Third-level education in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. ...

includes all education after second-level, encompassing

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after compl ...

in universities and colleges and

further education Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is education in addition to that received at secondary school, that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It ...

on Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) and other courses. The degree-awarding institutions which can grant awards at all academic levels are the

University of Dublin The University of Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Átha Cliath), corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Dub ...

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called '' constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under the Irish Universit ...

(

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

and

Maynooth Maynooth (; ga, Maigh Nuad) is a university town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to Maynooth University (part of the National University of Ireland and also known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth) and St Patrick's ...

University of Limerick The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a public research university institution in Limerick, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in 1989 in accordance w ...

Dublin City University Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the '' National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin'' in 1975, it enrolled its ...

Technological University Dublin Technological University Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath) or TU Dublin is Ireland's first technological university, established on 1 January 2019, and with a history stretching back to 1887 through the amalgamated Du ...

, the

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 ...

Munster Technological University Munster Technological University (MTU; ga, Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta na Mumhan) is a public technological university consisting of six campuses located in Cork and Kerry. The university was established in January 2021, the result of a merger ...

and Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, as well as

St. Patrick's College, Maynooth St Patrick's Pontifical University, Maynooth ( ga, Coláiste Naoimh Phádraig, Maigh Nuad), is the "National Seminary for Ireland" (a Roman Catholic college), and a pontifical university, located in the town of Maynooth, from Dublin, Ireland ...

(Pontifical University), and then a State agency, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, can grant awards in other institutions directly, or delegate the authority to do so. and

. The

King's Inns The Honorable Society of King's Inns ( ir, Cumann Onórach Óstaí an Rí) is the "Inn of Court" for the Bar of Ireland. Established in 1541, King's Inns is Ireland's oldest school of law and one of Ireland's significant historical environment ...

has a limited role in education specialising in the preparation of candidates for the degree of barrister-at-law to practice as barristers. Medical schools in Ireland also have particular regulation. There were seven establishments of higher education within Ireland ranked among the top 500 universities worldwide by the '' Times Higher Education Supplement'' in 2008.

Framework

Institutions

The Irish universities include the University of Dublin, better known by the name of its sole college,

Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

, the four constituent universities of the National University of Ireland, two universities established in 1989, three technological universities formed by the amalgamation of Institutes of Technology and a professional medical institution. Some

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...

s are constituent colleges of

universities A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...

, while others are designated institutions of the State agency Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), which succeeded the

Higher Education and Training Awards Council The Higher Education and Training Awards Council ( ga, Comhairle na nDámhachtainí Ardoideachais agus Oiliúna) (HETAC), the legal successor to the ''National Council for Educational Awards'' (NCEA), granted higher education awards in Ireland ...

. The latter include the remaining Institutes of Technology, Colleges of Education, and other independent colleges. Some colleges have "delegated authority" from QQI, this allows them to confer and validate awards in their own name. Some institutions such as the

(TU Dublin), and

(DCU) have completed a process of modularising their courses (others are still in a transition phase), mostly using the ECTS. The Bologna process and

applied research Applied science is the use of the scientific method and knowledge obtained via conclusions from the method to attain practical goals. It includes a broad range of disciplines such as engineering and medicine. Applied science is often contrasted ...

are the current concerns of national educational policy, additional concerns include the structures of the

. Since the mid-2000s, a number of Institutes of Technology have or are in the process of applying for university designation, including IT Sligo, GMIT and LYIT, (known as th
Connacht Ulster Alliance
, and Waterford. In 2019 TU Dublin amalgamated three institutions in the Dublin region (

Dublin Institute of Technology Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT, ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath) was a major third-level institution in Dublin, Ireland. On 1 January 2019 DIT was dissolved and its functions were transferred to the Technological U ...

, Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown, and Institute of Technology, Tallaght), and in 2021

amalgamated two institutions in the Munster region (

Cork Institute of Technology Cork Institute of Technology (CIT; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Chorcaí) was an institute of technology, located in Cork, Ireland. Upon its dissolution, the institute had 17,000 students studying in art, business, engineering, music, dra ...

