Céad Míle Fáilte (100,000 Welcomes!)

NCAD welcomes applications from qualified applicants from all over the world and each application will be considered on an individual basis. 

Entry to studio programmes is based on meeting minimum academic requirements as well as the submission of a portfolio. Applications to AD215 BA Visual Culture do not require a portfolio. 

Students from outside Ireland / EU who wish to apply to degree courses at NCAD must have a High School Qualification from their home country which is the equivalent to the Irish School Leaving Certificate. If you wish to apply with other qualifications (Third Level courses, etc.) these will also be considered.

International applicants are required to submit certified transcripts of their second-level or equivalent examinations. You will need to submit a certified English translation of your transcripts as well as the original language version.  

Check out the virtual tour of the NCAD campus below, to get a sense of what it's like to study at Ireland's most significatnt provider of Art and Design Education. 

Note Regarding Ukrainian Undergraduate Applicants:  

All applicants who have been displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and who have been granted Temporary Protection in Ireland, are eligible to apply on the same basis as an EU applicant via Central Applications Office (CAO). Whether you are presenting the Irish Leaving Certificate or other qualifications, you should refer to details on the CAO website for further information www.cao.ie  

If you have any further questions please contact the NCAD Admissions Office: admissions@ncad.ie

Coming to Study in Ireland

If you are a non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss, and non-UK national planning to study at NCAD, you will need to follow the student immigration process to comply with Irish immigration legislation and policy guidelines.

The process for student immigration starts with applying for a student entry visa, for visa-required students. After that, students can arrive in Ireland and present themselves to border control. Once in the country, they must complete the registration with the Irish immigration authorities. Students need to renew their immigration permission annually throughout their course of study. Upon graduation, students can apply for post-graduate permission, which allows them to stay in Ireland for work for a while.

Please check the Student Immigration Timeline and the Student Immigration Guidelines below for detailed information.

Student Immigration Timeline

• Check if you need an entry visa - Please check before coming to Ireland to study.
• Entry visa application - If you require a visa the first step for your Irish entry visa application is to check the requirements of the closest Irish Embassy and then fill out the AVATS form.  
• Arrival in Ireland - When you arrive in Ireland, you must present to an Immigration Officer at the airport or port of entry.
• Booking the registration appointment - If you wish to register a permission for the first time, please register for or log into your personal Customer Service Account
• Registering a permission for the first time - If you are a non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss, and non-UK national, and come to Ireland to study for more than 90 days, you must register your immigration permission with your local immigration office.
• Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card - An Irish Residence Permit is a small card that shows you are legally in the State through the type of immigration permission you have, represented by a stamp number - if you are a full-time student, you should hold a valid Stamp 2 or 2A permission. **PLEASE NOTE: It is highly important that when you receive your stamp in the immigration office that you check the stamp you have received is correct and what you expected, before you leave the office. If you leave the office with the wrong stamp it can take a very long time to get this issue rectified, which could have a negative impact on your stay in Ireland**
• Registration Renewal - When you receive your IRP card, the expiration date will be indicated. Depending on your permission, you may be able to renew it.
• FAQ - Read more useful FAQ

Student Immigration Guidelines

Entry visa step by step

The Irish entry visa application process can be summarised in the following simple steps:  

• Create your online application form via AVATS
• Print and sign your completed form
• Arrange your visa appointment with Visa Facilitation Service (VFS), if applicable.
• Compile your supporting documentation  
• Submit your documents based on the country-specific instructions on the printed AVATS form 
• Pay your visa fee (country-specific)
• Await the visa application outcome.

Further information on how to apply is available on the Embassy website, while information on Irish student visa policy is available on the Irish immigration website.

Irish Border Control

Entry to Ireland, for any non-EEA citizen, visa or non-visa required, is determined by the Immigration Officer at border control and is based on the documentation presented at the time of arrival.

All relevant factors are taken into account, including but not limited to, the purpose of the stay and your ability to support yourself during your stay in Ireland.

Each application for entry to Ireland is assessed on its own merits. Therefore, we advise all our students coming from outside the EU to carry any relevant documentation with them for presentation to the Immigration Officer on arrival in Ireland.

When you land in Ireland, we recommend that you have the following documentation with you:

• Passport (with your valid student entry visa if you are a visa required national).
• NCAD offer letter. You can contact admissions@ncad.ie for this. 
• Evidence of private medical health insurance with detailed coverage information.
• Evidence of tuition fees paid, scholarship or sponsorship details or US Financial Aid if applicable.
• Accommodation details.
• Evidence that you have access to at least:

- €7,000 for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or greater

- €585 per month or €4,680 (in total) for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or less

All documents presented should be originals and, if in a language other than English, accompanied by translation.

