Ireland's Rs. 75 Lakh Scholarship for Indian Students: And How to Apply for the Next Cycle

On February 28, 2026, the National College of Ireland (NCI) announced a scholarship pool worth Rs. 75 lakh for Indian postgraduate students, part of its 75th anniversary initiative. As of early 2026, over 13,000 Indian students are studying in Ireland, a record high and a 30% increase from the previous year. India is now the largest source of international students in the country.

One clarification before anything else: the Rs. 75 lakh is a total pool shared across 10 Indian students, averaging Rs. 7.5 lakh per student in tuition fee reductions. This is not a single scholarship worth Rs. 75 lakh. The distribution matters before you build your financial plan around it.

Most 2026 scholarship deadlines for Ireland have now passed. This blog covers what each scholarship offers, which ones are still open or rolling, and exactly what to do between now and March 2027 to have a competitive application ready.

Currency note: 1 EUR = Rs. 109.10 as of July 8, 2026 (BookMyForex/Wise mid-market rate). Always verify current rates before financial planning.

The NCI Rs. 75 Lakh Scholarship

Institution: National College of Ireland (NCI), Dublin, a state-funded Irish higher education institution.

Total pool: Rs. 75 lakh (approximately EUR 68,600), supporting 10 Indian students.

Average award per student: Rs. 7.5 lakh (approximately EUR 6,860) in tuition fee reduction.

Form of support: Tuition fee reduction. Not a stipend. Not a living allowance.

Available programs:

• MSc in Data Analytics.
• MSc in FinTech.
• MSc in artificial intelligence.
• MSc in Cloud Computing.
• MBA.

Selection basis: Merit and financial need combined.

Status: NCI has not published a closing date as of July 2026. This is still contactable. Email internationaloffice@ncirl.ie directly to confirm whether the 2026-27 window is still open and when the 2027-28 cycle opens.

Apply at: ncirl.ie → International Students → Scholarships and Funding

Ireland's Scholarship Landscape: Four Tiers

Irish scholarships for Indian students fall into four tiers. Winning applicants typically combine awards from two or three. Most 2026 deadlines have closed; the 2027 timelines are confirmed below for each.

Tier 1: Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES)

The most prestigious scholarship available to Indian students in Ireland. Administered by the Irish Higher Education Authority (HEA), it covers a full tuition fee waiver plus a EUR 10,000 stipend (approximately Rs. 10.91 lakh) for one year of postgraduate study.

What it covers:

• 100% tuition fee waiver for one year of master's, postgraduate diploma, or PhD.
• EUR 10,000 stipend (approximately Rs. 10.91 lakh) for living costs.

Eligibility:

• Domicile of origin outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland, and the UK. Indian students explicitly qualify.
• Conditional or final offer of admission to an eligible Irish higher education institution at the time of application.
• Enrolling at NFQ Level 9 or Level 10 (master's or PhD).

Scale: Only 60 awards globally each year. Highly competitive.

2026 status: CLOSED. The deadline was March 12, 2026.

2027 cycle:

• Opening: approximately February 2027 (HEA announces dates in January).
• Closing: mid-March 2027.

What to do now:

• Apply to Irish universities for September 2027 entry from October to November 2026.
• Secure your conditional offer before February 2027.
• Begin drafting your Statement of Purpose now. Only 60 places globally, the SOP is what separates shortlisted applications from the rest.

Apply at: hea.ie/policy/internationalisation/goi-ies/

Tier 2: University Scholarships

Most Irish universities offer merit-based fee reductions ranging from EUR 2,000 to EUR 5,000. Treat these as supplements to a primary funding source, not standalone awards.

Trinity College Dublin (QS #75 globally in 2027, strongest position in a decade, #1 in Ireland):

• Global Excellence Scholarship: merit-based fee reduction, assessed automatically on application.
• 2027: Apply from October 2026 onwards with your university application.

University College Dublin (UCD, QS #100 globally in 2027):

• UCD Global Excellence Scholarship: automatic merit assessment at application.
• 2027: Apply from October 2026 onwards.

University College Cork (UCC, QS #220 globally in 2027):

• UCC India Scholarship: specific award for Indian students, some requiring a separate application after receiving an offer.
• 2026 deadline: CLOSED (April 30, 2026). 
• Next cycle: April 2027.

