Ireland’s education system has a primary, secondary, further and higher education system. Children aged four/five to twelve/thirteen attend primary school before progressing to secondary school. All children legal to reside in Ireland are entitled to attend school.
The children of non-EEA students however do not have an automatic right to enrol in a State funded school. Please consult the ‘New immigration regime for full-time non-EEA students: guidelines for degree programme students’ for more information.
Access to education based on immigration status
Children
Children residing in Ireland are entitled to attend primary and post-primary school. However, there are specific guidelines for children of non-EEA students. For further information go to: www.inis.gov.ie
Adults
Anyone non EEA national on an immigrtion Stamp: 1, 2, 3, or 4 can access education but may have to pay full tuition fees. However, if there is a paid work placement element to the course then this may require a change of immigration status to enable the person to work.
You can find lots more useful information about the Education system in Ireland here
Undergraduate & Postgraduate Applicants Information
It is important to distinguish between EU and non EU fees - this scheme applies to non EU fees and represents the only source of detailed info on the qualification criteria for non EU people who what to study in Ireland.
eu-non_eu_fee_assessment_flowchart.pdf
You can also find useful information about third-level education in Ireland on the Citizens Information Website
