1. Background & Objectives

The internationalisation of Irish higher education is a key element in the delivery of a quality teaching, learning and research experience for students and staff and for building international engagement for the sector. The Government of Ireland - International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) scheme was established under the provisions of the Government’s International Education Strategy, 2010–2015 and expanded under the new iteration of the strategy “Irish Educated, Globally Connected (2016-2020)”.

The aim of the 2018 GOI-IES scheme is to reflect Ireland’s engagement in target markets. The scheme is operated in the higher education sector and funded in partnership between the Government and the higher education institutions (HEIs). Scholarships will be branded as prestigious awards reflecting the core messages about Ireland as a centre of international education. It is expected that for every scholarship winner, awareness of Ireland will be raised among many more potential students. 

Benefits for students:

Scholarships must be regarded as highly desirable and valueadding to individuals’ subsequent lives and careers. In view of this, the GOI-IES will be awarded:

• to high calibre higher education students from non-EU/EEA countries;

• to study in Ireland for a period of one year

Benefits for Higher Education sector: GOI-IES will reflect Ireland’s commitment to excellence in the provision of Higher Education for both domestic and international students: • for scholarships that will highlight Ireland’s strengths as a centre of international education;

• to promote links with target markets globally;

• to strengthen the internationalisation strategies of HEIs especially in the context of the system performance framework.

2. Details of Scholarship Scheme

The scheme is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. Following a competitive process based on an annual call for proposals from individual applicants, the HEA will approve a defined number of scholarships under the scheme to successful applicants.

Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships will be awarded to high calibre students from non-EU/EEA countries to study full-time in Ireland for a period of one year. The following are the terms and conditions that will apply:

➢ The HEA will award a scholarship fund to the student (through the HEI that the student is attending) amounting to €10,000 for one study year. This fund is directed at covering student costs and living expenses. The scholarship may be for: ▪ the final year of an undergraduate programme; ▪ one year of a taught master degree programme or; ▪ one year of a research programme (i.e. one year of a 2 year research masters or a 3-4 year PhD programme).

➢ The HEI will be required to give a FULL fee waiver to the student for the scholarship year (i.e. tuition fee and registration charge are waived). This is the minimum matching funding requirement that institutions will be required to make to the scholarship scheme.

➢ It is expected that a total of 60 scholarships will be funded by the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarships for the academic year 2018/2019.

➢ Applicants must have a domiciliary of origin1 not equal to the EU/EEA or Switzerland

➢ Scholarships may be approved for study across all disciplines.

➢ The HEA will seek to ensure that, overall, there is gender-balance in the cohort of students to whom scholarships are awarded.

Submission of Applications

(1) The Call for Applications will issue in January 2018 and the centralised application system will accept applications from 31 January 2018.

(2) The closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm on Friday 23 March 2018 (Irish Time). Late applications will not be accepted.

(3) The application should be submitted to [email protected]

(4) The applications should be laid out in accordance with the template application form available here

(5) Any questions regarding the call for applications should be submitted to [email protected] no later than 16 March 2018. The answers to all questions received will be posted on the HEA website. Telephone queries cannot be accommodated.

(6) The HEA will advise the applicants and the HEIs of the outcome of the evaluation process by June 2018.

Deadline: 23/03/2018
Link: https://goo.gl/ZEEi5B