YOUR SCHOLARSHIP IN EUROPE

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Your Scholarship in Europe 2008-2009
Ireland
Basic Information about Ireland
Ireland (Éire in the Irish language) is situated in the extreme north-west of Europe
between the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. The island of Ireland has a large central
lowland with a relief of hills and several coastal mountains and consists of 32 counties,
the six of which to the north-east make up Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom.
The capital of Ireland is Dublin, and St. Patrick’s Day, 17 March, is the National Holiday.
Ireland has a population of approximately 4.1 million and two offi cial languages, Irish
and English. The language of instruction in schools is English. Ireland is a two-house
parliamentary democracy with an elected President as Head of State.
The Higher Education System
The Irish higher education system was traditionally divided into three basic levels: primary
(8 years), secondary (5 or 6 years) and third level, which offers a wide range of
opportunities from post-secondary courses to vocational and technical training, as well
as full degrees and the highest post-graduate levels.
The higher education system in Ireland is broad in scope and encompasses the university
sector, the technology sector, education colleges and private, independent colleges.
The institutions falling within the fi rst three groupings are autonomous and self
governing, but substantially state-funded.
Admission to higher education for Irish students is competitive and based upon performance
in the fi nal secondary school examination, the Leaving Certifi cate. Admission requirements
for overseas students are determined individually by each institution and are generally
based on performance in national examinations and English language aptitude.
The following academic awards can be acquired at Irish higher education institutions:
• Higher Certifi cate: Two-year, full-time course.
• Ordinary Bachelors Degree: Three-year, full-time course.
• Honours Bachelors Degree: Normally a three- or four-year course.
• Graduate Diploma: Designed for graduates seeking vocational reorientation –
usually a one-year course.
• Masters Degree: Either by research or through a programme of teaching. Normally
one or two years in duration.
• Doctorate (PhD): Usually takes a minimum of three years of original research.
The academic year typically runs from September to June and is divided into either two
or three semesters with holidays in December (Christmas) and April (Easter).