Ireland

Primary school lasts eight years, secondary five to six. Education is compulsory from 6 to 16. Teaching is in English, and Irish is studied as a compulsory subject.

The state subsidises schools heavily, so the gap between regions and between the state and private sectors is small.

Secondary school ends with the Leaving Certificate exam in six or seven subjects. Grades are converted into points, and places on bachelor’s programmes are allocated by total points through the central CAO system.

Between the junior and senior cycles there is a “Transition Year” — no exams, with projects, internships and career guidance.

A bachelor’s degree takes three to four years, a master’s one to two. Besides universities there are technological universities and institutes with an applied focus and close links to employers.

Tuition is paid; students from outside the EU pay more than EU citizens. Scholarships are offered by universities, the government and individual companies.

You need a school certificate, proof of English (IELTS from 6.0–6.5), a motivation letter, and sometimes an interview or portfolio. A Russian school certificate requires an extra preparatory year for some programmes.

Bachelor’s applications go through the CAO; master’s applications go directly to the university via the PAC portal or the university website.

During term, part-time work of 20 hours a week is allowed, and 40 hours in the holidays. After a bachelor’s or master’s degree you can stay in the country for up to two years under the Third Level Graduate Programme.

It is precisely because of this clear “study → work” path that Ireland is often chosen for master’s degrees in IT, finance and pharma — the European headquarters of major tech companies are based here.