THE BENEFITS OF STUDYING IN IRELAND
Ireland has been a member of the European Union since 1973. Situated on the western edge of Europe, Ireland is a small, globally connected island. While Ireland, with a population of five million people, has its own language and distinct cultural identity, English is the universal spoken language.
Ireland is a friendly, safe, deeply welcoming country, steeped in a rich heritage and culture.
A focus on education has been at the core of Irish government policy since the foundation of the State in 1922. Ireland has a longstanding international reputation for high-quality education, built on a solid foundation of commitment to excellence. Ireland’s higher education system is in the top-twenty worldwide, offering globally recognised expertise, and at 65%, Ireland has one of the highest educational participation rates at third level in the world. Studying at postgraduate level in Ireland offers a unique opportunity to join programmes that are driving innovation and changing lives worldwide.
Education has been a driver of Ireland’s economic transformation. Ireland is an open economy and our location, combined with our highly educated workforce, has served to attract significant inward investment over recent decades. Today, Ireland is a leader in the technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, with many leading international companies choosing Ireland for the location of their European headquarters. With some of the world’s biggest and best companies locating their key strategic research facilities here, Ireland offers an unparalleled ecosystem that sees academic researchers working hand-in-hand with home-grown start-up companies. These work in partnership with some of the most innovative multinationals on the planet, through shared research projects and programmes, often supported by the Irish government.
For more information on studying in Ireland, please see: https://www.educationinireland.com
__________________________________________________________
It takes independent thinkers and doers to succeed in today’s world – and it takes a pioneering, creative and agile country to produce them. That country is Ireland: Why Should I Study In Ireland? - Education in Ireland
The Education In Ireland Student Ambassador Programme - Meet some of our students and read their latest blog posts: Home | Study in Ireland | Education in Ireland Blog
Hear from Ireland Fellows Programme awardees about their experiences and the benefits they gained studying in Ireland: Ireland Fellows Programme (irishaidfellowships.ie)
IRELAND-PALESTINE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME (IPSP)
The Representative Office of Ireland in Palestine is accepting applications under the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme (IPSP) for the 2025-2026 academic year from applicants living in the occupied Palestinian territory. 25 full scholarships are being offered for one-year Master’s-level programmes in Ireland.
The IPSP is part of the Ireland Fellows global scholarship programme run by the Government of Ireland. It provides opportunities for candidates to choose from a wide variety of courses at 19 higher education institutions in Ireland. Ireland Fellows Programme awards are fully funded. The award includes the payment of academic fees; visa application fees; medical and travel insurance; economy flights to and from Ireland; the Irish residence permit fee; and a monthly living stipend. Allowances include the following:
• A settling-in allowance towards items needed on arrival in Ireland;
• A completion and departure allowance at the end of the study period;
• A monthly living stipend of €700 (subject to review);
• Student accommodation arranged and paid for trimesters 1 and 2 (normally September to May), and in trimester 3 a monthly accommodation stipend of €800-€1000 depending on location in Ireland (subject to review).
Note: The Fellowship covers the recipient only. Financial support or visas for spouses or dependents are not included within the scope of the programme.
ELIGIBILITY
- be a Palestinian currently resident in the occupied Palestinian territory, holding a Palestinian or Jerusalem ID;
- have identified and selected three relevant courses from the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme Directory of Eligible Postgraduate Courses, available at https://www.dfa.ie/ramallah/;
- hold a Bachelor’s level qualification from an accredited institution with a minimum grade point average of 75% or 2.67 (or equivalent standard);
- have achieved the necessary academic standard to be accepted onto their chosen Master’s degree course in a higher education institution in Ireland (refer to the rough table of equivalency under section Selection of Course Choices below)
- be applying to commence a new qualification and not be seeking funding for a course they have already commenced, or which will begin before scholarship awards have been notified
- not already hold a qualification at Master’s degree level or higher
- be able to take up the scholarship in the academic year 2025/2026
- submit with their application a valid English language proficiency score report (dated September 2023 or later) with a minimum score of 6.5 on IELTS, or 550 on Institutional Testing Program (ITP), or 80 on Internet-based TOEFL (iBT), or 120 overall score on Duolingo (and at least 100 in each sub-score on Duolingo).