, and Institute of Technology, Tralee), while the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest did the same further north. The ''Marks & Standards'' document, offered by most institutions, can be consulted for information on the range and criteria set down for awards, while programme specifications offer additional information. In contrast to practice in the rest of the education system, entry tends to be highly competitive for school leavers; the so-called "Points Race" administered by the Central Applications Office (CAO). In 2001 the percentage of school leavers transferring to third level exceeded 50% for the first time, while as of 2005 it was in excess of 55% and expected to grow at approximately 1% per annum for the next decade. There are over 25 third-level courses at graduate and postgraduate level offered through the Irish language. ''

Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge (; English: "The Irish Language University Academy") is a third level educational and research institution headquartered in Galway, Ireland. It was established as part of the University of Galway in 2004, to f ...

'' is the Irish language Department of the

University of Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

and it has different off-campus centres throughout the Gaeltacht regions. Dublin City University has an Irish language department called Fiontar.

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 student ...

(UCD), TU Dublin, and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) also offer similar courses. All but two of the seven universities in Ireland offer "open" (omnibus entry)

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...

degrees through the CAO where the student can choose their specialisation after their first year of study. The two universities that do not offer "open" (omnibus entry) arts degrees, Trinity College Dublin and DCU, do still offer Bachelor of Arts degrees in specific areas of study such as Drama Studies,

Journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (p ...

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

, Japanese, and

International Relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such ...

. In one, Trinity College Dublin, the applicants wishing to read an Arts degree may apply to the college to read a combination of two subjects, such as French and Philosophy - which the student may continue to read jointly or with focus on one. DCU's de facto omnibus entry arts degree is offered by St. Patrick's College of Education (a college of DCU) and is titled " BA in Humanities".

All Hallows College All Hallows College was a college of higher education in Dublin. It was founded in 1842 and was run by the Vincentians from 1892 until 2016. On 23 May 2014, it was announced that it was closing down, due to decreasing student numbers. The sale ...

(a college of DCU) offer BA in Humanities, Theology Pastoral Care, and English. Entry into higher education institutions is normally done through the CAO. In this way, students wishing to enter university apply to the CAO rather than the individual university. Places in courses are usually awarded based on results in the Leaving Certificate Examination or any international equivalent. Each university has a minimum entry requirement, usually requiring a pass grade in either English or Irish, as well as maths. Some also require a pass grade in a modern continental European language (French, German, Spanish or Italian). Each individual course has further entry requirements, for example, science courses usually require a certain grade in one or two sciences. The student must also achieve the number of points required for the course under the points system. However, universities also have systems in place for accepting mature students, and students who have successfully completed a Post Leaving Certificate or Further Education course. Entry into third-level is generally very high in Ireland (as it also is in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

), and among young adults (those aged 25 to 34), 41.6% of them have attained third-level degrees—the second highest level in the EU after Cyprus, and substantially ahead of the average of 29.1%.Measuring Ireland's Progress - 2007
/ref> Broken down by gender, approximately 43% of women and 40% of men Ireland attend third level education.

Fees

Under the "Free Fees Initiative" the

Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...

pays the

tuition Tuition payments, usually known as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in Commonwealth English, are fees charged by education institutions for instruction or other services. Besides public spending (by governments and other public bo ...

fees of students who meet relevant course, nationality and residence requirements as set down under the initiative. These requirements include: Student Finance.ie, information for Undergraduate students * Holding EU nationality, or are a national of member country of the

European Economic Area The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the ''Agreement on the European Economic Area'', an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade As ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, or those who have been granted official

refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.

status. * Having been a resident in an EU Member State for at least three of the five years preceding entry to the course. * Are not undertaking a second undergraduate course. Students are required to pay a "registration fee" on entry to their courses. These charges cover costs such as equipment usage, administration fees and exam fees. Charges were €1,500 per student for the 2009/10 school year. University College Dublin, Administrative Services - Fees & Grants These charges have been labelled as "unofficial fees", and some university heads admitted that "student registration charges are fees by any other name". In 2011, after large annual increases, the registration fee was abolished and replaced with a "student contribution". For the school year 2019/2020 this fee stood at €3,000.

