Ireland has a clear process for a long-stay study visa, but the details of the funds rule, the documents and the online system trip up many applicants. This guide uses Irish Immigration pages and Citizens Information, read on 22 October 2026, and our video with a coach who covers Ireland as one of five countries.
- Applications for a long-stay D study visa are made online through AVATS, and the documents must reach the office within 30 days of creating the application
- You need an acceptance letter, evidence of fees paid in full, English ability and 10,000 euros for the first part of your stay
- A full-time course must run for an academic year with at least 15 hours of study a week.
What Type of Visa Do You Need to Study in Ireland?
For a course longer than 90 days you need a long-stay D visa, which leads to Stamp 2 or 2A permission once you register in Ireland. A stay of 90 days or less is a short stay C visa. Whether you need a visa at all depends on your nationality, and Indian students must apply for one.
Check the Irish Immigration page for your course type, because the conditions differ for full-time degree courses and shorter English language courses. The visa decision is separate from your university's admission decision. The Department of Justice classes any stay of more than 90 days as long stay, and a stay of 90 days or less as short stay.
How Do You Apply for the Irish Student Visa?
You apply online through AVATS, which is mandatory. After you complete the online form, the system produces a summary that tells you where to send your supporting documents. You print, sign and date it and submit it with your documents. The documents must reach the office within 30 days of creating the online application.
You should apply up to three months before you travel. Keep copies of everything you submit. Irish Immigration does not list one fixed decision time, so check the visa office or embassy that handles your application for its current estimate.
Education in Ireland: Courses, Universities and VisasRead →What Documents Does the Study Visa Need?
You need a letter of acceptance from a recognised Irish school, college or university, proof that your fees are paid in full, evidence of English ability, and evidence of 10,000 euros for the first part of your stay. The course must be full time, last an academic year and involve at least 15 hours of study a week.
| Irish study visa item 2026 | What is needed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance | Letter from a recognised institution | Irish Immigration |
| Fees | Paid in full | Irish Immigration |
| English | Evidence of English ability | Irish Immigration |
| Funds | 10,000 euros for the first stage of your stay | Irish Immigration |
| Course | Full time, academic year, 15 hours a week | Irish Immigration |
Your bank statements should cover the last six months, and credit cards are not accepted as evidence. Visa-required students are checked on funds during the visa process, so they do not need to show them again when they register.
How Much Money Do You Need to Show?
You must show immediate access to at least 10,000 euros for a course starting after 1 July 2023, plus your course fees. Each later year needs the same level of funds plus fees. Shorter courses use a monthly rate. Bank statements must cover the last six months, and credit cards are not accepted.
Amounts can change, so confirm them on the Irish Immigration page before you apply. Funds must be genuinely available to you. For a stay of six months the amount is 4,998 euros, and for eight months it is 6,665 euros. For each further year of a longer course you need 10,000 euros again, in addition to the fees for that year.
Cost of Living in Ireland for StudentsRead →What Happens After You Arrive in Ireland?
You register your permission with immigration in Ireland, and your stamp then sets your work rights. On Stamp 2 you can work up to 20 hours a week in term time and 40 hours in the holidays. Ireland's minimum wage is 14.15 euros an hour from 1 January 2026. Students on Stamp 2A have no work rights.
Stay-back is covered in our Ireland guide. A master's graduate can get up to 24 months, in two 12-month blocks.
Ireland for Indian Students 2026: Growth, Caps and RulesRead →What Do Stamp 2 and Stamp 2A Mean for Students?
When you register in Ireland, your permission is stamped. Stamp 2 applies to full-time courses on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes and allows part-time work within the limits. Stamp 2A is for other courses and carries no work rights. Check your course on the list before you accept, because it affects your plans.
Registration takes place after you arrive and uses the visa decision you hold. Citizens Information and Irish Immigration explain the registration steps and the conditions that come with each stamp.
Can You Stay and Work After Your Course in Ireland?
The Third Level Graduate Programme gives Level 9 graduates, including master's graduates, up to 24 months in two 12-month blocks, and Level 8 graduates 12 months. You work under Stamp 1G without an employment permit while you look for a job. The second block needs proof that you are looking for graduate-level work.
If you do not find a job or another permission before the stamp ends, you must leave. Apply within six months of being told you have your award, and keep your Stamp 2 and registration card up to date.
What Should You Check Before You Apply?
Check that your course is on the eligible list for Stamp 2, that your fees and funds match the requirements, that your documents are dated within the allowed period, and that you apply with enough time before your course starts. Keep a backup country in case visa rules or caps change.
Confirm fees and processing time on the visa office page for your country, because those figures are not fixed in the guidance we read.