On approval, you will get a temporary immigration permission valid for up to 90 days stamped in your passport. You must register with the Irish Immigration Service within the timeframe stamped on your passport in order to obtain an Irish Residency Permit (IRP) card which provides permission to remain in Ireland beyond the date stamped on your passport.

Please be aware that it is not possible to change to student status if you receive a tourist immigration stamp on arrival.

If you arrive via the border with Northern Ireland to study in the Republic of Ireland, you must report to an Immigration Officer at the Dundalk Immigration Office, a port of entry at Dublin Airport or Port, or a local Garda Síochána (police) immigration office within 30 days of your arrival.

Immigration Registration

First time registration with the Irish Immigration Service.

All non-EEA/UK students who are staying in Ireland for longer than 90 days, must register with Irish Immigration Service after they have registered with NCAD and before the expiry date stamped on their passport by immigration officials at the airport. 

If you wish to register a permission for the first time, please register for or log into your personal Customer Service Account and attend the Burgh Quay Office which is located in Dublin City Centre. Information on how to access the Digital Contact Centre (Customer Service Account) and verify your registration can be found here.

Please be aware that your biometric data such as fingerprints and photo will be collected as part of your registration process.

You must have the following when you go to register:

• Your passport
• Certificate of Attendance - You can contact admissions@ncad.ie for this
• Proof that you have paid at least €6000 in course fees - You can contact feesandgrants@ncad.ie for this
• Proof of scholarship funding (if relevant)
• Proof that you have private medical insurance 
• If you did not need a visa to come to Ireland, you must also prove that you can support yourself financially while you are in the country. You can do this by showing you have direct access to:

- €7,000 for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or greater

- €585 per month or €4,680 (in total) for courses resulting in residence of 8 months or less

Please see further information about evidence of finances on the Irish Immigration website. A credit/debit card is needed for the payment of a €300 registration fee.

You can check all requirements for first time registration on the Irish Immigration website. If any of the documents are missing, your application will be refused.

Please note that students under the age of 18 must have their guardian present at the time of first registration. Guardians must have their own passport, written authorisation from the students parents (proof of guardianship) and proof of residence in Ireland. The 300 euros fee is waived for these students.

On successful completion of your ISD registration, you will be issued with an Irish Residency Permit  (IRP) card which is your registration certificate. This will be sent to you by post/mail within 10 working days. This is valid for one year, or for single semester students, until the end of their course. Your IRP card is a very important document and you must carry it with you at all times.

If you do not receive the card within 10 working days, contact ISD on their Digital Contact Centre with your full name, registration number (if available), nationality and date of birth, and log a query there.

IRP Card Renewal

Online renewal of permissions from all applicants nationwide should be submitted using the ISD online renewal portal. Applicants will not need to attend the Burgh Quay Registration Office in person to renew an immigration permission, unless it is deemed necessary. Please check the list of required documents for your online renewal.

This means all students nationwide looking to renew their registration will no longer have to book an appointment and attend the registration office in person.

Prepare to renew online by registering through the INIS Online renewal application portal.

Please see the documents you must upload to the portal for the renewal of registration:

• Copy of Biometric page of your current valid passport(s)
• Copy of your current Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or 'IRP card'
• Proof that you are enrolled on a course of full time education. A letter of attendance can be requested from studentrecords@ncad.ie 
• Proof that you have paid NCAD fees (you must be able to show you have paid at least €6,000. A copy of your fee receipt can be requested from feesandgrants@ncad.ie
• Proof of scholarship funding (if applicable)
• Proof that you have private medical insurance (you cannot use travel insurance)

A €300 fee applies to all renewals and this is paid online at the time of application.

Please make sure you have your correct address in MyNCAD as it will be printed on your documents. If you need to change this please contact studentrecords@ncad.ie. Your new IRP card will be posted to the address you provide.

Processing times can be checked here. You can find further information about registration renewals on the Irish Immigration Service website and you can submit a query online using ISD's Digital Contact Centre.

Graduate Visa - Stamp 1G Permission

Ireland's graduate visa, also known as stay-back visa, refers to the Third Level Graduate Programme that allows non-EEA students, who have graduated from Irish higher education institutions, to remain in Ireland to seek employment. You must have graduated after 1 January 2017 with a Level 8 or above degree to qualify.

Please visit the Irish Immigration Service website for further information.

