The cost of studying abroad in Ireland runs from about €740 for a short mini stay to €24,800 or more for a full academic year, and the difference comes down to length, accommodation and who is paying tuition. For a teenager, a summer camp is the lowest-commitment route. For a full year or university, tuition and living costs are the two big lines, and visa rules set a minimum amount of money you must be able to show.
This guide sets out the price ranges by programme type, the living costs and extras families forget, and the payment and cancellation points to settle before you book.
TL;DR
- Our Irish summer camps cost €2,280 (Cork), €2,310 (Limerick) and €2,330 (Dublin) per person. Mini stays cost €740 to €1,150.
- Our academic year in Ireland costs €13,500 to €24,800 per year. University tuition for non-EU students is a separate bill, often €9,850 to €25,500 a year for undergraduates.
- Students who need a visa must show access to at least €10,000 for a one-year course. Shorter stays have a lower monthly figure.
- Budget for living costs, health insurance, registration and spending money on top of the programme fee.
- Before paying, read the refund policy and the payment schedule in writing.
Table of Contents
- What study abroad in Ireland costs by programme type
- Living costs: the second half of the budget
- What affects the total
- Visa and funds: the cost you must be able to show
- Payment plans and deposits
- Cancellation and refunds: what to look for
- Extra costs families forget
- Our perspective
- Choosing a programme that fits your budget
- See what fits your family
- FAQ
- Sources
What study abroad in Ireland costs by programme type
"Study abroad" covers very different products. A two-week summer camp, a school-group stay, a year in an Irish secondary school and a degree at an Irish university have little in common on price. Here is how the ranges look side by side for the programmes we offer, as published on our site.
| Programme | Typical age | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Summer camp in Cork | 10 to 18 | €2,280 per person |
| Summer camp in Limerick | 10 to 18 | €2,310 per person |
| Summer camp in Dublin | 10 to 18 | €2,330 per person |
| Mini stay | School groups and individuals | €740 to €1,150 per person |
| Academic year in Ireland | Secondary school age | €13,500 to €24,800 per year |
| Work experience only | Young adults | From €1,500 |
| Work and language course | Young adults | From €1,980 |
| University placement consulting | Applicants to university | From €1,300 |
| Gap year | Post-school | No published price |
The gap year has no fixed price because it is built around the person. Tell us what you want and we match the programme to it.
Summer camps: the entry point
If your child is trying study abroad for the first time, a summer camp is the sensible starting point. Our summer camps in Ireland in Cork, Limerick and Dublin cost between €2,280 and €2,330 per person. For 2027 we also run camps in England: Bath at £2,480 and Leeds at £2,590, both listed on our programmes page.
We go deeper on what a camp fee covers in our breakdown of summer camp costs in Ireland.
Mini stays and school groups
A mini stay costs €740 to €1,150 per person. It suits school groups or families who want a short taste of Irish school life and a host family before committing to more. If you organise trips for a class, our guide to school group trips to Ireland covers planning, costs and sample itineraries.
An academic year in Ireland or the UK
The academic year is the largest single spend. Our academic year in Ireland is priced from €13,500 to €24,800 per year, and our academic year in the United Kingdom from €8,900 to €25,900. The range is wide because the final figure depends on the school, the location and whether your child lives with a host family or in residence.
University study in Ireland
University fees are paid to the university, not to us. For non-EU/EEA undergraduates, tuition ranges from about €9,850 to €25,500 a year for business, engineering or science, while medicine and health sciences can reach €39,500 to €55,000. EU/EEA students often pay lower fees, so residency status changes the bill more than almost anything else.
Our university placement service starts from €1,300 and helps with choosing courses and applying. Our guide on applying to an Irish university as an international student walks through the process.
Living costs: the second half of the budget
Programme fees are only part of the picture for a long stay. Ireland's immigration service uses €10,000 as the estimated cost of living for one academic year, and this is the amount a student needing a visa must be able to show.
Real spending is often higher in cities. The European Education Area profile puts monthly living expenses in a major city such as Dublin at about €950 to €1,500 or more. The Technological University of the Shannon estimates an international student's average living cost over 12 months at €15,000.
That same handbook gives a useful line-by-line budget:
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | €600 per month |
| Food | €200 per month |
| Social life | €100 per month |
| Immigration registration | €300 |
| Health insurance, first year | €150 to €200 |
| Health insurance, later years | €190 to €686 |
These are one university's figures, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote. If your child is on one of our programmes with a host family or residence place, accommodation is arranged as part of the placement, which makes the budget easier to plan. For city-by-city detail, see this overview of student living expenses in Ireland.
Spending money
Pocket money is the line families underestimate. Our guide to monthly study abroad spending shows a range of $700 to $3,500 or more a month depending on lifestyle, and explains the visa proof that goes with it. A local account also makes day-to-day payments simpler, which our student bank account guide for families explains.
What affects the total
Four things move the price more than anything else.
- Length. A two-week camp and a ten-month school year sit at opposite ends of the scale.
- Location. Dublin is generally the most expensive place to live. Cork and Limerick tend to be gentler on the budget, which is reflected in our camp prices for Cork at €2,280 compared with Dublin at €2,330.
- Accommodation. Host family and residence placements are priced differently, and the choice moves the academic year figure within its range.
- EU or non-EU status. Costs depend on the institution, programme and residency status, and EU/EEA students often pay less in tuition.
Visa and funds: the cost you must be able to show
Not every student needs a visa, but those who do must prove they can pay their way. Students who need a visa must show proof of financial resources during the application, while non-visa nationals show it at registration.
For shorter courses, the requirement is lower. For a stay of 6 to 8 months, the figure is €833 per month, so €4,998 for 6 months or €6,665 for 8 months. For a one-year course, it is the full €10,000.
