GOI-IES Benefits: What the Scholarship Covers

What GOI-IES covers

The scholarship has two components. First, a full tuition fee waiver at your host institution for the scholarship year: the tuition fee and the registration charge are both waived. The institution itself absorbs the cost as its matched-funding contribution to the programme, so the waiver comes from the university's own budget rather than from the HEA. Second, a stipend of EUR 10,000 for one academic year, funded by the government and paid through the HEA.

The stipend is paid in two instalments of EUR 5,000 each, one in semester one and one in semester two. The HEA sends the money to the institution, and the institution passes it to you, either in the same two instalments or in smaller monthly payments. The first payment typically arrives toward the end of October; the HEA's 2026 FAQ told successful applicants to expect their first stipend towards the end of October 2026. We cover the payment mechanics below.

If you are enrolled in a programme that spans three semesters (some Irish master's degrees run from September through the following August), the institution may extend the tuition fee waiver to cover all three semesters. That decision rests with the institution, and the stipend stays at EUR 10,000 regardless: you do not receive an extra EUR 5,000 for the third semester. The fee waiver is valuable. As a rough guide (our estimate), non-EU postgraduate fees in Ireland often run from about EUR 12,000 to EUR 30,000 a year, and some programmes, such as medicine, cost more. Check your own programme's fee.

What is not covered

This is the part most scholarship listing websites leave out. The GOI-IES does not cover a long list of expenses that are very real and often very expensive. The HEA's FAQ is explicit that the scholarship does not pay for travel to Ireland or study materials. Before you celebrate an offer, make sure you understand what you will be paying out of pocket.

• International flights and travel to Ireland
• Visa and immigration registration fees (IRP card: EUR 300)
• Health insurance (mandatory for non-EU students)
• Accommodation and housing deposits
• Textbooks, research materials and lab fees
• Fieldwork, conference travel and research costs
• Family or dependant expenses if they accompany you (GOI-IES gives no support to relatives or dependants)
• All costs beyond the scholarship year of your programme

The EUR 10,000 reality

Ten thousand euros sounds generous until you divide it by twelve. That gives you EUR 833 per month for a full academic year. In a country where a single room in a shared flat can cost EUR 800 in the capital, those numbers should give you pause.

The HEA is unusually candid about this. The official call document states that the stipend "will assist with living costs, but it is unlikely to cover them completely", and advises students to secure other sources of funding if possible. That is rare for a government scholarship. Most programmes would never put that in writing. The HEA did, because the gap between the stipend and actual living costs is too large to ignore.

"The €10,000 stipend will assist with living costs, but it is unlikely to cover them completely. It is advisable to secure other sources of funding, if possible, to avoid additional concerns." — HEA GOI-IES 2026 call document

Monthly living costs by city

In Dublin, accommodation alone runs EUR 800–1,200 for a single room in shared housing. Add groceries, transport, phone and utilities, and you are well above what the stipend provides.

The one-year problem

The GOI-IES covers one academic year. That is it. The call document states that scholarships will not be extended beyond one academic year, and there is no mechanism to apply for a second year of funding through the same programme. A surprising number of applicants overlook this.

If you are doing a one-year taught master's, the scholarship covers your entire programme: the tuition waiver and the EUR 10,000 stipend for the full duration. This is the cleanest scenario, and it is probably why most GOI-IES recipients are master's students.

If you are a PhD student, the picture is very different. A PhD in Ireland typically takes three to four years. The GOI-IES covers one year: tuition for that year plus the EUR 10,000 stipend. For the remaining years you need your own funding, which means paying non-EU tuition fees (unless your institution offers a separate fee waiver) and covering all your living costs. Some PhD students secure departmental funding, teaching assistantships or Research Ireland grants for the remaining years. Others self-fund.

This is a fundamental design choice. The programme is meant to attract international talent, not to fund an entire PhD. If you need multi-year PhD funding, look at the GOIPG instead, which offers up to EUR 34,000 per year for up to four years. The GOI-IES is best suited to one-year master's students who can finish within the funded period.

