The University of Galway, founded in 1845 and known until 2022 as NUI Galway, is on the west coast of Ireland in one of the country’s liveliest student cities. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it rose from 284th to 275th in the world and was the fourth-highest-ranked university in Ireland. It’s known for biomedical science and engineering, marine science, the arts and the Irish language.
Galway has a simple direct application process for international students and lower living costs than Dublin. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on the University of Galway’s own guidance and official Irish government information.
1. Check whether you’re an EU or non-EU applicant
Students who are eligible for EU fees normally apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO). If you’re from outside the EU and will pay full international fees, you apply directly to the University of Galway through its online portal.
2. Apply as soon as applications open
The portal opens on 1 October each year for entry the following September. Galway doesn’t publish a single closing date for non-EU applicants, and it warns that applications can close at short notice, so it’s best to apply early in the cycle. University of Galway non-EU undergraduate applications.
3. Use your two choices well
There’s a €35 application fee, which lets you apply for up to two programmes. Choose a second programme you’d also be happy to study, and check the subject requirements for both on the course pages.
4. Check the entry requirements for your country
Galway publishes entry requirements for international school qualifications by country. Check that your qualification and grades meet the general requirements and any subject requirements for your programme before you apply. University of Galway entry requirements.
5. Meet the English requirement
If English isn’t your first language, you need IELTS Academic of at least 6.5 overall with no section below 6.0, or an equivalent test, and you upload your certificate with your application. IELTS Online is also accepted. Medicine requires 6.5 in every component. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
6. Plan for visa processing time
If you’re from a visa-required country, Galway warns that the study visa process can take 6 to 12 weeks. That means you should apply, accept your offer and pay your fees early enough to leave time for your visa before the semester starts in September.
7. Understand the fees
For 2027-28, Galway’s international (non-EU) fee is €20,650 a year for the Bachelor of Arts (Joint Honours), the Bachelor of Commerce and Law and Business, €22,650 for Psychology, and €29,550 for Computer Science and Information Technology, Engineering and Biomedical Science. Fees for continuing years usually rise each year in line with inflation. University of Galway undergraduate fees.
8. Look for funding and housing early
Scholarships for international students are limited, so check the University of Galway’s scholarship pages and funding in your home country early. Galway is smaller and cheaper than Dublin, but student housing is in short supply, so apply for accommodation as soon as you accept your offer. If your visa is refused, Galway refunds the fees you’ve paid, minus a €190 administrative fee, if you send proof of the refusal.
9. Get your visa and immigration permission
If you’re from the EU/EEA, the UK or Switzerland, you don’t need a visa or permission to study in Ireland. Students from visa-required countries apply online for a long-stay study visa once the University of Galway has made an offer and they’ve paid their fees, and processing can take several weeks, so apply as early as you can. You must show immediate access to at least €10,000 for your first year, and the same for each later year, and all non-EEA students need private medical insurance. After you arrive, you register with immigration and receive Stamp 2 permission and an Irish Residence Permit (IRP), which costs €300 each time you register. Irish immigration: student finance requirements.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
With Stamp 2 permission you can work up to 20 hours a week during term, and up to 40 hours a week in June, July, August and September and between 15 December and 15 January. After you graduate with an honours bachelor’s degree (level 8), the Third Level Graduate Programme lets you stay for 12 months on Stamp 1G to look for a graduate job, and with a master’s degree or higher (level 9 or above) you can get up to 24 months. While on Stamp 1G you can work full time without an employment permit, but you need to secure an employment permit before it ends to stay longer. Irish immigration: FAQs for students.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at Galway?
The University of Galway offers many taught master’s degrees, especially in science, engineering, business and the humanities, and admission is based mainly on your bachelor’s degree and grades. Each programme sets its own requirements and deadlines. For a PhD, contact academics working in your area or look for funded positions. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork and the University of Limerick. Our guide to studying in Ireland explains how the Irish system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from the University of Galway’s official admissions, entry requirement and fee pages, Ireland’s Immigration Service Delivery and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on the University of Galway’s international website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with the University of Galway.