Ireland vs UK
For Indian students — costs, work rights, visas and what we actually list, side by side.
| Ireland | UK | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgrad tuition / year | €13,000–€35,000/yr (higher for business, data & health) | £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine) |
| Undergrad tuition / year | €10,000–€28,000/yr | £11,000–£33,000/yr |
| Living cost / month | €1,100–€1,800/month (Dublin at the higher end) | £1,171/month outside London, £1,529/month in London (UKVI maintenance rates) |
| Work while studying | 20 hrs/week during term; up to 40 hrs/week in official holiday periods | Up to 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official holidays |
| Post-study work | Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G): 12 months for an honours bachelor's (NFQ Level 8), up to 24 months for a master's/PhD (NFQ Level 9/10) | Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed |
| Main intakes | September (main), January (limited) | September/October (main); January/February (secondary) |
| English (typical) | IELTS 6.0–6.5 overall (some courses require 6.5–7.0) | IELTS 6.0–7.0 overall (course-dependent) |
| Student visa | Long Stay 'D' Study Visa (called the "long term study visa" by Immigration Service Delivery) — applied for online through AVATS, and registered in Ireland after arrival as Stamp 2 student pe... | Student visa (the UK's points-based Student route, set out in Immigration Rules Appendix Student; it replaced the old Tier 4 (General) student visa) |
| Visa fee | As published at irishimmigration.ie/preclearance-and-entry-visas-fees/: Single entry €60, Multi entry €100 (Transit €25). ISD states the fee is an administration fee that "cannot be refunded... | £558 application fee, as published at gov.uk/student-visa — the same £558 applies whether you apply from outside the UK or extend/switch inside the UK, and £558 is also charged for each depe... |
| Visa processing | India-specific, as published by the Embassy of Ireland New Delhi Visa Office (processing-times table, marked "Update: 31 May 2026"): Study — 4-8 weeks for a first-instance decision; 6 calend... | As published at gov.uk: "You'll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks" when applying from outside the UK (i.e. from India). If you are already in the UK and extending or switchi... |
| Funds to show | As published at irishimmigration.ie (student finances page, last updated 30 June 2025): for all academic courses beginning after 1 July 2023 you must show evidence of "immediate access to at... | Two parts, as published at gov.uk/student-visa/money. (1) Course fees: enough to cover your course for 1 academic year (up to 9 months) — the exact amount is the figure stated on your CAS, m... |
| Universities we list | 9 | 57 |
| Programmes we list | 26 | 81 |
| Scholarships we list | 48 | 57 |
Costs and visa figures are the published ranges from official sources — your exact fee depends on the university and programme, and we confirm it free. Universities, programmes and scholarships are live counts of what we currently list, not the size of the country's whole sector.
Where Ireland comes out ahead
On the measures we hold verified data for, Ireland doesn't lead — which doesn't make it the wrong choice. Fit, course and city matter as much as cost.
Study in Ireland
Where UK comes out ahead
- More programmes with a fee we have checked against the university (45 vs 15).
- More universities live on Vibedu (57 vs 9).
- More scholarships we can point you at (57 vs 48).
- Post-study work: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027)...
Ireland vs UK — FAQs
5 questions
Compare the tuition and living rows above: Ireland postgrad tuition is €13,000–€35,000/yr (higher for business, data & health). UK is £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine). Living costs and the funds you must show for the visa matter as much as tuition — we work out the all-in number for your city and course, free.
Ireland: Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G): 12 months for an honours bachelor's (NFQ Level 8), up to 24 months for a master's/PhD (NFQ Level 9/10) UK: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed
Ireland: 20 hrs/week during term; up to 40 hrs/week in official holiday periods UK: Up to 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official holidays
Neither is automatic. What actually decides it is documentation: funds held for the required period, a genuine study plan and a clean application. See our Ireland and UK visa guides for each official process, fee and document list.
No. Shortlisting, applications, SOP/LOR/Resume and visa guidance are free — we are paid by partner universities, not by you.
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