- Prior professional working experience is not a requirement.
- The scholarship program is committed to providing equal opportunity to all applicants, irrespective of sex, religious beliefs, race and ethnicity, age, disability status, gender identity and expression, geographic location, income, socio-economic status, or any other dimension of diversity.
An applicant will not be considered further in either of the following circumstances:
- They are currently working, or it is anticipated that they will work in the future, at the Irish Representative Office or for the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland. Personnel who have worked with any Irish diplomatic mission in the past must allow a full year before becoming eligible to apply.
- They, or their immediate family members, are currently working at Amideast (staff members and/or consultants). Those are not eligible to apply during the period of their employment and until one year following the termination of employment.
- All successful applicants will be required to sign a commitment to return to their home country within 14 days of completing their studies in Ireland.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Applications with unanswered questions or missing documentation will be deemed incomplete and will not be considered for a scholarship. Therefore, it is essential that you:
- fill out all required sections in this application form.
- include one recent passport-size photograph.
- include all relevant supporting documents listed below
- complete the Declaration section at the last part of the application certifying that all the information given is true, complete and accurate.
Include the following documents with your application:
- One recent passport-sized photograph.
- An official copy of the graduation certificate for all higher education qualifications you have completed (in English). Do not include copies of certificates from short programmes or for non-degree level programmes. Temporary certificates are only accepted if studies were completed within the preceding 12 months – if you are shortlisted, the final graduation certificate should be provided before the interview.
- An official copy of the academic transcripts for all higher education qualifications you have completed (in English). Please also include the explanation of the grading system, where provided with your transcript or otherwise available.
- Letters from two academic referees on official letterhead with original signatures. The letter should be in English, on headed paper, and should include the full contact details and the title and position of the referee. These references must be from academics who have taught you personally. These references should indicate both why you are a suitable candidate for the IPSP scholarship and why the programmes you have chosen are relevant to you. If you are shortlisted for the interview process, these reference letters will be used when applying to HEIs in Ireland.
- A copy of the identity page of your passport. If you do not have a passport at this time, another form of official identification must be provided.
If you are shortlisted following the interview process you will be required to submit a certified copy of the identify page of your passport. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the expected completion of your study in Ireland. If your existing passport expires before December 2026, you will be asked to provide a new passport if you are shortlisted after Round II.
- A copy of your national ID card (Palestinian or Jerusalem ID)
- Your current C.V. If you are shortlisted following the interview process your C.V. will be used when applying to HEIs in Ireland.
- Your original English language proficiency (IELTS or ITP or iBT or Duolingo) score report (dated September 2023 or later) with a minimum score of 6.5 on IELTS, or 550 on Institutional Testing Program (ITP), or 80 on Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) or 120 overall score on Duolingo (and at least 100 in each sub-score on Duolingo).
SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS
Please complete this online application and upload CLEAR scanned copies of ALL supporting documents into their designated fields and ensure submission by the application deadline, which is October 1, 2024, at 23:59 PM Palestine time (GMT+3).
Please retain the original copies, as you will need to submit all original documents to the Amideast office(s) if you are selected for Round-One (Interviews). Recognizing the extreme challenges candidates might face in submitting documents, Amideast will do its utmost to facilitate submission options for candidates selected after Round-One interviews and will contact students directly at that stage to appraise options.
For inquiries, please contact Amideast at the numbers below:
Al-Watanieh Towers, 1st floor, El-Bireh, Ramallah
- For West Bank & Jerusalem applicants: Tel: 02-2408023 ext. 300 or 111
- For Gaza applicants: Tel: 02-2408023 ext. 130
SELECTION OF COURSE CHOICES
Using the Ireland Fellows Programme Directory of Eligible Programmes, you are asked to list details of the three master’s programmes you would like to pursue in Ireland, ranked in order of choice (1, 2, 3). To maximise your chances of receiving a course place offer should you be selected to go forward as a Candidate, it is strongly recommended that the three programmes are in three different Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), where available.
