Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland

Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland includes all education after second-level, encompassing higher education in universities and colleges and further education on Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) and other courses.

The degree-awarding institutions which can grant awards at all academic levels are the

There are over 25 third-level courses at graduate and postgraduate level offered through the Irish language. Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge is the Irish language Department of the University of Galway and it has different off-campus centres throughout the Gaeltacht regions. Dublin City University has an Irish language department called Fiontar. University College Dublin (UCD), TU Dublin, and Atlantic Technological University (ATU) also offer similar courses.

All but two of the eleven universities in Ireland offer "open" (omnibus entry)

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

Entry into third-level is generally very high in Ireland (as it also is in Northern Ireland), 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%.^[3] Broken down by gender, approximately 43% of women and 40% of men Ireland attend third level education.^[4]

Undergraduate fees

Under the "Free Fees Initiative" the

• Holding EU nationality, or are a national of member country of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, or those who have been granted official refugee 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.^[7] These charges have been labelled as "unofficial fees", and some university heads admitted that "student registration charges are fees by any other name".^[8] In 2011, after large annual increases, the registration fee was abolished and replaced with a "student contribution" that stood at €3,000. For the school year 2023/2024 students had to pay that amount plus the "student levy" of €150.^[6]

Postgraduate fees

The "Free Fees Initiative" only covers Bachelor's degrees, so postgraduate students pay fees regardless of their nationality. However, the amount does change depending on the country of origin, with EU fees being typically lower than those for non-EU.

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 apprenticeships, 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.^[9]

The Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) 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 formalised to restore confidence.^{[citation needed]} There are a number of schemes enabling progression for holders of QQI awards to universities and institutes of technology. QQI awards carry points that can be used to access higher education.

Grade inflation

Ireland has a higher proportion of third-level graduates than any other EU country. At the same time, the proportion of graduates with first-class honours has reached record levels. There is disagreement about whether this increase is due to improved methods of instructing increasingly motivated students, or simple grade inflation. 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, work experiences, and soft skills as they search for the most able applicants.^{[10] [11][12]}

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:^[13][14]

• Dublin City University
• National University of Ireland
  • Maynooth University
  • University of Galway
  • University College Cork
  • University College Dublin
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland^[15][16]
• University of Limerick
• University of Dublin
  • Trinity College

Technological Universities

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

• Atlantic Technological University
• Munster Technological University
• South East Technological University
• Technological University Dublin
• 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 (also known as Maynooth College or the Pontifical University at Maynooth)^[15]

• St Angela's College of Education, Sligo ^ATU[17]
• Marino Institute of Education ^DU[15]
• Mary Immaculate College, Limerick ^UL[15]
• St. Patrick's College, Thurles ^UL

• Institute of Public Administration ^NUI[15]
• Irish School of Ecumenics ^DU[18]
• National College of Art and Design ^UCD[15]
• National Maritime College of Ireland ^MTU[19]
• Shannon College of Hotel Management ^UG[15]

National institutions

• Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
• Garda Síochána College^[15]
• Military College, Curragh Camp^[15][20]
• National Ambulance Service College

• Honorable Society of King's Inns^[15]
• National College of Ireland^[15] (formerly National College of Industrial Relations)
• Royal Irish Academy of Music^[15]
• Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (postgraduate medical qualifications)

Other institutions

• American College Dublin^[20]
• Burren College of Art
• St Patrick's College, Maynooth
• Cavan Institute
• Christian Leadership in Education Office (CLEO), postgraduate education programmes validated by the University of Hull
• 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 (historically validated by Dublin Institute of Technology and Boston College)
• Dorset College
• Dublin Business School^[20]
• Dublin Institute of Design (Closed 2023)
• Gaiety School of Acting
• Galway Business School
• The Grafton Academy of Fashion Design
• Griffith College Cork^[20]
• Griffith College Dublin^[20]
• Griffith College Limerick^[20]
• Hibernia College^[20]
• IBAT College Dublin^[20]
• ICD Business School^[20]
• Independent College Dublin^[20]
• Irish Bible Institute (a component of the University of Wales (2005–2013),^[21] York St John University since 2014.)
• Irish Management Institute ^UCC
• Kimmage Development Studies Centre (merged into Maynooth University)
• Mallow College of Further Education
• Newman College Ireland
• Pitman Training Ireland^[22]
• Portobello Institute^[20]
• The Priory Institute (validated by Institute of Technology, Tallaght)
• Spirituality Institute for Research and Education (Masters validated by Waterford Institute of Technology)
• St. John's Central College, Cork
• St. Nicholas Montessori College^[20]
• St. Patrick's, Carlow College^[15][20]
• Setanta College^[20]
• Turning Point^{[citation needed]}

