Saurabh Arora is the Founder and CEO of global student housing managed marketplace, University Living. Pushing boundaries in the education and student housing sector for the past 11 years, Saurabh is extremely passionate about enhancing the student journey. His excellent analytical skills and expertise on market research led him to notice the gap in demand and supply in the student housing sector, and in turn, grow a business that happily accommodates students. University Living has already catered to more than 1.75 million students and is growing at 3x every year. Always looking for ways to promote the wellbeing and safety of students, he focuses on building high-performing, efficient teams. One of the 40 Under 40 Startup Leaders by ObserveNow an Dell Technologies, he zealously aims towards creating a positive work culture, and ground-breaking industrial impact.
With the ever-increasing numbers of Indian students in Ireland, the country is emerging as one of the topmost destinations for Indian students pursuing an overseas education.
Recognised for being situated in the heart of the Euro-zone, Ireland instruments a wholesome adventure for international students, combining the experience of higher education and quality of life. Moreover, Ireland is an English-speaking nation, making it easy for international students, especially from India, to settle in comfortably. The country provides high-quality education within reasonable expenses, compared to other countries like Canada, Australia, USA and UK.
Here are some factors that make Ireland a great choice.
- COST-EFFECTIVE
Compared to other international destinations, the tuition at Irish universities is lesser. Additionally, there are a number of financial aid programs too. Ireland’s Trinity College Dublin offers an aid of €5,000 to the undergraduate students based on economic status, and the University College Dublin offers a range of scholarships based on merit, country of origin, and economic status of the parent/guardian. The National University of Ireland, Galway, offers €2,750 to the undergraduate and postgraduate students on merit scholarships, and the National College of Ireland is known for offering financial aid up to €2,950 for their master’s programs and €2,000 for the undergrad courses. There are scholarships that cover a percentage of the tuition amount that even go up to 100%, provided all criteria are met.
On an average, the tuition for the most sought-after bachelors and masters courses range from €10,000 to €35,000 per year depending on the course you’re pursuing. Expansive courses like medicine and engineering are on the higher side, and shorter courses are fairly cheaper. Countries like Canada, on the other hand, will cost you approximately $40,000 per year for undergrad courses, and around $60,000 per year for postgrad courses.
- SAFE COMMUNITY
Ireland ranks among the top 10 countries in the Global Peace Indices, eventually making it one of the safest countries around the globe. According to a survey conducted by the Big 7 Travel, Cork and Dublin were ranked 17th and 6th friendliest cities in the world, respectively.
The UN’s annual Human Development Index ranks Ireland in the 3rd position with regards to the quality of life, and ranks the Irish citizen the 2nd best in the world. Moreover, Ireland is ranked 7th as the safest country for women in the EU, thus making it one of the most suitable places for students to live in.
- PRE-STUDY BENEFITS
Irish educational institutions don’t require students to submit GRE scores before enrollment, unlike Canada and USA. Irish Universities like Trinity and UCD accept Indian students without a GRE score, even for courses that require it in other western countries.
Thus, if you want to apply to any Irish university, a good academic score from either IELTS, TOFEL or PTE is all you need since GRE & GMAT are not required by almost all Irish universities.
- QUALITY EDUCATION
The excellent academic facility in Ireland is maintained by the Irish government via the National Framework of Qualifications (NFF), which keeps the quality of education uniform irrespective of the institute.
Ireland is known for its most pursued master’s degree courses in Computer Science, IT, Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Management, and Business Analytics, which rank amidst the top 10 throughout the globe. And since graduating from these particularly mentioned MS degrees heightens your employment probability, Ireland is a preferred study destination for international students.
Top universities and colleges of Ireland such as Trinity College, National University of Ireland, Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology, and University College Cork constitute a major percentage of the worldwide research institutes. Pursuing disciplines like social science, natural science, humanities, and healthcare will help the undergraduates and graduates sail towards innovative research programs driven by life-changing opportunities. Certain well-known personalities like John Bell, Ernest Walton, James Joyce, and Oscar Wilde have remained an integral outcome of the Irish curriculum.
Moreover, Irish education also supports the students working part-time. The Irish education system allows you to work for 20 hours per week during your academic sessions and 40 hours per week during May, June, July, August and mid- December to mid-January. And after course completions, students can stay in the country for 12 months while they kickstart their careers under the Irish Third Level Graduate Scheme for non-EU third level graduates.
- EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Ireland provides international graduates with abundant opportunities in their field of employment. Many multinational companies are present in Ireland including global ICT companies, pharmaceutical enterprises, established diagnostic centers, popular gaming companies, and organizations catering to medical devices or types of equipment, among others. Moreover, Ireland also constitutes 50% of the world’s leading financial services firms. The country has welcomed organizations such as Google, PayPal, Intel, Apple, EA Games, Pfizer, LinkedIn, and Twitter to set up work stations in the country, making it easy for students to settle in Ireland after graduating.
Conclusion:
Ireland has always been one of the most preferred options for Indian students to pursue higher education overseas. Ireland’s excellent education system, affordable expenses, and rich culture make it a suitable option for Indian students to complete an advanced education and pursue work opportunities.