Further education

Further education is vocational and technical education and training in post-compulsory education. Awards are offered by a multitude of bodies, both ad-hoc and statutory. Typical areas included are craft and trade

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...

s, childcare, farming, retail, and tourism. These are typical areas of the economy that do not depend on multinational investment and recognition. There are many different types of further education awards, known as Post Leaving Certificates. The

Further Education and Training Awards Council The Further Education and Training Awards Council ( ga, Comhairle na nDámhachtainí Breisoideachais agus Oiliúna) or FETAC was a statutory qualification-awarding body for further education in Ireland. It was established on 11 June 2001 under th ...

conferred awards in the extra-university system. Further education has expanded immensely in recent years helped by the institutions, and because of this the type and range of these awards have been formalized to restore confidence. There were two separate schemes enabling progression for holders of FETAC awards to universities and institutes of technology. FETAC awards carried points that could be used to access higher education. FETAC was dissolved and its functions were passed to Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) on 6 November 2012, and the progression schemes continued.

Grade inflation

Ireland has a higher proportion of third-level graduates than any other EU country, although many university students are better suited to further education and training, including PLC, apprenticeship and traineeship courses. At the same time, the proportion of graduates with first-class honours has reached record levels, particularly in institutes of technology. There is disagreement about whether this increase is due to improved methods of instructing increasingly motivated students, or simple

grade inflation Grade inflation (also known as grading leniency) is the awarding of higher grades than students deserve, which yields a higher average grade given to students. The term is also used to describe the tendency to award progressively higher academic ...

. President Michael D. Higgins believes that it is due to grade inflation, and has expressed concern about the continued quality and value of university degrees. Whatever the reason might be, employers increasingly examine graduates'

extracurricular activities An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) or cultural activities is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school, college or university education. Such activities a ...

, work experiences, and

soft skills Soft skills, also known as power skills, common skills or core skills, are skills applicable to all professions. These include critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking, professional writing, teamwork, digital literacy, leadership, pr ...

as they search for the most able applicants.

List of higher education establishments

These are lists of colleges and universities within Ireland; some colleges are constituent colleges of universities.

Universities

Recognised as Universities under the Universities Act, 1997 as amended: *

Maynooth University The National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM; ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann Mhá Nuad), commonly known as Maynooth University (MU), is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. I ...

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one o ...

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

Technological Universities

Technological Universities have been formed by the merger of former Institutes of Technology. *

Atlantic Technological University Atlantic Technological University (also known as Atlantic TU or ATU; ga, Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh; OTA) is a technological university in the west and north-west of Ireland. It was formally established on 1 April 2022 as a merg ...

South East Technological University South East Technological University (SETU; ga, Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Oirdheiscirt) is a public technological university located in the South East region of Ireland. It was formed from the amalgamation of two existing institutes of tech ...

* Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest

Institutes of technology

* Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology * Dundalk Institute of Technology

Pontifical University

St Patrick's College, Maynooth St Patrick's Pontifical University, Maynooth ( ga, Coláiste Naoimh Phádraig, Maigh Nuad), is the "National Seminary for Ireland" (a Roman Catholic college), and a pontifical university, located in the town of Maynooth, from Dublin, Ireland. ...

(also known as Maynooth College or the Pontifical University at Maynooth)

Colleges of education

St Angela's College of Education, Sligo St. Angela's College, Sligo ( ga, Coláiste San Aingeal, Sligeach) is a college of the Atlantic Technological University located beside Lough Gill, County Sligo. History St. Angela’s College was founded by the Ursuline Order in 1952 and w ...

* Marino Institute of Education * Mary Immaculate College, Limerick * St. Patrick's College, Thurles

Recognised, associated or constituent colleges of Irish universities

* Institute of Public Administration * Irish School of Ecumenics *

National College of Art and Design The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) is Ireland's oldest art institution, offering the largest range of art and design degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the country. Originating as a drawing school in 1746, many of th ...

