Living in Ireland
Ireland is an exciting destination for many Luxembourgish students, combining high-quality education, an open culture, and a unique student life experience. Whether you want to study in a vibrant city such as Dublin, Cork, or Galway, we have put together the most important information for you here to help make the start of your studies in Ireland as smooth and easy as possible.
University Application
If you are interested in studying in Ireland, applications for all universities are submitted through the central platform CAO (Central Applications Office). Registration on cao.ie must normally be completed by 1 February, although late applications are still possible until 1 May. When submitting an application, students must provide their personal details, secondary school qualifications, and other relevant information. The current application fees are €35 for early applications and €50 for late applications.
Applicants can list up to ten study choices, spread across different universities and cities, which are ranked according to personal preference. In addition, applicants may send supporting materials, such as letters of recommendation, transcripts, or certificates, by post to strengthen their application. Once the secondary school leaving certificate has been obtained, it must also be sent by post to Ireland.
Towards the end of August, usually about one week after Irish students receive their examination results, the first offers are released. If a student accepts an offer, any higher-ranked choices remain available and may still be offered later if a place becomes available.
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Student Life
The academic year in Ireland usually runs from mid-September until early or late May, depending on the university. During the winter, students typically have around four weeks of holiday over Christmas and the New Year period. Examinations for the first semester are generally held in December, while those for the second semester take place in April or May.
Many degree programmes also include a Reading Week in the middle of the semester. This provides students with time to prepare for midterm examinations, catch up on coursework, or simply take a short break and travel.
Accomodation
When it comes to accommodation, several universities offer first-year students a guaranteed or at least prioritised place in student housing. At Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin (UCD), students must apply separately through the university’s accommodation portal. However, a place in student accommodation is not guaranteed.
Particularly in Dublin, but also in other Irish cities, private accommodation is often expensive and difficult to find. For this reason, many students choose to live in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA).
These residences typically offer a single room with a private bathroom within a shared flat or apartment housing six to eight students. Contracts are usually available either for the academic year or for the full calendar year. Well-known providers of student accommodation in Ireland include Yugo and Aparto.
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Everyday Life
Student life in Ireland also comes with a few practical considerations. For public transport, students can apply for a Leap Card. Young adults aged 19 to 25 are eligible for the Young Adult Card, while other students can obtain a standard Student Leap Card. Both cards provide approximately 50% discounts on public transport fares. You can find more information about the Leap Card here:
In Dublin, the most reliable and fastest form of public transport is the LUAS tram system. The Green Line connects the north and south of the city, while the Red Line links the west and east.
When it comes to leisure activities, the first week of university is usually known as Freshers’ Week, during which a wide range of events and activities are organised for new students. Throughout the academic year, Dublin also hosts several well-known student nights, which take place on different days of the week.
For travelling home to Luxembourg, there are direct flights between Dublin and Luxembourg almost every day, operated by Luxair and Ryanair. Depending on the season and how far in advance tickets are booked, flights can sometimes be very inexpensive, although last-minute bookings may be significantly more expensive. From Dublin, it is also easy to continue travelling by train or bus to other Irish cities such as Galway and Cork.
