GOI-IES Documents 2027: Application Checklist

What you need to submit

The GOI-IES application runs through the HEA's online portal, and the portal is strict about what it accepts. You cannot submit extra materials by email, and the HEA will not chase you for missing items. If something is not in your application when you submit, it is not part of your application, and nothing can be changed afterwards. Below is the full list, with formats, requirements and common pitfalls. It follows the 2026 call documents; check the 2027 versions when they are published.

1. 1
   Admission offer proof

   Upload. The single document that decides whether you can apply at all.

2. 2
   Two reference letters

   Upload. 15 marks.

3. 3
   Academic history: transcripts and certificates

   Entered as form fields; keep the documents ready.

4. 4
   CV content: achievements, projects, work experience

   Entered as form fields.

5. 5
   Personal statements

   Typed into the portal. 45 marks.

6. 6
   Additional documents

   Only if you deferred admission or are already studying at the institution.

Admission offer proof

This is the single most important document in your application, because without it you cannot apply at all. The HEA requires proof that you have received an offer of admission, as an international fee-paying student, from an eligible Irish higher education institution for a specific programme at NFQ Level 9 or 10. A conditional offer is fine. A final offer is fine. Having no offer is not.

The portal accepts three forms of proof: a formal offer letter from the institution; an offer email, as long as it comes from the Admissions Office and confirms the place on an eligible course; or a screenshot from your applicant portal showing the offer. In every case the document must show that the offer is for the coming academic year (the 2026 call required 2026/27). Only one offer document can be submitted per application.

Accepted file types

What must be visible

Your proof must clearly show the specific programme name, the institution name and the academic year. A generic email that says "congratulations on your offer" without naming the programme is not enough. If your portal screenshot is blurry or cuts off the programme title, retake it. Reviewers need to confirm that your offer matches the programme you list in the rest of the application; a mismatch will be flagged. You will also need the student or application number the institution gave you, for the "Details of offer" section.

Two reference letters

You need two reference letters, worth 15 marks together, and the requirements are surprisingly specific. Many applicants lose marks or get references flagged because they overlook one of the rules in the HEA's Referee Guide (Appendix 2 of the call document).

Each letter should be between 500 and 700 words and contain enough specific information to support your application. Going well under or over signals that the referee did not take the task seriously or did not read the guidelines. The sweet spot is detailed enough to be substantive, concise enough to respect the panel's time.

Formatting requirements

• Official header. The reference must have an official header (letterhead). A plain document with just a name at the top is not what the HEA expects; if a header is genuinely impossible, the referee should include a very brief explanation why.
• Organisational postal address and email. Each letter must include the referee's organisational postal address and email address. A phone number alone is not enough. A referee without a work email (for example, retired) may give personal contact details with a brief explanation.
• A real signature. Handwritten and electronic signatures are both accepted. A typed name is not.
• Written in English. If your referee writes in another language, the reference must be translated and the translation notarised. The referee should review the translation and send it to you themselves.
• Dated within one year. References must be dated no more than a year before the call's closing date (for the 2026 call, not before 12 March 2025). Older letters need reissuing.

Who cannot be a referee

Referees are expected to have no familial, financial or close personal relationship with you that could compromise their impartiality. If the panel suspects a conflict of interest, the reference will be worth little. This is standard for government scholarships, but it catches people off guard when they planned to use a family friend who happens to be a professor.

Choosing your two referees

The ideal combination is one academic referee and one professional referee. Your academic referee can speak to your intellectual capacity, research potential and performance in your degree. Your professional referee can speak to your work ethic, leadership and real-world impact. Together, they paint a complete picture. References should be written for the GOI-IES; letters you used for university admission are rarely specific enough. "To whom it may concern" or "Dear GOI-IES Selection Committee" are both acceptable salutations.

When briefing your referees, remind them that the GOI-IES places heavy emphasis on your potential as an ambassador for Irish education, and share the candidate profile from the call: outstanding academic achievement, excellent communication skills, extracurricular involvement, and a strong rationale for studying in Ireland. Generic letters that could apply to any student and any scholarship are easy to spot and do not score well.

Upload rules

You upload both references yourself through the portal, in .docx, .pdf, .png, .jpg or .jpeg format. The HEA does not contact referees, and there is no way for referees to submit letters independently. Collect the signed, headed references and upload them before the deadline. The HEA will not accept references sent outside the portal.

Academic transcripts and certificates

In the 2026 indicative application form, your academic record is entered as form fields rather than uploaded: up to three qualifications, each with the institution and its address, course title and level, dates, grade achieved (with the scale, for example 75/100 or 60%) and graduation date. If you have not finished yet, give the grade so far and the period it covers (for example, 5 semesters out of 6) and your expected graduation date.

