What are some budget-friendly one-year master's programs in data analytics or similar fields offered in Ireland, and what are their tuition fees?

Cork and Maynooth consistently undercut Dublin on both tuition and living costs for this specific specialization, so the budget conscious path runs through those two campuses rather than the capital.

The Two Cheapest Options

Munster Technological University, based on its Bishopstown campus in Cork, runs a Level 9, full time MSc in Data Science and Analytics covering programming, databases, statistics, machine learning, time series analysis, and data visualization. Its standard 2026 to 27 international fee is 15,000 euros, and MTU lists a 3,000 euro international scholarship that brings the net cost to 12,000 euros if awarded. Maynooth University's MSc Data Science and Analytics, also a one year full time program, currently lists an international fee of 17,000 euros and is worth considering if you want a university based data science degree without Dublin's higher living costs.

• National College of Ireland: MSc Data Analytics at roughly 17,000 euros a year for non-EU applicants.
• University of Galway: MSc Computer Science with a Data Analytics track, around 19,850 to 28,640 euros depending on the specific fee schedule cited.
• Technological University Dublin: MSc Data Analytics at 21,750 euros for non-EU students.

Data Science vs Business Analytics

If your interest is technical, Python, R, machine learning, statistics, and databases, MTU, Maynooth, TU Dublin, and Galway's Computer Science route are the stronger fits. If your interest leans commercial, University College Cork, University of Galway, and Dublin City University all run MSc Business Analytics programs, though these tend to sit at the higher end of the fee range, from roughly 22,000 to 28,000 euros a year. Either way, tuition is only part of the budget; accommodation, food, health insurance, and visa costs still need to be planned separately, and Cork generally runs cheaper than Dublin on living costs too.

My Advice

In my experience, students fixate on the university name and skip past the scholarship line, which is a mistake here since MTU's 3,000 euro award effectively makes it the cheapest accredited option on this list once it is awarded. Apply early and ask MTU directly about scholarship timelines and criteria before you commit to a more expensive alternative purely on reputation.