Scholarships for studying in Ireland

University scholarships 

Below are some of the most notable scholarships offered by Irish universities that Vietnamese students often consider:

1. Trinity College Dublin

• Global Excellence Postgraduate Scholarships: valued at €5,000 for the first academic year;
• Global Excellence Undergraduate Scholarships: valued at €5,000 for the first academic year;
• Trinity Business School Regional Scholarships: valued at €5,000 for postgraduate programs at the Business School. Total of 6 awards for Southeast Asia.

2. University College Dublin

• Global Excellence Scholarships: covering 50%-100% of tuition fees;
• Smurfit School Excellence Scholarships: for postgraduate programs at UCD Smurfit School of Business:
  • Michael Smurfit MBA Scholarship: up to 100% tuition fee for applicants with a GMAT score above 700;
  • GMAT MBA Scholarships: up to 100% tuition fee for applicants with a GMAT score above 700;
  • MSc Marketing and Retail Innovation Scholarships: valued at €5,000.

3.  University College Cork

• College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences International Merit Based Scholarships: Tuition reduction of 10%-20% for taught Master’s programs in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences;
• College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences International Undergraduate Scholarships: 15% tuition discount for the entire duration of undergraduate programs in the same college;
• College of Business and Law Excellence Merit Based Scholarship: Scholarships of €1,000-€2,000-€3,000 for taught Master’s programs in the College of Business & Law;
• College of Business and Law International Undergraduate Scholarships 2021/22: €5,000 per year, applicable for the full duration of the undergraduate program;
• International Student Merit Based Scholarship: Tuition reduction of €1,000 / 10% / 20% for taught Master’s programs in Science, Engineering & Food Science.

4. Dublin City University (DCU)

• DCU International Merit Scholarships: tuition reduction of €2,000;
• John Thompson Scholarship: 100% tuition fee for the MSc in Digital Marketing.

5. University of Galway

• Merit Scholarships for Undergraduate Students: €1,000 – 50% tuition fee;
• Merit Scholarships for Postgraduate Students: €1,000 – 50% tuition fee;
• Southeast Asia Scholarships: €1,000 / €2,000 / €4,000;
• Hardiman PhD Scholarships:  €16,000/year + full tuition fees for up to four years;
• More scholarships at: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/internationalscholarships/.

6.  National College of Ireland:

• Master’s scholarships: €2,000-€4,000;
• Bachelor’s scholarships: €2,000;
• Higher Diploma in Computing scholarships: €4,000.

7. Maynooth University:

• Undergraduate Scholarship: €2,000/year;
• Taught Postgraduate Scholarship: €2,500/year;
• School of Business Postgraduate Scholarship: €2,000/year;
• Doctoral Scholarship: Full tuition + €10,000 or €18,500/year. Recipients must undertake approx. 240 hours/year of teaching assistance;
• Details: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships.

8.  University College Cork (Additional Scholarships)

• College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences International Undergraduate Scholarships: 15% per year;
• College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences International Merit Based Scholarships: 10%-20%;
• UCC’s College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Science (CACSS) Fee Discount: 25% for UCC graduates progressing to postgraduate study;
• College of Business and Law Excellence Merit Based Scholarship: €1,000-€3,000;
• College of Business and Law International Undergraduate Scholarships 2022/23: €5,000/year;
• SEFS International Student Merit Based Scholarship: 10%-20%;
• SEFS Returning International Student Scholarship: 20% for UCC alumni;
• SEFS International Undergraduate Scholarship: 25% tuition reduction.

9. University of Limerick (UL)

Faculty Scholarships (Automatically assessed):

• Science & Engineering: €1,500/year;
• Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences: €1,500/year;
• UL Progression Scholarship: Up to 50% tuition fee for UL bachelor graduates progressing to a UL master’s program.

Faculty of Education & Health Sciences

• BSc Nursing Scholarship: €1,500;
• Master’s Scholarships (€1,500):
  • MA in Psychology;
  • MSc in Psychological Science;
  • MSc in Sports Performance;
  • MSc in Sports, Exercise and Performance Psychology;
  • BSc Nursing Studies;
• MSc Nursing Studies Scholarship: €3,000.

Kemmy Business School: Tuition scholarship €1,500/year.

10. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)

• International Consilio Manuque Medicine Scholarship: €25,000 for international medical students

11. National College of Art & Design (NCAD)

• Postgraduate Scholarships: School of Fine Art Scholarship: €4,400/year (~81% of tuition €5,400/year) for NCAD current students or alumni.

12. Shannon College of Hotel Management

• 4-year PhD Scholarships in Hospitality/Hotel Management and/or Tourism Policy & Strategy: €16,000/year for up to 4 years;
• €2,000 scholarship for the first year of bachelor or postgraduate programs.

13. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT)

• Academic Merit Scholarships;
• Financial Aid Scholarships (country-specific);
• Accommodation Scholarships (country-specific);
• Sibling Discount.

14. Griffith College

• €3,000 for bachelor programs; €2,000 for master’s programs;
• Additional academic merit scholarships (€500-€1,500);
• Griffith Global Excellence Scholarships for Vietnamese students: 50%-100% tuition fee.

15. IT Sligo: 15% tuition scholarship for Foundation, Undergraduate, and Postgraduate programs.

16. International Scholarships (General): Most universities and Institutes of Technology in Ireland offer 10%-25% tuition reduction scholarships for international students.

Government scholarship 

1. Ireland Fellowships Programme – Asia

This is one of the most sought-after scholarship schemes. Prior to 2019, it was widely known as the IDEAS Scholarship. From 2020 onward, the Embassy of Ireland no longer offers IDEAS; instead, it administers the Ireland Fellowships Programme – Asia.

Previously, the IDEAS Scholarship was exclusively for Vietnam. The Ireland Fellowships Programme – Asia is now open to partner countries of Irish Aid, including Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

This is a fully funded scholarship, covering tuition fees, living expenses, travel costs, visas, and more. It is available to candidates from both the public and private sectors, including non-governmental organisations.

Up to 30 awards per year are offered to Vietnamese applicants. To date, nearly 300 Vietnamese fellows have received this scholarship to pursue Master’s programs in Ireland across a wide range of fields, including economics, finance, natural sciences, pharmacy, engineering, education, and more.

Applications for the Ireland Fellowships Programme – Asia are typically announced in August each year, with a deadline in late December.

2. Government of Ireland – International Education Scholarships (GOI-IES)

Each year, the Government of Ireland offers 60 fully funded scholarships under the GOI-IES scheme. The award includes full tuition fee waiver, and a €10,000 stipend for one academic year. Eligible study levels include Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD programs.

This scholarship is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.

Applicants must be nationals of non-EU/EEA countries, and have already been accepted by an Irish university or institute of technology.

The scholarship can be applied to any field of study at any participating higher education institution in Ireland, and it covers one academic year at the undergraduate, postgraduate, or doctoral level.

The GOI-IES call for applications is typically announced in February, with a submission deadline in late March. As a result, applicants have a fairly short window to prepare, so it is important to plan ahead and gather documents early.

To be considered for the GOI-IES, applicants must first obtain an offer of admission from an Irish university or institute of technology, along with confirmation that the institution will waive tuition fees as part of the scholarship arrangement.

3. Bord Bia Talent Academy – Bord Bia Scholarships

Over the past two years, Bord Bia scholarships have attracted significant interest from Vietnamese applicants. These are highly competitive and prestigious awards that recruit outstanding candidates from around the world to participate in Ireland’s global food promotion programs. There are four main tracks:

• Origin Green Ambassador Programme
• Supply Chain & Account Management Programme
• Marketing Fellowship
• International Graduate Programme

In general, these scholarships provide full financial support, including tuition fees, living expenses, and travel costs between assigned markets. Scholars study for a Master’s degree at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School-one of Europe’s leading business schools-interspersed with practical work placements in Ireland’s priority international markets. Program duration ranges from 18 to 30 months, depending on the track.

Application periods vary each year, typically running from January to May, and may be extended until a sufficient number of qualified candidates have been selected.

Bord Bia is the Irish Food Board, responsible for promoting Irish food and beverage products worldwide. In recent years, Vietnam has emerged as a priority market in the region.

4. Irish Research Council (IRC) Scholarships

The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is administered by the Irish Research Council (IRC) and funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education.

This scholarship scheme focuses on advancing research excellence and is one of the key funding opportunities for postgraduate study and research at Irish universities and institutes of technology.

