Ireland happens to be the 6th most attractive destination for students planning to study overseas. In the last 30 years, Ireland has seen a sizable population of Indian students enrolling in various programs. Currently, over 40,000 Indian students are studying under the Ireland education system. Engineering is the most popular course opted by a majority of international students in Ireland besides Medicine, Finance, Healthcare and Education.
The country is home to some of the top engineering colleges in the world which makes them ideal to gain knowledge and experience for a lifetime. This guide will help you choose among popular engineering courses, best engineering colleges in Ireland, explore the cost of study, job prospects, etc. So let’s start exploring more details to study engineering in Ireland.
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Table of Contents: |
Why Study Engineering in Ireland?
Apart from exposure to people and networks from around the world, studying engineering in Ireland can have quite a few benefits for you:
- Grading System in Ireland: Irish universities have an unusual grading system. While students need an average of 40% to pass, the highest grade awarded is only 70%. You need 50% to get your degree with honours.
- Affordable Education: The average fees of universities in Ireland are worth noting as they tend to be lower than other study abroad options for international students.
- Career Prospects: After you complete your course, the career prospects in Ireland are bright for engineers in Ireland. Depending on your degree and specialization you can apply for highly qualified and well-paying jobs in Ireland.
- Top Employers: Some of the biggest companies like Google, IBM, Microsoft, SAP, Meta, MasterCard in Ireland hire talented graduates in the field of engineering.
- Lucrative Packages: Even from a salary perspective, the prospects seem bright. Freshers in this field can expect a salary of €10,000-20,000 i.e. around INR 8-10 lakhs per annum.
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Top Engineering Universities in Ireland
If you have already made up your mind about studying Engineering in Ireland, here are some of the best engineering colleges in Ireland that should be on your list:
- Trinity College, Dublin
- National University of Ireland
- University College Dublin
- University College Cork
- Dublin City University
- University of Limerick
- Maynooth Institute
Let us discuss each of these top engineering universities in Ireland one by one:
1. Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College Dublin is the most prestigious college for engineering located in the centre of Ireland’s capital, Dublin. It has the most advanced engineering syllabus with a variety of in-demand specializations to choose from.
|
Type |
Public |
|
QS World University Ranking 2022 |
101 |
|
Average Annual Tuition Fees |
€27,000 |
|
Courses Offered |
● Biomedical Engineering ● Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering ● Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering ● Electronic Engineering ● Computer Engineering ● Electronic and Computer Engineering |
2. National University of Ireland, Galway
This university is located in one of the smaller towns of Ireland, and it is voted as one of the world’s friendliest cities. Established in 1849, it ranks among the top 1% of universities in the world in the QS University Rankings.
|
Type |
Public |
|
QS World University Ranking 2022 |
258 |
|
Average Annual Tuition Fees |
€17,000 - €25,000 |
|
Courses Offered |
● Biomedical Engineering ● Civil Engineering ● Electrical and Electronic Engineering ● Energy Systems Engineering ● Mechanical Engineering ● Undenominated Engineering |
3. University College Dublin
This university has seats for over 5,000 international students. It became autonomous in 1997 and offers engineering degrees from the National University of Ireland, Galway.
|
Type |
Public |
|
QS World University Ranking 2022 |
173 |
|
Average Annual Tuition Fees |
€25,600 - €26,400 |
|
Program Offered |
● Biomedical Engineering ● Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering ● Civil Engineering ● Electrical and Electronic Engineering ● Mechanical Engineering ● Structural Engineering with Architecture ● Energy Systems Engineering ● Materials Science and Engineering ● Optical Engineering |
4. University College Cork
This is another internationally recognized university in Ireland. It has a total enrollment of around 20,000 students that include over 3,000 seats for international students representing more than 100 countries. It ranks among the top 2% of universities in the world, making a top choice for Engineering in Ireland.
|
Type |
Public |
|
QS World University Ranking 2022 |
298 |
|
Average Annual Tuition Fees |
€22,130 |
|
Program Offered |
● Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering ● Electrical and Electronic Engineering ● Energy Engineering ● Process and Chemical Engineering ● Mechanical Engineering |
5. Dublin City University
Dublin City University was established in 1975 and has quickly gained recognition for its world-class research. International students make up 20% of the entire student population at this university.
|
Type |
Public |
|
QS World University Ranking 2022 |
=490 |
|
Average Annual Tuition Fees |
€15,000 - €17,000 |
|
Courses Offered |
● Electronic and Computer Engineering ● Biomedical Engineering ● Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering |
6. University of Limerick
University of Limerick has been voted the best student campus in Ireland for 2019 and 2020. This is an affordable university with a focus on building a career path.
|
Type |
Public |
|
QS World University Ranking 2022 |
501-510 |
|
Average Annual Tuition Fees |
€14,500 - €17,000 |
|
Courses Offered |
● Engineering Materials ● Aeronautical Engineering ● Construction Management and Engineering ● Civil Engineering ● Mechanical Engineering ● Biomedical Engineering |
7. Maynooth Institute, Maynooth
Maynooth University is located in Ireland’s only university town. The MSc in Computer Engineering is one of its top-rated courses at this university. Adjacent to Ireland's Silicon Docks; the university maintains strong links with Intel, HP, Google, and over 50 other giants of the industry.
