weeks to prepare
Funding
Fully funded
- tuition
- stipend
A stipend of EUR 10,000 for one year of full-time study at NFQ levels 9 or 10, plus a full fee waiver for that year which the host higher education institution is required to give. Covers one year only — not the remaining years of a longer master's or PhD.
What you will need
- Admission offer
- Reference letters (2)
Proof of a conditional or final offer of admission must be submitted in the relevant section of the GOI-IES application form. All applications require two references to be uploaded by the applicant via the online portal. The full document list and a sample application form are published in the call documentation on the HEA page each cycle.
Track this application and eStudent360 turns the list into a checklist and, with Plus, a dated plan that works back from the deadline.