International Students NUIG

In compliance with University Policy and immigration control, international students must pay their fees before they are permitted to complete formal registration for their NUI Galway course.  US visiting students who have arranged to pay their NUI Galway fees via their home College must furnish such payment details to the NUI Galway Fees Office in advance of registration.  International and Visiting US Students who have successfully applied for a course / programme at NUI Galway will have been allocated a pre-registration 8 digit student ID number which should be quoted on all fee transactions and correspondence.

Four methods of payment for tuition fees:

(1)   Pay your fees online here.  

(2)   Payment via recognised agent ’EduStep’ - PaytoStudy:  Non-European Union (EU) students are strongly advised to pay their tuition fee through the PaytoStudy.   The PaytoStudy receipt is accepted as proof of payment of tuition fees by the Irish National Immigration Service (INIS) for study visa applications and at the point of entry to Ireland.   With PaytoStudy there is no international bank transfer fee and the entire transaction takes just 48 hours from start to finish. PaytoStudy is also recommended by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service for the purposes of study visa applications.

(3)     International Wire Transfer:  Alternatively, you may also pay by international wire transfer, using the following  bank account details:
Name of Bank:  Bank of Ireland
Bank Address:  43 Eyre Square, Galway, Ireland
Account Number: 28454143
IBAN:  IE 43 BOFI 9038 1628 4541 43
Sort Code: 90 38 16
Swift Code: BofIIE2D
If paying by international wire transfer please ensure you quote your eight digit student ID / CAO / PAC number.

(4) Bank Giro:   International students that are resident in Ireland can request a unique bank giro here for payment at any bank in the Republic of Ireland.  This will be posted to your Irish address and you can then take the giro to the nearest bank, within the Republic of Ireland, and pay ’over the counter’.  Your details on the personalised bank giro will facilitate the credit of your payment to your fee account when returned by the bank to the University.  Please use your PAC / CAO 8 digit student ID number in all transactions.

The University accepts no obligation to refund fees once a student has registered, see  and QA307 Student Fee Liability refund policy documents. 

However International students who have paid some or part of their fees to the University but are subsequently unsuccessful in their visa application will be refunded the amount they have paid, less an administrative fee of €190 within 60 days of formal withdrawal. They must provide documentary evidence of visa refusal. The University requires confirmation from the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (Visa Section) that the visa has been refused.

Students who wish to withdraw must do so officially by contacting the Student Information Desk.

The definition of an EU student for fee purposes:  EU nationals (i.e. holding an EU Passport/or Birth Certificate) who have been ordinarily resident* in an EU member state for at least three of the five years immediately preceding their entry to the third level course.

a.     *ordinarily resident excludes residency for educational purposes.

b.    The EU/Non-EU fee status determined on entry to a course will be applied for the duration of the course.  NON EU fees are payable in full prior to registration.

c.     An EU student who is dependent on financial assistance from a source outside of the EU will be treated as a Non-EU student for fee purposes, and accordingly, the full Economic Fee will be payable.

In order to be eligible for EU (as opposed to the higher Non EU) fee rates, applicants must qualify through Nationality or Residency – see below.  (N.B. Eligibility for EU fee rates does NOT confer entitlement to ’free fees’. You should contact the Fees Office if in doubt).

Nationality - Postgraduate: If the student holds EU Nationality or official Irish refugee status, and has received ALL of his/her full-time post-primary education in the EU / EEA / Switzerland (whilst parents were resident as tax payers), they are eligible for the EU rate of fees. This applies even if the student has not been resident in the EU for three of the five years immediately prior to university entry.

Undergraduate:  If the student is a new entrant undergraduate, holds EU nationality at the time of entry to the course and has completed five academic years of study in the EU / EEA / Switzerland (whilst parents were resident as tax payers), at either primary or post primary level, they are eligible for the EU rate of fees.  This applies even if the student has not been resident in the EU for three of the last five years immediately prior to university entry.

Residence: Irrespective of above, if the student’s principal residence for the purpose of taxation has been in an EU / EEA / Switzerland member state for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately prior to university entry, they may be eligible for the EU rate of fees. Prior residence as a full time student does not ensure eligibility for the EU rate of fees.

For all applicants aged under 23 on 1st September  of year of entry to a program:
*   Parent(s) must have been resident as tax-payer(s)*** in the EU / EEA / Switzerland for three of the five years prior to the applicant commencing a programme at NUI Galway and (***principal residence for the purpose of taxation).
*   Applicant / Student must have been ordinarily resident in the EU / EEA / Switzerland for three of the five years immediately prior to commencing a programme at NUI Galway.

For all applicants aged 23 or over on 1st September  of year of entry to a program:
*   Applicants over 23 are considered independent, mature applicants.  The applicant / student must have been resident as a tax-payer in the EU / EEA / Switzerland for three of the five years immediately prior to commencing a programme at NUI Galway.