University of Galway

The University of Galway was founded in 1845 as Queen's College Galway and took its present name in 2022. Its riverside campus sits on the edge of Galway city on Ireland's Atlantic coast.

The university has notable strengths in medicine and the health sciences, biomedical engineering, marine and environmental science, and computing, and it hosts a number of national research centres. The medical device industry clustered in the west of Ireland has a close relationship with its engineering and biomedical research.

Galway is a small city, which changes the student experience: the campus, the centre and most student housing are within walking or cycling distance of each other.

Entry requirements are published per course and are generally stated plainly.

• Class 12 or equivalent at the level the programme states, with the required subjects for science, engineering and health courses.
• A recognised bachelor's degree in a related field for taught master's entry.
• English proficiency at the published minimum, with pre-sessional English available for applicants slightly below it.
• A statement of purpose and references for postgraduate applications.
• Additional assessment for medicine and for a small number of other programmes.

Galway sets non-EU fees by programme, and living costs in the west of Ireland are generally lower than in Dublin.

• Non-EU rates set per programme, differing substantially from EU rates.
• Variation by discipline — medicine, engineering and science above arts and humanities.
• A student levy and registration charges in addition to tuition.
• Fees generally held at the entry-year rate for the cohort; confirm for your course.
• Living costs below Dublin, which is a real advantage over a multi-year degree.
• Programme-specific costs where placement, fieldwork or materials apply.

Work from Galway's fee pages for your specific programme and fee status for your specific programme and year of entry — it is the only figure that will be correct for you, and it is republished every year. We will confirm the current cost and what it includes before you commit to an application.

Galway offers international student awards as partial tuition reductions, with additional scholarships administered by individual colleges and by particular programmes. Research funding runs through supervisors and national schemes.

• International student awards — partial tuition reductions on academic merit.
• College awards — decided within a discipline.
• Programme awards — attached to a specific degree.
• Research studentships — arranged with a supervisor.

Irish scholarship rounds are small and close early. Securing the offer quickly is what makes you eligible in time.

A riverside campus in a small, sociable city on Ireland's Atlantic coast, with a reputation for being unusually friendly to newcomers.

• A compact campus beside the River Corrib, a short walk from the city centre.
• A small city with a large student share, which makes it easy to settle into and easy to get around on foot.
• A strong arts and music culture — Galway has a genuine festival and traditional music scene that students take part in.
• Wide society and sport provision, including watersports and outdoor activity on the Atlantic coast.
• Accommodation is more available and cheaper than Dublin, though the student intake still makes early searching sensible.

Galway suits students who want a manageable city and a lower cost of living. It is smaller than Dublin in every sense, which is the trade-off — fewer large-employer internships nearby, and a much easier place to live.