How the stipend is paid

The payment chain has three steps. The HEA transfers the funding to your host institution. The institution then pays the stipend to you. The HEA does not pay you directly, so your finance office or international office is the point of contact for stipend questions.

The EUR 10,000 arrives in two instalments: EUR 5,000 for semester one and EUR 5,000 for semester two. Exact timing depends on when funds reach the institution and how quickly it processes the payment. The HEA's 2026 FAQ put the first payment towards the end of October, roughly six to eight weeks after a September start.

You need cash on arrival

If your semester starts in September and the first payment does not arrive until late October, you need six to eight weeks' worth of living expenses from your own pocket: accommodation deposits (often one to two months' rent upfront), groceries, transport, phone setup and the EUR 300 IRP immigration registration fee. Budget at least EUR 2,000 to EUR 3,000 in personal savings for the gap. The HEA itself advises having enough funds of your own for the first weeks.

Typical payment timeline

1. 1
   September

   Semester starts

   You arrive in Ireland. No stipend yet; you fund yourself for the first weeks.

2. 2
   Late October

   First instalment: EUR 5,000

   The HEA transfers to the institution, and the institution pays you.

3. 3
   Semester two (around February)

   Second instalment: EUR 5,000

   Paid at the start of semester two. Exact timing varies by institution.

GOI-IES vs. GOIPG: side by side

People confuse these two programmes constantly. Both have "Government of Ireland" in the name, and both fund postgraduate study, but the difference in financial support is enormous. If you are a PhD applicant with strong research credentials, the GOIPG is the far more valuable award.

The funding difference is stark. A GOIPG PhD recipient can receive up to EUR 136,000 over four years. A GOI-IES PhD recipient gets EUR 10,000 for one year and then self-funds. If your main goal is PhD funding, target the GOIPG (its 2026 call ran from 11 September to 23 October 2025, for awards starting 1 September 2026). The GOI-IES is better suited to one-year taught master's students, where the tuition waiver plus EUR 10,000 covers the whole programme.

Supplementing the stipend

Given that the stipend will not cover your living costs in any Irish city, you will almost certainly need additional income. The good news is that Ireland's student immigration rules are relatively generous about part-time work.

With Stamp 2 permission, you may work up to 20 hours per week during term time and up to 40 hours per week during official holiday periods (1 June to 30 September and 15 December to 15 January). This is one of the more generous student work allowances in Europe.

Add the stipend (EUR 833 a month) to part-time work (about EUR 1,200 a month before tax) and you reach roughly EUR 2,050 per month in term time. That covers living costs in most Irish cities, though Dublin will still be tight. It assumes you find work immediately, work the full 20 hours every week and earn at least minimum wage. Many international students work in hospitality, retail or campus roles, and some pick up freelance or remote work. During holiday periods you can work up to 40 hours per week, which lifts potential earnings to around EUR 2,450 per month before tax at minimum wage.

Health insurance costs

Private medical insurance is mandatory for non-EU students in Ireland. Immigration registration and your university will require proof of cover. It is not optional, and the GOI-IES does not pay for it, so budget for it separately.

The cost varies with provider and coverage. By our estimate, basic plans that meet the requirements run roughly EUR 120 to EUR 500 per year. Some universities have negotiated group rates with specific insurers, usually at the lower end; others require you to arrange your own policy. Ask your international office which plans they accept and whether there is a group scheme.

Ireland has a public healthcare system, but as a non-EU student you are generally not entitled to free public healthcare unless you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from an EU/EEA country, which GOI-IES applicants normally do not. By our estimate, a GP visit without insurance costs EUR 50 to EUR 70, an emergency department visit without referral can cost EUR 100 or more, and prescriptions are extra. Health insurance is not a luxury here; it is a practical necessity.

Next: read how to apply through the HEA portal, or skip ahead to after selection for the visa, IRP card, living costs, work rules and the Stamp 1G stay-back option.