Ireland study visa requirements from Pakistan for 2026

To get an Ireland study visa from Pakistan, you need a place on a full time course listed on the ILEP or the TrustEd Ireland list, proof that you have paid your fees, immediate access to at least €10,000 for living costs, an English test certificate and private medical insurance. You apply online through AVATS, pay the €60 visa fee and submit your passport and documents at VFS Global.

What do you need for an Ireland study visa from Pakistan?

Pakistani citizens need a visa for Ireland, and study of more than 3 months needs the long stay (D) study visa. Irish Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), part of the Department of Justice, sets six core requirements:

1. An eligible course on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) or the TrustEd Ireland Providers list.
2. Fees paid, in full or at least €6,000.
3. €10,000 you can access immediately for living costs.
4. Academic ability, shown by results such as Matric, FSc, A levels or your bachelor's transcript.
5. An English test certificate.
6. Private medical insurance, arranged by your college or by you.

You must also explain any gap since your last full time study with your employment history, and declare every previous visa refusal for any country with the original letter. Ireland is outside Schengen, so a Schengen visa does not cover it; our guide to studying in Europe from Pakistan compares Ireland with Germany and others.

Is your course eligible? ILEP and the TrustEd Ireland list

You can only get a study visa for a course on one of two official lists, and ISD says a programme will not appear on both, so check both before you pay. They cover English language courses of at least 25 weeks, higher education at levels 6 to 10 of the Irish qualifications framework, professional awards and foundation programmes. Part time and distance courses do not qualify.

Your letter of acceptance must confirm a full time course with at least 15 hours of daytime tuition a week, the fees payable and the fees paid. ISD also requires listed colleges to refuse cash payments, publish a refund policy, and process a refund request within 20 working days if your visa is refused.

How much money do you need for an Ireland study visa?

You must show immediate access to at least €10,000 for your first year, and ready access to €10,000 for each later year plus that year's fees. At the State Bank of Pakistan revaluation rate of Rs 309.95 per euro on 13 October 2026, €10,000 is about Rs 3.1 million, so keep a margin in case the rupee moves.

Tuition is separate. Fees under €6,000 are paid in full before you apply. Above that, you pay at least €6,000, shown on your letter of acceptance, though your college may ask for more. Proof is a transfer to the college's Irish bank account or a receipt from an approved payment service such as Pay to Study.

The bank statement rules that trip Pakistani families most often:

• statements covering the last six months for you and each sponsor, on bank headed paper;
• internet printouts only if the bank notarises every page and adds a confirming letter;
• a full explanation of any large or irregular deposit, such as a property sale or matured savings certificates;
• proof of each sponsor's relationship to you and income, for example an employer letter with 3 recent payslips.

Degree students can instead lodge an education bond of at least €10,000 with an approved payment service, held until they register in Ireland. Our guide to the bank statement for a study visa covers sponsors and deposits in detail.

What English score do you need for an Ireland study visa?

You submit a certificate from the test provider, issued within 2 years of your course start date. ISD's visa minimums:

Your college sets its own entry score, usually higher, and ISD says meeting it is your responsibility. A preparatory English course before a degree can last at most 6 months, and you must pay its fees and the first year of the main course in full. For other routes, see our guide to a study visa without IELTS.

Ireland study visa document checklist

Two details catch Pakistani applicants. Letters from a business or organisation must be originals on headed paper with a landline number, as ISD does not accept mobile numbers or Yahoo and Hotmail addresses. Documents in Urdu need a full certified translation. Unaccompanied applicants under 18 need extra documents, including notarised consent from both parents.

How do you apply through AVATS and VFS from Pakistan?

1. Complete AVATS, the Automated Visa Application and Tracking System, answering every question fully and honestly.
2. Pay the visa fee. ISD lists no separate fee for a long stay study visa: it is €60 single entry or €100 multiple entry, not refunded if you are refused. VFS Global says the fee is paid during the AVATS application from 8 December 2025, and VFS may add its own service charges.
3. Print and sign the summary form, which tells you where to submit.
4. Submit at VFS Global, the official partner of the Embassy of Ireland in Pakistan, which lists centres in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Mirpur. ISD says documents must reach the application office within 30 days of creating your AVATS application, and VFS posted a notice on 18 March 2026 about this 30 day window.
5. Wait about 8 weeks from receipt, and do not buy tickets before the decision.

A refusal letter gives the reasons. You can appeal within 2 months of its date, free of charge.

What happens after you arrive? Stamp 2 registration

A visa does not guarantee entry, so carry copies of your documents for the airport immigration officer.

You must register within 90 days. Since 13 January 2025, ISD handles all first time registrations at its Registration Office on Burgh Quay, Dublin, by appointment booked after you arrive. Bring your passport, a college letter dated on or after your course start, proof of fees and your insurance policy. The fee is €300, paid by card, and your Irish Residence Permit card showing Stamp 2 usually arrives by post within 10 working days.

Can you work on Stamp 2, and what is Stamp 1G?

On Stamp 2 you can work up to 20 hours a week in term and 40 hours a week in June, July, August and September and from 15 December to 15 January, without an employment permit. Your visa funds must not depend on this work, and Via Nova does not arrange jobs. You must show progress each year, cannot use public services such as public hospitals, and can spend at most 7 years as a student. ISD says students are typically not permitted to bring family.

After graduating, the Third Level Graduate Programme gives Stamp 1G:

• Level 8, such as an honours bachelor's: 12 months.
• Level 9 or above, such as a master's: 12 months, renewable for 12 more if you show you have been seeking graduate level work.

You apply within 6 months of being told you have achieved your award and pay €300 to register. Stamp 1G is time to find a job that leads to an employment permit, not a guarantee of one.

Not sure where you stand?

The €6,000 fee rule means real money leaves your account before the visa decision, so check your case first. Send your grades, English score, budget and target course to a Via Nova counsellor on WhatsApp at +92 316 4448062 for an honest answer and a document check before you pay. Our counsellors are in Lake City Meadows (Ex State Life), next to DHA Phase 5, Lahore, and also advise online through our study in Ireland service. Only the Irish visa office decides your visa.