National Maritime College of Ireland The National Maritime College of Ireland ( ga, Coláiste Náisiúnta Mara na hÉireann, NMCI) is a public maritime college located in Ringaskiddy, County Cork, Ireland. It is a constituent college of the Munster Technological University. F ...

* Shannon College of Hotel Management

National institutions

* Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies *

Garda Síochána College Garda Síochána College is the education and training college of the Garda Síochána (Irish police service). It is located at McCan Barracks, Templemore, County Tipperary in Ireland. The college has been in Templemore since 1964. History The ...

Military College, Curragh Camp The Curragh Camp ( ga, Campa an Churraigh) is an army base and military college in The Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland. It is the main training centre for the Irish Defence Forces and is home to 2,000 military personnel. History Longstanding ...

* National Ambulance Service College

State-aided and chartered institutions

* Honorable Society of King's Inns * National College of Ireland (formerly National College of Industrial Relations) * Royal Irish Academy of Music *

Royal College of Physicians of Ireland The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), ( ga, Coláiste Ríoga Lianna na hÉireann) is an Irish professional body dedicated to improving the practice of general medicine and related medical specialities, chiefly through the accredit ...

(postgraduate medical qualifications)

Other institutions

* American College Dublin *

Burren College of Art Burren College of Art is an Irish non-profit independent art college specialising in undergraduate and graduate Fine Art education, located in Ballyvaughan, County Clare, Ireland. The Master of Fine Art programme is accredited by the University ...

Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland The Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland (CIBI) is an initiative by the Carmelite Irish and British province and the Anglo-Irish Province of Discalced Carmelites, founded in December 2005, which provides distance learning/online courses at u ...

, theology programmes validated by

Cavan Institute Cavan Institute (previously ''Cavan College of Further Studies'') is a third level college located in the town of Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The college's main campus is located on Cathedral Road, with other sites at Drumalee, in the tow ...

Christian Leadership in Education Office (CLEO) Christian Leadership in Education Office (CLEO), provides postgraduate training in education in Cork, Ireland. Originally founded in 1991 as the ''Christian Formation Resource Centre (CFRC)'' by a number of Catholic religious orders, in 1997 it cam ...

, postgraduate education programmes validated by the

University of Hull , mottoeng = Bearing the Torch f learning, established = 1927 – University College Hull1954 – university status , type = Public , endowment = £18.8 million (2016) , budget = £190 million ...

* Church of Ireland Theological Institute (partly in cooperation with Trinity College Dublin) * City Colleges * Coláiste na hÉireann * Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa *College of Progressive Education * Cork College of Commerce *

Digital Skills Academy Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Technology and computing Hardware *Digital electronics, electronic circuits which operate using digital signals **Digital camera, which captures and stores digital i ...

(historically validated by

and

Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classified ...

) * Dorset College * Dublin Business School *

Dublin Institute of Design Dublin Design Institute (DDI) ga, Institiúid Dearadh Átha Cliathis the longest-established specialised design private third level (higher education) college in Ireland. About Dublin Design Institute Established in 1991, Dublin Design Inst ...

* Gaiety School of Acting * Galway Business School * The Grafton Academy of Fashion Design *

Griffith College Cork Griffith College Cork is an independent, third-level, higher education institution which merged with Skerry's College Cork in 2005. Griffith College Cork runs degree and diploma programmes in Business, Law, Computing, Media & Journalism, Pha ...

Griffith College Dublin Griffith College ( ga, Coláiste Uí Ghríofa) is one of the two largest, and one of the longest-established private, third level (higher education) colleges in Ireland. Overview Established in 1974, with four campuses in Dublin, Cork and Li ...

Griffith College Limerick Griffith College Limerick (GCL) ( ga, Coláiste Uí Ghríofa, IPA: �kɔlaːʃtʲəˈiːˈʝɾʲiːfˠə is a private college in Limerick city, Ireland. The college was established in 2006 when the Mid West Business Institute was acquired by ...

Hibernia College Hibernia College is a third-level private college in Ireland. Its main entity, the Hibernia College School of Education, provides an initial teacher training programme, and other professional teaching courses. Education Hibernia College’s ...

