United Kingdom (UK) vs Ireland for International Students

UK vs Ireland: The United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland are both popular study-abroad destinations for Indian students, offering high-quality education, vibrant cultures, and potential post-study work opportunities. However, deciding between the two can be a challenge. This comprehensive guide will explore the key factors Indian students should consider when choosing between studying in the UK or Ireland.

The UK and Ireland offer some of the top-ranked universities in the world giving n-number of chances for growth to international students. The doors to various possibilities and work opportunities open up for students who complete their higher education either in the UK or Ireland. For this reason, students from around the world wish to study in the UK and Ireland. This article draws comparisons between the UK and Ireland as study-abroad destinations.  

UK vs Ireland: Best Country for Study

Through this article, we have tried to address this very confusion. In this article, we have provided a very unbiased outlook of the United Kingdom and Ireland to help candidates make the right choice. We have taken into account popular parameters such as popular courses, and job availability, cost of studies as the deciding factors. We are going to compare both countries based on several data items from dozens of different sources. All data are based on the most recent data available to us. 

Top Universities for International Students

In this section, we have mentioned the top universities in UK and Ireland as per the latest QS World University Rankings. 

UK vs Ireland: Admission Requirements

In this section, we have talked about the admission requirements for UK and Ireland. 

UK

For UG courses in the UK, premier universities used to require 13 years of pre-university education. This rule was recently changed and now UK universities recognize CBSE plus two certificates for admission to UG courses.

In PG courses, you can get admission after finishing a three-year UG degree. To get admission to management courses you will have to appear for GMAT. For science courses, you may not need to take the GRE exam so check with the university first.

Similar to the US, you might be required to have a few years of work experience in the case of management courses in the UK. TOEFL or IELTS may be waivered by the university but are important for getting a visa. 

Ireland

For each course, a minimum academic score of 60% and above in Standard XII is required. Foundations and Diploma programs are available for students who have secured around 50%. The student should have completed 18 years of age before joining a degree program. It is important to remember that even though the entry requirement is lower at Irish universities, the education standard is not. Hence, you should carefully enhance your ability to cope with the high standard of education over the next few years beforehand.

For undergraduate courses, Irish universities accept applications through the Central Applications Office (CAO) an online enrolment system.

You will have to create an account on the CAO website to provide your basic information, submit the scanned version of your documents, a score of TOEFL/IELTS, and pay application fees. You will be informed about the application process and its stages through this account.

If you are applying for a postgraduate course at an Irish university, you need to have a relevant bachelor’s degree or diploma. Your undergraduate course must be consistent and relevant to the course you wish to pursue in your master’s. Candidates would also be required to appear for an English proficiency test to prove their command of the English language. 

Cost of Studying an Undergraduate Programme: Comparison Between UK and Ireland

This section talks about the cost of studying an undergraduate programme in UK vs Ireland. 

Cost of Studying a Postgraduate Programme

This section talks about the cost of studying a postgraduate programme in UK vs Ireland. 

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Student Visa for UK and Ireland

Know all about the UK Student Visa vs Ireland Student Visa. 

UK Student Visa

A full-time student visa is called a Tier 4 (general) student visa. For this visa, these rules apply -

• This visa category is for students coming to the UK for higher education. To apply for this, the applicant must be at least 16 years old.
• Tier 4 (General) student visa is issued to those students who shall be pursuing a full-time degree and not to students who will study language or short-term courses.
• The fee for the Tier 4 (General) student visa is £490.
• Students can apply for the Tier 4 (General) student visa 3 months before starting the course that they want to pursue
• There are certain rules that international students who go on a student visa must be aware of. Some of the restrictions on working part-time on a UK student visa include a maximum of 20 hours per week of paid / unpaid work for those studying at a degree level or more. Full-time work is allowed at the time of vacations.

Ireland Student Visa

• Students are required to apply for an Ireland Study Visa if they are planning to come to Ireland to undertake a course of study for three months or less or longer than three months
• Applicants would be required to show funds of at least €10,000 per year in their bank account at the time of applying for the study visa. This amount equals the cost of living in Ireland for an international student for one academic year.
• The cost of an Ireland student visa is EUR 100. 
• Holding a valid stamp 2 means you will be permitted to work for 20 hours per week during the academic session, and 40 hours per week during May, June, July, and August, and from 15th December to 15th January. These are the vacation times in Ireland so the time allowed to work increases in the vacations.

