According to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law reform, you will be regarded as an EU student if you meet certain criteria. In order to qualify as an EU student, you must fulfil one of the criteria listed below:

• You are a national of an EU member state and have received all of your post-primary education within an EU member state
• You are a national of an EU member state and have been residing in an EU member state for three of the five years prior to the start of your course
• You have been in full-time employment in an EU member state for three of the last five years prior to start of the first year of your course (please note, this only applies to students aged over 23)
• You have ordinarily been a resident in an EU member state for three of the five years prior to the commencement of the programme and your parents have been in full-time employment in an EU member state for three of the five years prior to the start of your course (please note, this only applies to students under the age 23)

View the full list of EU member states here.

A degree programme - as categorised for immigration purposes - is a full-time, daytime academic course leading to an award equivalent to, or above, level 7 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) AND comparable to one of these awards: ordinary bachelor degree, honours bachelor degree, higher diploma, postgraduate diploma, master's degree or doctoral degree.

Students cannot stay in Ireland to study for longer than seven years with the exception of some long courses (such as medicine). This may be extended under exceptional circumstances such as illness that prevents a student completing their course in time.

If you come to Ireland with a visa for a degree programme, you cannot then enrol in a non-degree or language course.

The maximum length of stay for students on non-degree or language programmes is three years and students are responsible for managing their studies to ensure compliance with this limit. Students cannot study in Ireland on a part-time or distance learning course.

Non-degree programmes - as categorised for immigration purposes - are education courses that are full-time, daytime academic courses leading to non-school awards at level 5 or 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or awards at Level 7 or above which do not meet the criteria for degree programmes. The course must be included in the Internationalisation Register administered by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI).

Language programmes - as categorised for immigration purposes - are English language courses that must also be included in the Internationalisation Register. Courses must have a maximum duration of one year. Students may enrol on three separate English language courses to a maximum of three years.

There are a number of documents required to apply for a visa, including an application form, a valid passport and evidence of your ability to financially support yourself. All documents must be originals and must be submitted in English - where they are not in English, the original and a translation must be sent. Full details can be found on the INIS website.

For information on applying for a visa and the costs involved, you must consult your local embassy or consulate. You can find your local office here.

There are a number of conditions which all non-EEA students must meet in order to be granted permission to stay in Ireland. These include being enrolled on an acceptable course, providing evidence that you have paid your fees and proving your English language capabilities. For full details of the conditions, click here.

Short-term language students who are on courses for a duration of up to 90 days are treated as educational tourists. This means that during their stay in Ireland, short-term language students can partake in tourist activities whilst studying without interference from the state.

This is subject to the student being able to prove they are enrolled on a language course of less than 90 days and that they have paid their course fees in advance. In order to be granted permission to remain in Ireland, the immigration officer must be satisfied that:

• The reason for the visit is credible
• The student has a return flight and will leave at the end of the course
• They can support themselves financially whilst in Ireland
• They will obey the law
• They do not seek or engage in employment
• They are covered by private medical insurance

‘Educational tourists’ are still subject to visit/holiday rules, which can be found on the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) website, and students from some countries may still need to apply for a valid visa before entering the country. For more information about visit/holiday visas, click here. Because students will not be staying in Ireland for more than 90 days, they do not need to register with the immigration authorities.

More information about how to apply can be found at - www.inis.gov.ie

In general, all students will have no rights with regards to family joining or visiting them in Ireland. There are some exceptions to this, such as a student studying a PhD level course or students who can demonstrate private means to support their family, though these carry their own restrictions.

For further information on Irish immigration, visit the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration service (INIS) website.

As soon as possible after arriving in Ireland, all non-EEA (European Economic Area) students intending to stay in Ireland for longer than 90 days must register in person with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) and must at all times have a valid registration certificate. This can be done at the Garda National Immigration Bureau Office in Dublin, or with the Immigration Officer in the area you are staying.

Upon successful registration a student will be given a certificate indicating that they have been given permission to study in Ireland. The registration lasts one year and is renewable on an annual basis (for up to seven years for degree programme students and three years for non-degree or language programme students). There is currently a charge of €150 payable at each registration.

First registration

At first registration all students will be required to provide the following:

• Passport with a valid student visa
• Proof you are enrolled on a privately-funded course in a language/non-degree/degree programme (whichever your course is categorised as for visa purposes) that is included in the Internationalisation Register administered by the NQAI
• A letter of acceptance from your institution that confirms you have enrolled on a full-time, daytime course (for non-degree and language programme students this should show a minimum of fifteen hours organised daytime tuition a week)
• Proof that you have paid your fees - where these are under €6,000, the full amount must be paid, and where they are over €6,000 you must pay at least this in advance
• A bank statement from an Irish bank that shows you have access to €3,000 at the time of registration to support yourself whilst in Ireland without engaging in business, employment or using state benefits
• Proof of private medical insurance. Travel insurance will not be accepted

For more information, and to find your nearest Garda station, please visit - www.garda.ie