* IBAT College Dublin *ICD Business School * Independent College Dublin * Irish Bible Institute (a component of the

University of Wales , latin_name = , image = , caption = Coat of Arms , motto = cy, Goreu Awen Gwirionedd , mottoeng = The Best Inspiration is Truth , established = , , type = Confederal, non-member ...

(2005-2013),

York St John University , mottoeng = They may have life and have it more abundantly , established = , type = Public , administrative_staff = 618 , chancellor = Reeta Chakrabarti , vice_chancellor = Professor Karen Bryan , student ...

since 2014.) * Irish Management Institute *

Kimmage Development Studies Centre Kimmage Development Studies Centre (DSC) was a private third level institution based at Holy Ghost Missionary College, Kimmage Manor, Dublin, Ireland from 1974 to July 2018. It provided courses in Development Studies since 1974 as well as othe ...

(merged into

) * Mallow College of Further Education * Newman College Ireland * Pitman Training Ireland *

Portobello Institute Portobello Institute is a private third level college delivering further and higher education specialising in Early Years, Sport, Facilities Management, Travel and Tourism and Business of Fashion. It has a variety of programmes validated by a n ...

* The Priory Institute (validated by Institute of Technology, Tallaght) * Spirituality Institute for Research and Education (Masters validated by

Waterford Institute of Technology The Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Phort Láirge) was an institute of technology, located in Waterford, Ireland. The institute had six constituent schools and offered programmes in business, engineerin ...

) *

St. John's Central College St. John's Central College (Irish: Lár Choláiste Eoin) is a further education college in Cork City, Ireland. The college is administered by the Cork Education and Training Board. History of St. John's Central College 19th Century The ear ...

* St. Nicholas Montessori College * St. Patrick's, Carlow College *

Setanta College Setanta College is a distance learning college, with a focus on sports courses. It offers internationally accredited qualifications, ranging from Higher Certificate to Master's degree level. The college is primarily web-based but also offers ca ...

*Turning Point

Foreign institutions with a presence in Ireland

As well as "Study Abroad" programmes from US universities, a UK institution, a French business school and a number of US universities have presences in Ireland: *

Ireland – delivers "Study Abroad" and summer programmes on St. Stephens Green, central Dublin *

Champlain College Champlain College is a private college in Burlington, Vermont. Founded in 1878, Champlain offers on-campus undergraduate and online undergraduate courses through Champlain College Online, along with online certificate and degree programs and ma ...

Ireland - delivers "Study Abroad" programmes to US students at a campus on Leeson Street, central Dublin *

Duquesne University Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit ( or ; Duquesne University or Duquesne) is a private Catholic research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit , image = Holy Gh ...

– students study in UCD and stay at Duquesne University's St. Michael's House facility *

École de management de Normandie The École de Management de Normandie (also known as EM Normandie Business School) is a business school created in 1871. Incorporated as a Higher Education & Research non-profit association (under the 1901 Act) and operating under private law, it ...

- A Dublin campus opened in 2017 *

Georgia Southern University Georgia Southern University (GS or Georgia Southern) is a public research university in the U.S. state of Georgia. The flagship campus is in Statesboro, and other locations include the Armstrong Campus in Savannah and the Liberty Campus in H ...

- Opened in 2019, Georgia Southern University has a campus in Wexford Town *

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main c ...

– have two centres in Ireland, the new Notre Dame Center at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara and O'Connell House in Dublin wfrom where students study at Trinity or UCD *

Open University The Open University (OU) is a British Public university, public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by List of universities in the United Kingdom by enrolment, number of students. The majority of the OU's underg ...

– the UK based Open University has an Irish office in Dublin *

Sacred Heart University Sacred Heart University (SHU) is a private, Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded in 1963 by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart was the first Catholic uni ...

– has an Irish studies base in Dingle, County Kerry

Foreign institutions who validate programmes in Ireland

Historically a number of institutions, including seminaries such as St. Patrick's, Carlow College, St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny, St. Patrick's College, Thurles, and Tullabeg College, would have prepared students from examinations with the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...

