Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) 2026
by Higher Education Authority (HEA), Ireland
What it covers
A stipend of €10,000 for one year of full-time study at master's, postgraduate diploma or PhD level. The host Irish institution must give a full fee waiver for the scholarship year. 60 scholarships are awarded each year.
Who can apply
Open to international students whose domicile of origin is outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK. You need a conditional or final offer of admission to a master's, postgraduate diploma or PhD programme at an eligible Irish higher education institution when you apply. Previous GOI-IES holders and Russian and Belarusian nationals are not eligible. Only one application per candidate is allowed.
The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) is run by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in Ireland. It gives 60 scholarships each year for one year of full-time study. It suits students from outside Europe who want to do a master’s, postgraduate diploma or PhD at an Irish institution.
What you get
- A stipend of €10,000 for one year of full-time study.
- A full fee waiver from your Irish host institution for the scholarship year.
- Study at master’s, postgraduate diploma or PhD level (NFQ levels 9 or 10).
Who can apply
- International students whose domicile of origin is outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
- You need a conditional or final offer of admission to a master’s, postgraduate diploma or PhD programme at an eligible Irish higher education institution. You must have it when you apply.
- You cannot apply if you have held this scholarship before.
- Russian and Belarusian nationals cannot apply.
- You can send only one application per call.
How to apply
- Read the call document and check that you are eligible.
- Apply for admission to an eligible Irish higher education institution. Use that institution’s own admission process.
- Submit your application on the online GOI-IES portal. Include proof of admission.
- Upload two references through the portal before the deadline.
You cannot change an application after you submit it. You cannot submit after the deadline.
Key dates
- The 2026 call is closed. The deadline was 12 March 2026 at 5pm Irish time.
- The 2026 results were due in early June 2026.
- The next call is not announced yet. Check the official page for the next opening date and deadline.
Before you apply
- Ask your chosen institution whether your course is eligible for GOI-IES. The call document lists contact details for each institution.
- Start your admission application early. You need the offer before you can apply for the scholarship.
- Ask your referees for their references well before the deadline.
- Submit a few days early. The portal can be slow on deadline day. Check the deadline time in Irish time.
StudyFree is independent. The HEA makes all decisions. Read the full rules on the official GOI-IES page.
StudyFree is independent and not the provider of this opportunity. Rules, amounts and deadlines are set by Higher Education Authority (HEA), Ireland and can change: always confirm on the official page before you apply.