University of Limerick (UL, QS #388 globally in 2027):

• Kemmy Business School (KBS) India Scholarship: EUR 4,000 (approximately Rs. 4.36 lakh) per year, renewable for all four years of an undergraduate business degree. Total value: EUR 16,000 (approximately Rs. 17.46 lakh).
• Eligibility: Indian students with 75% or above in classes 10 and 12 applying to a KBS program.
• Deadline: Rolling. Apply at any time.

Dublin City University (DCU):

• DCU Merit Bursaries: automatically assessed when you apply through the DCU portal.
• 2026 deadline: CLOSED (July 1, 2026). 
• Next cycle: Approximately June 2027.

Tier 3: Research and Sector Funding

Irish Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship (GOIPG):

• Total value: up to EUR 34,000 per year (approximately Rs. 37.09 lakh/year) for PhD candidates.
• Includes EUR 25,000 stipend (Rs. 27.28 lakh), up to EUR 5,750 tuition contribution, and EUR 5,000 in research expenses.
• 2026 deadline: CLOSED (January 2026).
• 2027 cycle: Opens approximately October 2026. Deadline: January 2027.
• Apply at: research.ie/funding/goipg/

Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (GOIPD):

• For recent PhD graduates targeting advanced research at an Irish institution.
• Award: Rs. 52.12 lakh in year 1 (EUR 47,273), rising to Rs. 52.79 lakh in year 2 (EUR 47,880) plus eligible research expenses.
• 2026 deadline: CLOSED (February 2026).
• 2027 cycle: Check research.ie from September 2026 for updated dates.

Tier 4: India-Domiciled Scholarships Valid for Ireland

National Overseas Scholarship (NOS), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:

• For students from Scheduled Castes, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers, and Traditional Artisan categories. Family income must not exceed Rs. 8 lakh per annum.
• Coverage: Full tuition fees plus annual maintenance of USD 15,400 (approximately Rs. 14.70 lakh) plus travel.
• Ireland applicable: Yes, for accepted programs at Irish universities.
• 2027 cycle: Typically opens March to June each year. Monitor the NOS portal from February 2027.

J.N. Tata Endowment Scholarship:

• Loan scholarship up to Rs. 20 lakh at 2% simple interest with possible trustee rebate.
• Minimum 60% in the most recent qualifying examination.
• 2026 deadline: CLOSED (March 15, 2026). 
• Next cycle: March 2027.

All Deadlines at a Glance

Your 2027 Action Plan: Month by Month

The September 2027 intake is your realistic target. Here is the exact sequence:

• July to September 2026: Research Irish universities and programs. Shortlist 3 to 5 institutions. Check each university's GOI-IES eligibility. Begin drafting your Statement of Purpose for GOI-IES.
• October to November 2026: Submit university applications for September 2027 entry. Apply to Trinity, UCD, UCC, DCU, and UL simultaneously if eligible. Apply to UCD, especially early; its first-ever QS top-100 status in 2027 will drive a significant increase in application volume.
• December 2026 to January 2027: Secure conditional offers. Watch for HEA's official GOI-IES 2027/28 announcement; it typically comes in January.
• February 2027: GOI-IES portal opens. Submit your application with your conditional offer in hand.
• Mid-March 2027: GOI-IES closes. The J.N. Tata deadline falls here too; submit simultaneously.
• April 2027: UCC India Scholarship deadline. GOIPG applications open in October; submit by the January 2027 deadline.
• May to June 2027: The NOS portal typically opens for the 2027-28 cycle. Apply if eligible.

The strongest applications stack two or three awards. A university merit scholarship (automatic at Trinity or UCD) combined with GOI-IES, or an Indian government scheme (NOS or J.N. Tata) alongside a university award, covers 40 to 60% of a two-year Dublin master's cost.

Book a free session with a Leap Scholar counselor to understand which Ireland scholarships match your academic profile, how to stack awards across tiers, and what your step-by-step September 2027 Ireland application timeline should look like.

Sources: Business Standard, Study in Ireland: Rs 75 Lakh Scholarship Now Open for Indian Students, March 4, 2026 | HEA Official, Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship 2026 | UCD Global, Government of Ireland Scholarships | Ardent Overseas, Scholarships in Ireland for Indian Students, June 2026 | Irish Research Council, GOIPG | WTSVISA, Scholarships in Ireland 2026 | BookMyForex, EUR to INR July 7, 2026 | Trinity College Dublin Official, QS World University Rankings 2027 | The Journal IE, Six Irish Universities Rise in Global Rankings QS 2027, June 2026 | The Mentors Circle, QS Ranking Ireland 2027 Full Results