Living in Ireland as a Student
Source: Dorset College Magazine, Issue 3, September 2021
This is a common question that is often asked by students. To help you understand this scenario a little better, we will look in detail at English Language Courses.
International students who come to the country can study up to 2 years of English with up to 3 periods of 8 months, with 6 months of classes and 2 months of holidays. This process can be renewed for two more periods, for a total of 24 months per language course, stamp 2 visa. After this period, or even before, the student can do Undergraduate levels 7 and 8. The courses vary from 1 to 4 years of classes.
It is possible in many cases, depending on the course, to have another year stamp 1G, and this visa is granted so that the students can put what they have learnt into practice and work full time for 12 months. After completing the course, students who wish to remain in the country can start a Master's degree level 9. Courses generally last from 12 to 18 months, and after completion, are entitled to up to 2 years of the 1G stamp of full-time work visa, the same as students receive after graduation.
How long can I live in Ireland as a student? FAQ
1: Does time spent studying in the country count towards Irish citizenship?
The Irish government changed the law in 2014, and from then on, study visas are no longer eligible to be considered as time spent towards an application for Irish citizenship.
2: How long after I have done two years of English in the country can I do English again?
According to the visa rules, you are not allowed to restart studying English after you complete the two years, so if you have already done a language exchange once in your life, you will not be able to do it again. The same applies to undergraduate, postgraduate and masters courses.
3: Can I do another degree or Masters after I finish my course?
No. Each student must show progression and are allowed to study one Bachelor, one Master or Post Graduate course at level 9 on the National Irish Framework. Students cannot register for a second Bachelor or Master if they remain on the Stamp 2 visa.
As we have seen, it is possible to study long term in the country, not to mention that during the study period other opportunities may arise, such as a work visa for example, but this is a subject for our next meeting.
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