Ireland

4.3Educational guidelines

Read more about Organisation of centre-based ECEC

Admission requirements

There are no admission requirements set nationally for a child to be admitted to an ELC service. Parents are free to choose the facility. There is no legal entitlement to a place.

To take part in the ECCE universal free pre-school programme, to start the programme year in September a child must have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before August 31st and must not turn 5 years and 6 months of age on or before June 30th of the programme year. Children are eligible to two years of participation in the ECCE programme.

Read more about Access

Place Guarantee

There is no legal guarantee to a place in ELC. Parents themselves choose an ELC provider.

Affordability

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal, free, two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range.

Read more about The organisation of the academic year

2025-2026

Beginning of the academic year

Institutional autonomy

Mid to End of September 2025

Period(s) when there are teaching activities

Institutional autonomy

Semester 1: September to December 2025

Semester 2: February to May 2026

Period(s) of examination

Institutional autonomy

End of Semester 1 (Dec 2025)

End of Semester 2 (May 2026)

National Information

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National Information

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National Information

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Academic year
Type of support

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Minimum, maximum, and most common annual fee amounts (in EUR)

Cycle
Type of Students
Status of Students

FEES

Tuition fee payable by a student may vary depending on the type of course, entry route and previous academic study. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes.
First time HE students attending public higher education institutions may be eligible for tuition fee waivers including the Free Fees Initiative (undergraduate) and tuition fee supports (undergraduate full time or part-time and postgraduate full-time) through the student grant scheme (as administered via SUSI). Tuition supports may also be available through specific measures such as Springboard+ which provides free or subsidised HE places in priority skill areas (Full time, part-time, Undergrad, Postgrad and previous graduates). Students not eligible to avail of State funding support are liable for either 'EU' or 'International' fee rates dependent on the criteria set by the individual higher education institution (as an autonomous body) a student attends.
Frist Cycle/Undergraduate: Through the 'Free Fees Initiative' full-time first-cycle 'home students' and EU students generally have their undergraduate tuition fees paid by the State exclusive of a 'student contribution'. The student contribution is EUR 3 000 per-annum. First-time undergraduates who are EU/EEA/Swiss or UK citizens or hold certain residency permissions and have been resident in EU/EEA/Switzerland or the United Kingdom for at least three of the previous five years prior to commencing their course may be eligible for "Free Fees" and may have their EU tuition fee (excluding the student contribution) paid by the State.
Students who qualify for need-based grants provided by the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) may have the student contribution (or part of) paid on their behalf by the Exchequer. Full-time first cycle students not availing of the Free Fees Initiative (do not meet criteria such as residency or previous academic attainment), are liable for either 'EU' or 'international' fee rates dependent on the criteria set by the individual higher education institution a student attends.
Part-time and Postgraduate: Generally, postgraduate and part-time students enrolled in public higher education institutions in Ireland are liable to pay fees. Students who qualify for need-based grants provided by the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) may be able to avail of supports towards their tuition fee costs.
Students not eligible for state supports (such as the Free Fees Initiative, Student Grant Scheme, Springboard+) are liable to pay fees. They may, however, be eligible for tax relief on tuition fees from the Revenue Commissioners.
International students may be subject to higher tuition fees.

Annual grant amounts (in EUR)

Cycle
Type of Students
Status of Students
Type of Grants

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - GRANTS

Needs based grants are offered to full time home students. For the 2023/2024 academic year students in full-time education receive grants where they fulfill all other eligibility criteria for the Student Grant Scheme.
Under student support measures students in some categories, such as subject to socio-economic constraints may be able to avail of funding supports. These include bursaries and funding through the student grant scheme (need based grant).
Age limits are not applied.

Annual loan amounts (in EUR)

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - LOANS

Publicly subsidised loans are not available.

Footnotes

<p>Data provided to the HEA is provided by individual higher education institutions.</p>

Eurydice

Ireland

4.3Educational guidelines

Admission requirements

Place Guarantee

Affordability

2025-2026

National Information

National Information

National Information

Minimum, maximum, and most common annual fee amounts (in EUR)

FEES

Annual grant amounts (in EUR)

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - GRANTS

Annual loan amounts (in EUR)

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - LOANS

Further readings

Footnotes

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