You should ensure that you hold the specified qualifications and academic grades required for the academic courses you intend applying for. These can be found in the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme Directory of Eligible Postgraduate Courses and on the relevant college website. It is your responsibility to ensure that your academic qualifications are of sufficient standard for your chosen course.
This is a rough guide to how the grading system in Ireland might compare to the grade/GPA system at Palestinian universities.
| Verbal Grade |
% Grade in Ireland |
Equivalent Local Grade |
Equivalent Local GPA |
| First Class Honours (1st) |
70% or above |
90% - 100% |
3.5 - 4.0 |
| Second Class Honours, Grade 1 (2:1) |
60% or above |
78% - 89% |
3.0 - 3.49 |
| Second Class Honours, Grade 2 (2:2) |
50% or above |
70% - 77% |
2.5 - 2.99 |
| Third Class Honours (3rd) |
45% or above |
65% - 69% |
2.0 - 2.49 |
| Pass |
40% or above |
60% - 64% |
2.0 |
| Fail |
Less than 40% |
0% - 59% |
Less than 2.0 |
Note: These are suggested equivalents only.
Please choose your courses carefully. You will not normally be permitted to revise your choices after submission, unless a programme does not run. Applicants are therefore advised to thoroughly research their course choices. The relevance of the course to an applicant’s career development and to the overall strategic priorities of the mission will form part of the assessment criteria.
Courses must begin no earlier than July 2025.
Note: Master degrees by research are not eligible for the programme.
SELECTION PROCESS
Selection Round 1 / Interview
Following submission of application forms and supporting documentation, candidates will be shortlisted and those who are shortlisted will be called to an interview. Shortlisted candidates can be expected to be called for interviews in late November/early December 2024.
Selection Round 2 / English testing
Candidates who are successful at interview and who already hold a score of 6.5 or higher on an IELTS examination taken in the last two years (September 2023 or later) will not need to sit for an additional exam (such applicants, who already hold a suitable IELTS certificate should submit this with their application form). However, candidates who were successful at interview and who submitted an Institutional Testing Program (ITP) score report or an Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) score report or a Duolingo sore report with their original IPSP application will, at that stage, be required to take an IELTS test. The test will be arranged in January/February 2025 by the Representative Office of Ireland, who will cover the relevant fee.
| TIP: You are advised to work through the practice materials at www.ielts.org and attend a preparation session, if available. You should note that even people who regularly speak English can find the test a challenge. |
Selection Round 3 / Course Applications
Candidates who have progressed beyond the interview stage and meet the IELTS English-language requirement will be contacted by The Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) with information on applying for their chosen college course(s). ICOS provides support for the management and administration of the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme. ICOS is an independent non-profit organisation that promotes best practice in relation to the recruitment, access and support of international students in Irish education. Candidates should note that contact by ICOS does not indicate that they have been awarded a scholarship.
Application fees for colleges in Ireland will be paid by ICOS provided applications are made after notification from ICOS. Application fees paid prior to notification by ICOS will not be reimbursed. Applicants are advised not to apply for courses in Ireland until such time as they are notified by ICOS to proceed, when full application guidance will be provided. At that stage, the applicant will be responsible for ensuring that they submit their application to the college, including all relevant supporting documentation, and for keeping ICOS updated with the progress of their application. Applicants should note that decisions on Irish university course places may not be made by institutions until late June 2025.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
A provisional list of awards will be drawn up in June 2025. Only candidates who successfully gain a course place and provide documentation to ICOS confirming this will be eligible for a scholarship award. No candidate is guaranteed an award, even if all scholarship criteria are met.
If offered an IPSP scholarship, candidates will be required to:
- undergo a medical examination prior to confirmation of the scholarship award, and
- satisfy Irish immigration requirements.
Further Information
Information on the IPSP, including the application process and the Ireland-Palestine Directory of Suitable Postgraduate Courses, is available from the website of the Representative Office of Ireland in Palestine (www.dfa.ie/ramallah) or from the office of AMIDEAST (www.amideast.org/IPSP). General information on studying in Ireland is available at www.internationalstudents.ie.