Government of Ireland Scholarship 2025-2026 (Fully Funded)

Pursue your higher education in Ireland. Great news! Applications for the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship are now open. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about this scholarship, its benefits, and the step-by-step application process.

The Government of Ireland Scholarship 2025–2026 is a prestigious funded program for international students pursuing postgraduate studies. It provides a €22,000 annual stipend, covers tuition fees (including non-EU fees) up to €5,750 per year, and offers €3,250 annually for eligible direct research expenses.

Administered by the Council and funded by the Department of Education and Skills, the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Program is a flagship national initiative in Irish higher education. It stands out in the Irish academic landscape, complementing other funding opportunities and fostering excellence in research, innovation, and academic development.

Scholarship Summary

Level of Study: Master’s and Doctoral
Institution(s): Government of Ireland
Study in: Ireland
Deadline: October 10, 2025
Courses Offered: All disciplines can apply.
Program Period: 1- 2-year research masters, 3-4 year PhD program

Scholarship Coverage

Government of Ireland Scholarship provides the recipient with the following benefits:

A stipend of €22,000 per annum.
A contribution to fees, including non-EU fees, up to a maximum of €5,750 per annul.
Eligible direct research expenses of €3,250 per annul.
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Eligibility Criteria for Government of Ireland Scholarship

To be eligible for Master’s and Doctoral Scholarship Presented by Government of Ireland in All disciplines, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Required Languages: English
Eligible Countries: All World Countries
Applicant must have a first class or upper second class honours bachelor’s, or the (equivalent) degree. If undergraduate examination results are not known at the time of application, the Council may make a provisional offer of a scholarship on condition that the scholar’s bachelor’s, or the equivalent, degree result is a first class or upper second-class honours. If a scholar does not have a first class or upper second-class honours bachelor’s, or the equivalent, degree, they must possess a master’s degree. The Council’s determination
of an applicant’s eligibility on these criteria is final.
Applicant must not have had two previous unsuccessful applications to the scheme, including strategic partner themes within the scheme.
Applicant must be a new entrant to the degree for which they are to receive Council funding and have been formally accepted by the relevant department or school.
Applicants applying for a research master’s scholarship, must not currently hold, or have previously held, a Council Postgraduate Scholarship
Applicants applying for a PhD degree scholarship, must not currently hold or have previously held, any Council Postgraduate Scholarship other than those which would enable them to obtain a research master’s degree.
Applicants will fall under one of two categories based on nationality and residency.
For category I, applicants must meet BOTH of the following criteria: be a citizen of a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland AND have been ordinarily resident in an EEA member state or Switzerland for a continuous period of 3 of the 5 years preceding October 1st.
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PhD scholarship

How to Apply for Government of Ireland Scholarship?

Please follow the following steps to avail this scholarship:

Register on the online account from here and complete the applicable registration form as prompted.
Complete the applicable registration form as prompted. Once you have filled in the required details, click ‘submit’ at the bottom of the registration page. A confirmation email will automatically be sent to the email address you have provided. This email confirms that you have successfully registered for the online system and will issue you with a username and password.
Once you have received your username and password, you should access the online the system here using the login details provided.
When you log into the online system, you will be presented with the ‘home’ screen below where you can create and edit your application prior to the applicant deadline and then submit it.
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