The programme provides exceptional students the opportunity to pursue independent research at an early stage of their academic careers, under the guidance of a chosen supervisor. Proposals in emerging, frontier, or innovative fields, as well as interdisciplinary research, are strongly encouraged.

The scholarship package includes:

• Tuition fees (EU rate) up to €5,750 per year;
• A personal annual stipend of €16,000;
• Research-related expenses of €2,250 per year.

The scholarship is available for Master’s and PhD studies. Calls for applications are typically announced in early September, with a submission deadline in late November each year.

Important notes about scholarships 

Duc Anh EduConnect encourages all eligible students to apply for scholarships. Our support in scholarship applications includes:

• Meeting students early to help plan their study pathway and preparation for future scholarship applications;
• Assessing the student’s actual ability and suggesting suitable scholarships to apply for;
• Helping students complete scholarship applications: reviewing, checking information, proofreading application forms, personal statements, and other documents;
• Directly submitting scholarship applications on behalf of students.

In reality, because Duc Anh EduConnect represents many excellent international universities and has a large number of high-quality students, we are recognized in SEA as a company that is proactive in scholarship applications and has successfully obtained many scholarships – including high-value ones – for our students.

Scholarship opportunities are available to everyone. To achieve the best results, we encourage you to contact us 2-3 years before studying abroad so we can preliminarily assess your overall ability and help you plan the best preparation for future scholarship applications. Please read the general information below to better orient yourself.

Students should clearly distinguish:

• Scholarship = financial award: always limited in number and competitive;
• Grant = fixed amount: a set amount that a school/department may award if you enroll there; you may receive it automatically without additional effort;
• Bursary / Financial aid = financial support: for students with specific reasons or needs, for which you may need to provide an explanation or documentation.

Duc Anh EduConnect will support you in applying for all three types: Scholarship, Grant, and Bursary/Financial aid.

Scholarship sources and levels.

Scholarships may come from the following sources, and the amount may range from 10-100% of tuition, or even full scholarships (covering tuition, accommodation, living expenses, insurance, etc.):

1. The destination country: for example, Australia has AAS, the UK has Chevening, the U.S. has Fulbright, New Zealand has Asian scholarships…
2. The institution you choose to attend;
3. Independent organizations or agencies;
4. Independent individuals;
5. Your home country's scholarships. 

Scholarship assessment:

Except in cases of exceptionally outstanding profiles where the scholarship level can be predicted, in practice, no one can guarantee whether you will receive a scholarship. Scholarships are always awarded by scholarship committees based on core criteria:

• Academic ability: academic performance and achievements, ranked from highest to lowest;
• Time of application submission: earlier applications are more competitive than later ones;
• Specific criteria: applied for special or subject-based scholarships.

All students are advised to submit applications early, even before their documents are completely finalized, in order to “get in line” for scholarship consideration. This way, once your file is complete, you will be reviewed faster and given higher priority.

Reference: student profile strength vs. scholarship levels you can competitively apply for:

• 100% tuition scholarship: to apply, you should have GPA 95-100%; English: IELTS ≥ 7.0
• 50% tuition scholarship: GPA ≥ 92%; English: IELTS ≥ 6.5
• 30% tuition scholarship: GPA ≥ 85%; English: IELTS ≥ 6.5
• 10-20% tuition scholarship: GPA ≥ 75%; English: IELTS ≥ 6.0

Scholarship application documents:

• Academic transcripts of the most recent program;
• Diploma of the highest level completed;
• Passport page with photo and signature;
• English proficiency and/or standardized test scores (PTE A / IELTS / TOEFL / SAT / GMAT / GRE…);
• Scientific achievements, extracurricular activities, research papers – if any.

Additional documents for master’s and doctoral scholarship applicants:

• Work CV;
• 1 personal statement;
• 2 letters of recommendation.

Other notes:

• For students receiving partial scholarships (covering only tuition or part of tuition, or part of living expenses), you must carefully calculate your remaining costs (tuition, living expenses, etc.);
• Some countries require full documentation and many types of papers for scholarship applications, while others may only assess GPA and English proficiency.

Support from Duc Anh EduConnect

Duc Anh EduConnect offers comprehensive support throughout the entire study abroad journey. Our experienced team assists students with course and university selection, admission and scholarship applications, student visa assistance, accommodation arrangements, airport pick-up, and ongoing support while studying overseas.

Please CONTACT US for FREE consultation and application