Post-Graduate Work Visa in UK and Ireland 

Check out the differences between the post-study work visas for the UK and Ireland. 

UK Post Study Work Visa

• The UK Home Office has opened its new post-study work visa (Graduate route visa) for international students.
• According to the Graduate route, international students who have got their degree from a recognised university in the UK can stay there and look for work for two years.
• To apply for the UK Post Study Work Visa, you should be in the UK. You must also have a student visa. Apart from this, you should have also studied a bachelor’s / postgraduate/other eligible degrees from the UK and the university or college should have informed The Home Office about the successful completion of the course.

Ireland Post Study Work Visa

Once you have finished your studies in Ireland, you may wish to stay back a little longer and consider taking up a job to gain invaluable work experience on an Irish post-study work visa. If you are enrolled as a full-time student, with an Irish accredited degree, and have the Visa Stamp 2 you may qualify for the Third Level Graduate Scheme. The steps to the process are as follows –

1. Students can apply for a non-renewable extension of up to 2 years after course completion. This extension is granted for the purpose of finding suitable employment.
2. Later on, you can apply for a green card (renamed Critical Skills Employment Permit) or work permit (renamed General Employment Permit).

A new visa stamp – Stamp 1G – is now granted to foreign graduates who are authorized to work under the Third Level Graduate Scheme. So if you are granted Stamp 1G you don’t need to separately apply for a visa extension.

Popular Job Sectors in UK and Ireland

Check out the popular fields of work opportunities in the UK and Ireland. 

UK

Top jobs in the UK are Accountancy, banking and finance, engineering, healthcare, law, information technology, retail, sales, science, and pharmaceuticals.

Ireland

Some of the top job sectors in Ireland are business/finance, healthcare, information technology, engineering, life sciences, marketing, etc. For a list of popular Jobs in Ireland visit: top job sectors in Ireland. 

Residency in UK and Ireland

Learn more about the PR conditions in Ireland and UK below. 

UK

Permanent Residency in the UK is also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). As per this, you can live and work in the UK permanently. You can apply for ILR if:

• You have lived in the UK for 5 years or more
• You have a work visa
• You are a family member of a UK citizen or permanent resident

Ireland

If you have been living in Ireland with a work permit for five years you become eligible for the Ireland Permanent Residence Permit. Foreign applicants who receive Irish permanent residency will get a Stamp 4 on their passport, valid for 5 years and renewable. Additionally, after eight years of legal residence, the foreign national can apply for a “Without Condition As To Time” endorsement, which as the name suggests, does not have a pre-specified validity.

UK vs Ireland: Scholarships & Financial Aid

Several scholarships are available to study in the UK and Ireland. Check out the details below. 

UK

Both the UK Government and Universities offer an extensive range of UK scholarships and fellowships for Indian students. These financial aid tools are open for all prospective students wishing to pursue a full-time study program in any stream. For a list of scholarships, visit: Scholarships to Study in UK

Ireland

Ireland has over time become one of the preferred study-abroad destinations for international students and for the right reasons. To encourage the flow of foreign nationals for education, the country along with Irish universities have announced several scholarships for the benefit of international students. For a list of scholarships, visit: Scholarships to Study in Ireland

Climate Condition

UK

The UK has a variable climate changing from day to day. It is difficult to predict the weather. In general, the summers are warm and winters see snowfall. Summers are cooler than those of India. Also, the rains are unpredictable and it could rain at any time during the year. The average temperature in summers is around 25°C to 15°C; in winters it is around 7°C to 0°C. The UK is divided into two main climate zones: a maritime climate and a continental climate. The maritime climate dominates in the south-east of England and includes London, with rainfall distributed evenly throughout the year. The continental zone covers most of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and parts of northern England. It has a much more pronounced seasonal temperature variation with cold winters and warm summers, as well as high levels of precipitation throughout the year.

Ireland

Ireland has a temperate oceanic climate because of the controlling influence of the Atlantic Ocean. Mean annual temperatures usually range between 9°C and 10°C with a higher value in coastal regions. Summer is the warmest season and the average temperature is between 18°C and 20°C. July is the warmest month, followed by August and June. The coldest month is January followed by February and then December.

Candidates looking for assistance with university admissions are required to get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad counsellors on our website. Students can get in touch with us in the comments below.