Higher Education Authority (HEA), Ireland
Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES)
Ireland's government scholarship for high-achieving students from outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK, which includes Thailand. It funds one year of full-time study at a participating Irish institution: the HEA pays a €10,000 stipend and the institution waives your tuition and registration fees. You must already hold an offer when you apply.
Application round
The 2026 call closed at 17:00 Irish time on 12 March 2026 (00:00 on 13 March in Thailand). Applications go through the HEA online portal with your offer letter, personal statement and two references dated within the last year. Results came out in early June, for courses starting in September or October 2026.
Next round
The 2027 call has not been announced. The 2026 documents were published in late January 2026 with a mid-March deadline, so expect a similar window in early 2027. Apply to your Irish course first: you need the offer letter before the HEA deadline.
The IELTS requirement
The HEA sets no English test or score. Because you need an offer from an Irish institution when you apply, the institution's English requirement is what matters, and that is usually IELTS 6.5 overall for taught master's courses (often with no band below 6.0) and 6.5 to 7.0 for research degrees. A conditional offer is accepted for the scholarship, so you can apply before you have the score, but you will need it to take up the place in September.
Where is your IELTS score now?
Your university sets the IELTS score for this scholarship. Take the free level test to get an estimated band for each skill before you apply.
What it covers
- A €10,000 stipend for the year, paid through the institution in two instalments (or monthly)
- A full waiver of tuition and the registration charge from the host institution
- One academic year only; some institutions extend the fee waiver to a third semester, but the stipend stays at €10,000
- Flights and visa costs are not covered, and the HEA notes the stipend is unlikely to cover living costs in full
Who can apply
- Domicile of origin outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK (Thai applicants are eligible; Russian and Belarusian citizens are excluded)
- A conditional or final offer for a full-time, in-person, fee-paying course at an eligible Irish institution for the coming academic year
- Taught master's or postgraduate diploma (NFQ level 9) or research master's/PhD (level 10); undergraduate courses are not eligible
- Not a previous GOI-IES scholar; one application per person per cycle
- Scored on academic record and work experience (40), a personal statement covering the benefit of the award, involvement in Irish society and long-term interest in Ireland (45), and two references (15); you need at least 60 of 100 to be considered
Key facts
- Provider
- Higher Education Authority (HEA), Ireland
- Where you study
- Ireland
- Study level
- Master's, PhD
- Funding
- Partly funded
- Application round
- Closes March 12, 2026
Already know your score?
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We checked these details against the provider's official page on November 1, 2026. Rules and dates change every round, so confirm them there before you apply.
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