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:

• Boston College Ireland – delivers "Study Abroad" and summer programmes on St. Stephens Green, central Dublin
• Champlain College Ireland – delivers "Study Abroad" programmes to US students at a campus on Leeson Street, central Dublin
• Duquesne University – students study in UCD and stay at Duquesne University's St. Michael's House facility
• École de management de Normandie – A Dublin campus opened in 2017
• Georgia Southern University – Opened in 2019, Georgia Southern University has a campus in Wexford Town
• University of Notre Dame – have two centres in Ireland, the new Notre Dame Center at Kylemore Abbey^[23] in Connemara and O'Connell House in Dublin from which students study at Trinity or UCD
• Open University – the UK based Open University has an Irish office in Dublin
• Sacred Heart University – has an Irish studies base in Dingle, County Kerry^[24]

Foreign institutions who validate programmes in Ireland

Historically a number of institutions, including seminaries such as

• University of Chester – 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
• University of Hull – Christian Leadership in Education Office, Cork, since 1993
• University of Hull – 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
• University of Wales – 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
• York St John University – Irish Bible Institute since 2014
• York St John University – validated the Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland Masters programme from 2012 to 2016
• St. Saviour’s Priory, Dublin
• St John's College, Nottingham – has validated programmes with the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. St John's College closed in 2019.

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 to 1979; NIHE Dublin (now DCU
  ) was built on its grounds, incorporating some of its buildings
• All Hallows College (1842–2016), now part of Dublin City University^[15]
• Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin (1791–1971)
• Catholic University of Ireland (1854–1908), evolved into University College Dublin
• Church of Ireland College of Education (1816–2016), previously linked to University of Dublin, now part of DCU
• Cork Institute of Technology, merged with IT Tralee in 2021 to form Munster Technological University
• Froebel College of Education (1943–2013), now part of Maynooth University^[26]
• HSI College^[20]
• IT Tralee, merged with CIT in 2021 to form Munster Technological University
• 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^[15]
• Media Lab Europe (2000–05)
• Mid West Business Institute, now part of Griffith College Limerick^[20]
• Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy (1968–2015)^[15]
• 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^[20]
• 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^[15]
• Tipperary Institute (1999–2011), now part of Limerick Institute of Technology^[15]
• Thomond College of Education, Limerick (1973–1991), became part of University of Limerick
• Tourism College Killybegs (1969–2001), now part of Letterkenny Institute of Technology
• University of Dublin (medieval) (operated intermittently 1320–1534)
• Limerick Institute of Technology, merged with AIT in 2021 to form the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).
• Athlone Institute of Technology, merged with LIT in 2021 to form the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).

Professional Bodies

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

Footnotes

• ^DU College is linked to University of Dublin.
• ^MTU College is linked to Munster Technological University
• ^NUI College is linked to National University of Ireland.
• ^UG College is linked to University of Galway.
• ^UCC College is linked to University College Cork.
• ^UL College is linked to University of Limerick.

See also

• List of Ireland-related topics
  • Education in the Republic of Ireland
    • List of schools in the Republic of Ireland
    • Central Applications Office
    • HEAnet – Ireland's National Education & Research Network
    • Higher Education Authority
    • Higher Education and Training Awards Council
    • Further Education and Training Awards Council
    • ITnet – Institute of Technology Network
    • National Qualifications Authority of Ireland
    • Postgraduate Applications Centre
    • State Examinations Commission
• List of colleges and universities
  • List of universities in Northern Ireland
• Open access in the Republic of Ireland

References

External links

• "Higher Education Outcomes – Graduation Years". Central Statistics Office.
• "Graduate Outcomes – 2021". Higher Education Authority. December 2021.
• Department of Education and Science list of higher education providers in Ireland, updated regularly