. In recent years a number of mainly private colleges have had programmes accredited by UK universities. *

University of Chester , mottoeng = "He that teacheth, on teaching" , former_names = , established = (gained university status in 2005) , type = Public , endowment = £395,000 (2018) , budget = £118.3 million , chancellor = Gyles Brandreth , vice_chancel ...

- National Training Centre, Dublin * University of Dundee - in partnership with Ballyfermot College of Further Education since 2004 * University of East London - Institute of Child Education Psychology Europe, Dublin and Chevron Training and Recruitment * Heriot-Watt University - Griffith College, Limerick *

- Christian Leadership in Education Office, Cork, since 1993 *

- validated programmes at the Irish School of Ecumenics (1972-1982) * Liverpool John Moores University - validated programmes for DBS * London Metropolitan University - Portobello Institute * Middlesex University - PCI College, Dublin * University of Northumbria - Law Society of Ireland * Nottingham Trent University - validated degrees for Griffith College * University of Reading - Irish Management Institute * University of Ulster - Irish Times Training and Marino Institute of Education *

- validated degrees for Portobello College, The Priory Institute and Irish Bible Institute * University of Wales Trinity Saint David - validates MBA programme at IBAT College, Dublin * University of West London - British/Irish Modern Music Institute, Dublin * University of the West of Scotland - Filmbase, Dublin * University of Wolverhampton - Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education, Coolock and Edenmore *

- Irish Bible Institute since 2014 *

- validated the

Masters programme from 2012-2016 * Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas - award degrees at the Domician St. Saviour’s Priory, Dublin, Studium * St John's College, Nottingham - has validated programmes with the Church of Ireland Theological Institute

Defunct institutions

The following are defunct institutions, due to closure or merger. This list does not include institutions that were renamed. *Albert Agricultural College (1838–1979), part of UCD from 1926-1979, NIHE Dublin (now Dublin City University, DCU) was built on Albert College *

(1842–2016), now part of Dublin City University *Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin (1791–1971) *Bandon University, Bandon, Co. Cork (? - Reformation of King Henry VIII) Considered a University by the Papacy *Catholic University of Ireland (1854–1908), evolved into

*Church of Ireland College of Education (1816-2016), previously linked to University of Dublin, now part of DCU *

, merged with IT Tralee in 2021 to form

*Froebel College of Education (1943–2013), now part of Maynooth University *HSI College *IT Tralee, merged with Cork Institute of Technology, CIT in 2021 to form

*Irish Academy for the Performing Arts (2002–2004) *Kimmage Mission Institute (1991-2005) moved to Milltown and merged with Milltown Institute *Mater Dei Institute of Education (1966–2016), now part of Dublin City University *Media Lab Europe (2000–05) *Mid West Business Institute, now part of Griffith College Limerick *Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy (1968–2015) *Newman College, Dublin, merged into Griffith College *Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort (1877–1988) *Portobello College Dublin, acquired by Dublin Business School in 2007 *Queen's University of Ireland (1850–82) *Royal University of Ireland (1880–1909), succeeded by the National University of Ireland *St Catherine's College of Education for Home Economics *St Patrick's College of Education (1875–2016), now part of Dublin City University *LIT Tipperary, Tipperary Institute (1999-2011), now part of Limerick Institute of Technology *Thomond College of Education, Limerick (1973–1991), became part of

*Tourism College Killybegs (? - 2001), now part of Letterkenny Institute of Technology *Medieval University of Dublin, University of Dublin (medieval) (operated intermittently 1320–1534) *Limerick Institute of Technology, merged with Athlone Institute of Technology, AIT in 2021 to form the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). *Athlone Institute of Technology, merged with Limerick Institute of Technology, LIT in 2021 to form the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).

Professional Bodies

* Chartered Accountants Ireland - Accounting professional body * Institution of Engineers of Ireland (Engineers Ireland) - Engineers professional body * Law Society of Ireland - Solicitor professional body * The Honorable Society of King's Inns - Barrister professional body * Association of Chartered Certified Accountants - Accounting professional body * Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland - the professional body for Architects in Ireland

Footnotes

* College is linked to

. * College is linked to