NCAD students can apply to avail of the programme once their academic transcript is available, confirming that their award has been achieved. You can check the date of release of final results by contacting studentrecords@ncad.ie 

Health Insurance

Private health insurance is insurance that helps cover medical and hospital costs incurred while you are in Ireland. The Irish Immigration Service requires students from outside the EU/EEA to obtain private health insurance for visa application and immigration registration purposes. NCAD does not arrange health insurance for students.

Non-EEA Students

Non-EEA students must obtain private health insurance. You can purchase insurance in your home country for your first year, however you will need to ensure that it is valid in Ireland and in any other countries you plan to travel to. The requirements are below:

Private Medical Insurance or Travel Insurance with medical cover for accidents and medical incident including hospital stays in Ireland, valid for 12 months, or if less than 12 months for the duration of your stay.

There are different levels of private health insurance available. Students are advised to read their policy documents carefully and pay close attention to “waiting periods” particularly if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. In addition, students should ensure that repatriation cover is included in their policy.

There are three main health insurance providers in Ireland - Vhi, Irish Life and Laya Healthcare.

Further information on health insurance in Ireland, including a health insurance comparison tool, is available through the Health Insurance Authority website.

EU Nationals

Students from EU Member States in possession of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are entitled to public health services in Ireland. The EHIC card is available from the health authorities in your home country. For further information and information on your entitlements to healthcare while in Ireland, please see the European Health Insurance Card website.

ISD Health Insurance Requirements for Continuing Students

Health insurance must be purchased from an Irish provider after the first year - this requirement is applicable to any student renewing their IRP card. In summary:

1. For Registration - Private Medical Insurance or Travel Insurance with medical cover for accidents and medical incident including hospital stays in Ireland, valid for 12 months, or if less than 12 months for the duration of your stay.

2. For renewals - Proof of your private medical insurance. Insurance must cover accidents & medical incidents including hospital stays for the duration of your residence. Travel insurance is not sufficient for Renewal.

Accommodation

NCAD does not provide on-campus accommodation. There are various private providers of student accommodation in Dublin City and some of these are located very close to NCAD, such as Highlight and Binary Hub. 

NCAD advises that you should NEVER hand over money for student accommodation in the private rental sector, without viewing a property in person and receiving a signed lease. For further details see guidelines by Threshold, the Housing Association.

Many websites offer properties and rooms to let. Some of these are listed below. These are all external sites, and NCAD is not responsible for their content, nor does this sharing denote endorsement. We urge all students to research accommodation options thoroughly, and never hand over a deposit without seeing a place in person and signing a lease first.

www.daft.ie (Go to ‘Student accommodation’ for the option to look at near-campus or transport route accommodation)

www.rent.ie

Short-term options are available at:

www.airbnb.ie

www.hostelworld.com

Student House offers a free house finding service for students, primarily within the Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector.

NCAD Students Union has a Facebook page which students may use to find accommodation - SU Accommodation Network

Cost of Living

The cost of living for a student in Ireland can vary depending on what part of the country you live in, what type of accommodation you choose, your transport options for travelling to and from classes, as well as a range of other factors.

ICOS - Irish Council for International Students have good information on the costs of living and tips on how to keep costs down. Information on the cost of living can also be found on the website, Numbeo.

We recommend that students research the cost of living in Dublin and arrange their finances accordingly. 

Undergraduate Scholarships for International Students

China Merit Undergraduate Scholarship

Building on the success of the Claddagh Scholarship Programme initiative for Postgraduate Students, Education in Ireland will launch a new independent scholarship scheme in 2025 - The China Merit Undergraduate Scholarship. This initiative aims to highlight the unique strengths of Ireland’s undergraduate education and further support undergraduate recruitment among Irish HEIs from 2025.

NCAD will offer 2 scholarships for our BA in Interaction Design programme. The recipients of these scholarships will receive a €2,500 reduction in non-EU tuition fees. 

Please find more information about the scholarship, and how to apply here.

Advanced Entry

An application to any year after Year 1 is called Advanced Entry. Entry to year 2 / 3 / 4 of a programme is reviewed on a case-by-case basis; there is no automatic entry based on any specific previous qualification; all applications are reviewed individually.

Students from outside Ireland / EU applying to Years 2, 3 or 4 of courses must also submit certified transcripts of their third-level college examinations, together with two letters of recommendation from their college: one from either the Director of their college or their Head of Department, and one from their course tutor.

In the case of applicants to Years 2, 3 or 4 these documents should be uploaded when completing the online application form. 

Please note that places for advanced entry applications are extremely limited and we strongly recommend that you apply for Year 1 also. 

Contact NCAD Admissions
Email: admissions@ncad.ie or international@ncad.ie  
Find out more about studying at NCAD

Follow NCAD