Cost of Studying in Ireland in 2026/27: University Fees, Dublin Living Costs and Visa Funds

For a non-EU student in 2026/27, a year of an undergraduate degree at an Irish university costs from $21,050 (€18,500) for Arts at UCC to $33,640 (€29,570) for engineering or computer science at Trinity College Dublin; medicine costs $59,280–68,270 (€52,100–60,000). A one-year taught master's usually costs $20,290–36,160 (€17,830–31,780), and UCD's full-time MBA $44,210 (€38,860). UCD puts median student living costs in Dublin at $2,780 (€2,445) a month, and the visa requires access to at least $11,380 (€10,000) a year on top of tuition. A first undergraduate year in Dublin with rent usually exceeds $55,000.

Below are faculty-level fees at named universities, what living costs are made of, the payments due before term, how fees change in later years, and three sample budgets. Amounts come from official university pages and Immigration Service Delivery (ISD); USD conversions use the ECB rate of 28 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1378), rounded to the nearest ten. To compare the institutions themselves, see universities in Ireland and the country page studying in Ireland.

Undergraduate fees by university and faculty

Irish universities set a separate non-EU fee. There is no free tuition for these students: the Free Fees Initiative is for students assessed as EU fee payers. Fee status is decided by residence and university rules, not by citizenship alone.

Other rates exist within each university: nursing at TCD is $28,970 (€25,460), psychology at University of Galway $22,630 (€19,890), hotel management there $17,800 (€15,640), and pharmacy at UCC $25,260 (€22,200).

What the fee includes. UCD's published fees already include its Student Centre levy, with a €5 national students' union levy added separately. UCC charges a $240 (€210) capitation fee on top. TCD charges annual Student Levies and Charges in addition to tuition.

Master's fees

A research master's is cheaper than a taught one: the annual rate for TCD's two-year computer science MSc by research is $19,300 (€16,960). See master's degrees in Ireland for details.

How fees change in later years

The first-year fee is not always the fee for every year:

On a four-year degree the difference adds up, so check your university's rule before accepting an offer.

Living costs in Dublin: two official estimates

UCD publishes a monthly estimate for a student in Dublin (updated April 2026, excluding tuition):

UCD expects most students' costs to be closer to the median.

TCD gives an annual estimate excluding accommodation of $13,370–17,920 (€11,750–15,750): utilities €1,000–2,000, meals €3,000–5,000, miscellaneous €2,500, commuting €1,000, immigration fee €300, health insurance €550, personal costs €2,000–3,000 and flights around €2,000. With accommodation, TCD estimates $22,680–33,050 (€19,937–29,050) a year for undergraduates and $23,950–30,780 (€21,050–27,050) for postgraduates.

Cork, Galway and Limerick are usually cheaper than Dublin, but their universities do not publish comparable monthly estimates. For the regions, check current rental listings and the accommodation office of your chosen university.

One-off and mandatory payments

Every non-EU student needs health cover. In the first year, travel insurance can be accepted instead of an Irish policy if it covers the full year, hospitalisation, and at least €25,000 for accident and €25,000 for disease. From the second year, ISD accepts only private medical insurance.

Visa funds versus a real budget

ISD requires visa-required students, including Russian and Kazakh nationals, to show with the application:

• immediate access to at least €10,000 for the first year, which ISD describes as the estimated cost of living for one academic year;
• that you or a sponsor can provide €10,000 for each later year plus that year's tuition;
• six months of bank statements, with large or irregular lodgements explained; credit cards are not accepted.

Degree students at NFQ levels 7–10 may instead lodge an education bond of at least €10,000 with an approved provider such as TransferMate. The bond must be held until you register in Ireland and is released on arrival or if the visa is refused.

The visa figure is about 2.9 times smaller than UCD's median annual budget (€29,340 for 12 months at €2,445). It proves you can support yourself; it does not describe what you will actually spend.

When and how tuition is paid

ILEP providers may not take cash, according to ISD. If your visa is refused, the provider must process your refund request within 20 working days under its published refund policy, so read that policy before transferring money.

Transfers from Russia are affected by sanctions and currency controls. Use only legal payment routes and allow time for fees and payment checks; see how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Three sample first-year budgets

The totals below are our calculations from the universities' published figures, not official budgets.

A lean Dublin option, a level 7 programme at TU Dublin (€12,500) with UCD's low-end spending (€1,735 a month) plus IRP and insurance, comes to about $39,040 (€34,310) a year. The low end assumes a cheap room and modest spending; it is not a typical budget.

What you can earn

On Stamp 2 a student may work up to 20 hours a week in term and up to 40 hours from June to September and from 15 December to 15 January. From 1 January 2026 the national minimum wage is $16.10 (€14.15) an hour for workers aged 20 and over, so 20 hours brings about $320 (€283) a week before tax and 40 hours about $640 (€566).

ISD expects you to support yourself without relying on casual work, so earnings do not count towards the €10,000. Work helps with day-to-day spending but will not cover Dublin tuition and rent. Details are in working while studying and Stamp 1G.

Legitimate ways to spend less

• City and university. Arts at UCC ($21,050) costs about $4,600 a year less than in Dublin, and rent outside the capital is generally lower.
• Level and type of programme. Level 7 programmes at technological universities cost about half as much as level 8 university degrees, but a level 7 award does not qualify for Stamp 1G.
• First-year residence. TCD prioritises first-year non-EU undergraduates who apply for housing before its deadline, and Trinity Hall is cheaper than private city-centre rent.
• University scholarships. UCD Global Excellence covers 50% or 100% of tuition, and UCC automatically reduces fees by €2,000 a year for international undergraduates in its College of Science, Engineering and Food Science. See scholarships in Ireland.
• Currency buffer. UCD advises allowing for exchange-rate swings, since fees are charged in euro.

FAQ

Sources

• TCD: undergraduate fees, postgraduate fees and cost of living — checked September 28, 2026
• UCD: non-EU fees, undergraduate 2026/27, graduate taught 2026/27, living costs and Global Excellence — checked September 28, 2026
• UCC: undergraduate fees 2026/27, postgraduate fees 2026/27, non-EU terms and SEFS undergraduate scholarship — checked September 28, 2026
• University of Galway: fees — checked September 28, 2026
• TU Dublin: international fees — checked September 28, 2026
• ISD: student finances, medical insurance, visa fees, study visa and student FAQs — checked September 28, 2026
• Citizens Information: minimum wage — checked September 28, 2026
• USD conversions use the ECB reference rate of September 28, 2026: €1 = $1.1378.

Programme-specific budgets, requirement checks and the financial part of the visa file are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission decisions are made by the university; visa decisions by Irish immigration authorities.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.