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Type |
Public |
|
QS World University Ranking 2022 |
751-800 |
|
Average Annual Tuition Fees |
€15,000 |
|
Courses Offered |
● Aeronautical Engineering ● Electrical Engineering ● Mechanical Engineering ● Computer Science and Software Engineering |
Popular Engineering Courses in Ireland
You can pursue Engineering courses in Ireland at the diploma, undergraduate, graduate or doctoral levels. The most common degrees pursued by students in the field of Engineering in Ireland are Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Science at the undergraduate level and Master of Engineering and Master of Science at the graduate level.
This leads us to the next question, which field can you specialize in while studying engineering in Ireland? If you are looking for a specific field of engineering to specialize in, here are some of the engineering courses in Ireland you can apply for:
- Civil Engineering in Ireland
- Mechanical Engineering in Ireland
- Electrical Engineering in Ireland
- Computer Engineering in Ireland
- Biomedical Engineering in Ireland
Below mentioned are universities offering popular engineering courses in Ireland along with the scope:
1. Civil Engineering in Ireland
Civil Engineering is one of the oldest and most popular branches of Engineering worldwide. It mostly deals with construction projects such as building water networks, roadways, railways, and other infrastructure projects, etc.
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Top Universities |
University College Dublin Trinity College Dublin National University of Ireland, Galway |
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Job Roles |
● Civil Engineer ● Civil Technician ● CAD Technician |
|
Average Annual Salary |
€37,900 |
2. Mechanical Engineering in Ireland
Mechanical Engineering is a specialization that deals with thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, stress analytics, technical drawing, mechanical design, etc.
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Top Universities |
Trinity College Dublin University College Dublin University of Limerick National University of Ireland, Galway |
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Job Roles |
● Mechanical Design Engineer ● Mechanical Engineer ● Mechanical Designer ● Mechanical Engineering Manager ● Mechanical Inspector |
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Average Annual Salary |
€36,100 |
3. Electrical Engineering in Ireland
Electrical Engineering in Ireland emphasises understanding and applying many of the technologies that are so pervasive in today's world. It is a discipline rooted in electrical fundamentals but pushing the boundaries of functionality, performance and application.
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Top Universities |
Trinity College Dublin University College Dublin University College Cork Dublin City University |
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Job Roles |
● Electrical Engineer ● Electrical Engineering Manager ● Electromechanical Engineering Technologist ● Electrochemical Engineering Assembler |
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Average Annual Salary |
€38,500 |
4. Computer Engineering in Ireland
Computer Engineering deals with creating prototypes and designing hardware and software in computers that can reduce manual human work and help in effectively running an organization.
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Top Universities |
Trinity College Dublin University College Dublin University College Cork National University of Ireland, Galway |
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Job Roles |
● Software Engineer ● Computer Engineer ● Software Analyst ● Software Architect ● Technical Analyst ● Systems Analyst |
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Average Annual Salary |
€38,300 |
5. Biomedical Engineering in Ireland
Ireland is known as a global leader in the field of medical technology, devices and diagnostic services. This is why biomedical engineers are in high demand in Ireland.
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Top Universities |
Dublin City University |
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Job Roles |
● Biomedical Engineer ● Biomedical Engineering Director ● Bioinformatics Technician ● Biotechnologist |
|
Average Annual Salary |
€33,300 |
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Eligibility Requirements & Admission Process to Study Engineering in Ireland
Let us now take a look at the eligibility criteria and admission process to study engineering in Ireland:
Eligibility Requirements & Documents for Engineering in Ireland
Before applying to universities in Ireland for international students, you need to fulfil the eligibility criteria and requirements for admission first. While universities may have specific admission requirements, the general eligibility criteria are mentioned below:
- Pass your 10+2 or an equivalent exam with a minimum grade of 60% to apply for an undergraduate degree in Engineering.
- Complete an undergraduate degree in Engineering to enroll in a masters degree program.
- Submit all academic transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Provide proof of English language proficiency.
- Copy of passport as proof of identity.
- CV or resume with updated academic and professional information.
- Letters of recommendation
- Statement of Purpose/ Personal Statement
- Evidence of finances to cover cost of studying in Ireland
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Cost of Study Engineering in Ireland
The cost of studying Ireland is far lower compared to other countries like UK, USA, Canada, etc. Take a look at the table below for an overview of the cost of studying engineering in Ireland:
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Category |
Annual Cost |
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Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs |
€10,000 - €27,000 |
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Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs |
€10,000 - €35,000 |
|
Other Fees (Student Contribution Fee) |
€3,000 |
|
Cost of Living |
€7,000 - €12,000 |
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One can compensate for the cost of studying engineering in Ireland as the career prospects are quite lucrative. An engineering professional can expect to earn around €32,500 annually. The starting salary of engineers is around €10,300 while the highest salary can go up to €68,700.
Engineering in Ireland is no doubt a good choice for a successful career ahead. One of the main reasons to study in Ireland and pursue engineering is recognition of courses globally, because of the quality of professional education standards in the country.