Keep your transcripts and certificates ready anyway. The HEA says grades you enter should be ones you can substantiate with documentation if requested, and your institution will have seen them in your admission application. If your originals are not in English, a certified or sworn translation (or an official English-language transcript from your university, which carries more weight) is the safe choice.

Your academic record feeds the 40-mark assessment of academic qualifications, achievements and work experience. The panel looks at the quality of your achievements relative to the programme: a first-class honours degree or equivalent carries more weight than a pass, and the relevance of your prior study to the proposed programme in Ireland matters too.

What to have ready

• Full transcripts for every completed degree (bachelor's, master's and so on)
• Degree certificates or provisional certificates for each qualification
• Certified English translations if originals are in another language
• Your current transcript if you are mid-programme and have not yet graduated

CV content: achievements, projects and work experience

Earlier versions of this guide said the portal asks for a CV upload. The 2026 indicative form does not: instead, your CV content goes into structured sections, each limited to three entries: academic achievements, honours or prizes; relevant projects or publications (with a description of up to 200 words each); and work experience, volunteering or internships (employer, address, dates, role and duties, most recent first). Draft these from a CV that emphasises four areas.

The panel wants breadth as well as depth. A candidate who has published research, worked in a relevant field, volunteered in their community and achieved strong grades is more compelling than someone who only has grades. Because space is limited to three entries per section, prioritise experiences that show leadership, international exposure, intellectual curiosity and the profile of a strong ambassador for Irish higher education.

Personal statements

This is where most of your marks come from: 45 of 100, more than your entire academic record. There are three separate essays, each worth 15 marks, typed or pasted directly into the HEA portal. You do not upload them as documents.

Each essay has a limit of 500 words. Draft and polish them in a word processor first, then paste them in. The portal has no sophisticated editing tools, and you do not want to write your most important essays in a basic text box under time pressure.

1. 1
   15 marks

   The benefit of becoming a GOI-IES scholar

   The benefit to you (personally and professionally), to the institution, to Ireland and to your country of origin. This is not a generic "I need funding" essay. Why this programme at this institution? What will you gain that you could not gain elsewhere, and what will you give back? Be concrete about skills, knowledge, networks and experiences.

2. 2
   15 marks

   Involvement in Irish society

   How you will get involved in Irish society during your year and raise awareness of the GOI-IES. This is the ambassador essay. Will you join university societies, community events, cultural exchange, local organisations? "Experience Irish culture" is vague; joining the debating society, volunteering with a local charity and attending events at the Irish embassy back home is concrete.

3. 3
   15 marks

   Long-term links with Ireland

   Your long-term interest in Ireland and how you will promote links as a scholar and alumnus. This is the return-on-investment essay for the Irish government. Will you promote Irish education at home, collaborate with Irish researchers, build professional networks between the two countries, encourage future students? The more tangible and believable, the better.

Additional documents

Most applicants need nothing beyond the items above. Two situations need extra paperwork, uploaded with the application.

Deferral confirmation

If you deferred your admission to the scholarship year (for example, you were admitted for an earlier year and deferred to 2026/27 in the last call), you must submit a document from your institution confirming the deferral. Earlier versions of this guide described this as a deferred GOI-IES award; the 2026 call describes it as a deferred university admission.

Continuation confirmation

If you are already studying at an eligible institution, for example as a PhD student or in the first year of a two-year master's, you need a document from the institution confirming that you will continue your studies in the scholarship year, on the course for which you are applying. Check first that your course accepts GOI-IES scholars.

Practical document tips

The difference between a complete application and a strong one often comes down to preparation. These habits make the portal stage much easier.

Have references ready before the portal opens

The window is roughly six weeks. If you need to contact referees, explain the requirements, wait for them to write, get the letter on headed paper, signed and possibly translated, six weeks becomes very tight. Contact referees weeks or months before the call opens, so the letters are ready on day one. Just check the date rule: no more than a year before the closing date.

Ask referees to mention specific achievements

"She is an excellent student" is forgettable. "She designed and led a community health survey that reached 2,000 households in rural Bangladesh" is memorable. Give your referees a short list of achievements and experiences to highlight. Most appreciate the guidance because it makes their job easier and the letter stronger.

Ensure signatures are real, not typed

This trips up more applicants than you would expect. A typed name is not a signature. The HEA accepts a handwritten signature (scanned is fine) or a proper electronic signature. If your referee is overseas and cannot easily hand-sign, ask them to use an electronic signature tool or sign a printed copy and scan it back.

Keep file sizes manageable

Large files can cause timeouts, especially on slow connections. Compress PDFs before uploading. Crop screenshots to the relevant information. A 15 MB scan of a one-page reference is unnecessary when a 500 KB PDF looks just as clear. Test your uploads before the final day.

Next, walk through the full process on How to Apply, confirm the eligibility criteria, or see how the 100 marks work on Selection Process.