The visa application itself is a modest cost. One guide to the process lists fees of €60 for single entry and €100 for multiple entry, and says that non-UK/EU/EEA/Swiss students usually need one. Check the official immigration pages for the current fee for your nationality.
We handle visas, accommodation and school placement for our programme students, and our guides explain the paperwork if you want to understand it first: Ireland student visa documents and AVATS, UK student visa requirements and exchange student requirements.
Payment plans and deposits
Most families pay for a longer programme in stages rather than in one go. Whatever the schedule, the questions to settle before you pay a deposit are the same:
- How much is due at booking, and when are the remaining instalments?
- What does the quoted fee include, and which charges sit on top?
- How is payment made, and will you get written confirmation of receipt?
Irish rules push providers towards transparency here. Providers of higher education and professional programmes on the Interim List must publish fees and ancillary charges clearly. Universities also tend to steer international students to traceable payment channels. TUS, for example, recommends Flywire for secure, verifiable transactions so that receipt of funds can be confirmed.
Ask for the current payment schedule for your chosen programme from our team, and keep every confirmation.
Cancellation and refunds: what to look for
The cancellation terms matter as much as the price. Cancellation rules vary by programme, so read the terms for the one you book. For Irish education providers covered by immigration rules, the baseline is clear:
- Providers must publish a refund policy that sets out eligibility, administrative charges and the maximum time to process a refund.
- If a visa is refused, refund requests must be processed within 20 working days.
- Providers on the Interim List must have learner protection arrangements that reimburse unspent fees or let a student finish elsewhere if a programme closes early.
In practice, check four things before you book: the deadline after which the deposit is no longer refundable, what happens if a visa is refused, what happens if your child is ill or cannot travel, and whether travel insurance covers what the programme terms do not.
Extra costs families forget
- Flights and transfers. Check whether airport pickup is part of the programme you choose.
- Health insurance. Required for longer stays, with first-year estimates of €150 to €200 in the TUS budget above.
- Registration. The €300 immigration registration figure applies to students staying long enough to register.
- Uniform, books and trips. School-year students should allow for these.
- Work-study earnings. Older students can offset some costs. Our guide to Ireland student work rules explains the 20-hour limit and recent updates.
Our perspective
Parents ask us about price first, but the question behind it is nearly always safety: will my child be looked after, and will I know what I am paying for?
That is why we build each placement around the whole journey. A family that books with us gets personalised programme matching, carefully vetted host families, help with visas, accommodation and school placement, and local support around the clock. The cost of a programme should buy you less worry, not a longer to-do list.
Our advice is to match the programme to the child, not the budget to the brochure. A first-timer aged 12 often does best with a camp in Cork, Limerick or Dublin. A confident 16-year-old who wants real fluency and a school-year experience is better served by an academic year, where the larger fee reflects ten months of placement and support rather than a few weeks.
Choose the length first, then compare the living costs and the payment terms. The right plan is usually clearer after that.
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Choosing a programme that fits your budget
Work backwards from what you want your child to get out of it.
- A first taste of Ireland, English practice and friends from other countries: a summer camp at €2,280 to €2,330, or a mini stay from €740.
- Fluency and school integration: an academic year, with a larger but more transformative commitment.
- Work experience and language together: work experience from €1,500, or work and language from €1,980.
- A degree in Ireland: university placement support from €1,300, plus tuition paid to the university.
- A year out before university: a gap year, priced to the plan you build.
If the budget is tight, start short. A successful camp often turns into a longer plan the following year, with the child far more confident about going.
See what fits your family
We offer summer camps, mini stays, academic years, work-study programmes, university placement and gap years in Ireland, the UK, Europe, the USA and Canada. Every placement comes with managed logistics, host family or residence accommodation and 24/7 support.
See our full list of programmes and prices, or start at Go Study Ireland to tell us your child's age, interests and budget.
FAQ
How much does it cost to study abroad in Ireland for a year?
Our academic year in Ireland costs €13,500 to €24,800 per year, depending on school, location and accommodation. Students who need a visa must also show access to at least €10,000 for living costs, according to the Irish immigration service. University tuition is a separate cost and varies with course and residency status.
Can I pay for a study abroad programme in instalments?
Many families pay in stages, but the schedule depends on the programme. Ask for the deposit amount, the due dates and what each payment covers before you commit, and keep written confirmation of every payment. Our team can give you the current terms for the programme you are considering.
What is the cancellation policy for study abroad in Ireland?
It depends on the provider and the programme, so read the written terms before paying a deposit. For education providers under Irish immigration rules, a refund policy must be published, and refunds after a visa refusal must be processed within 20 working days. Check the cut-off date for deposits and what travel insurance covers.
Is a summer camp in Ireland cheaper than an academic year?
Yes, by a wide margin. Our Irish summer camps cost €2,280 to €2,330 per person, while an academic year runs from €13,500 to €24,800. A camp is also a good way to test how your child copes away from home before planning a longer stay.
What extra costs should I budget for?
Allow for flights, health insurance, pocket money and, for longer stays, immigration registration. The TUS handbook estimates €300 for registration and €150 to €200 for first-year health insurance. Pocket money varies most, so decide a monthly figure with your child in advance.
Sources
- Reminder on Student Finance requirements from 30 June 2025, Irish Immigration Service Delivery
- Frequently asked questions for students, Irish Immigration Service Delivery
- Higher Education Programme and Professional Awards Criteria, Irish Immigration Service Delivery
- Study in Ireland country profile, European Education Area
- Global Students Handbook 2024/25, Technological University of the Shannon
- Ireland student visa requirements, GMAC
- Student living expenses in Ireland, Group Travel Network