How to read this
Figures come from official and university pages verified on 2026-10-23/2026-10-25. UK fee data rests on a sample of 10 universities, not the whole sector. This guide declares neither country better and gives no admission or visa guarantee.
Tuition and living cost
- Ireland, tuition (non-EU, 2025/26 Education in Ireland ranges): undergraduate Business EUR 10,300-29,000, Engineering 14,500-28,500, Arts & Humanities 13,500-28,200, Medicine & Health 50,135-62,500. Postgraduate Business EUR 14,000-40,000, Engineering 15,000-30,000.
- Ireland, examples: TU Dublin BSc Computer Science EUR 13,500; UL Business 17,500; UCD Computer Science 29,500; UCC MSc 21,914-29,614.
- UK, tuition (overseas fees, 2027 entry pages): undergraduate Warwick GBP 29,260-37,310, Manchester 35,300-39,700, UCL 40,800-48,600, Imperial 47,800; Oxford 39,620-66,580; Cambridge 30,798-70,554. Taught master's examples: Bristol 37,900, Manchester 39,700-41,400, UCL 44,400, Imperial 48,300-54,000.
- Ireland, living: Trinity College Dublin estimates EUR 19,937-29,050 per year (undergraduate) and EUR 21,050-27,050 (postgraduate) in Dublin, including accommodation.
- UK, living (university estimates): Cambridge GBP 1,330 per month (2027-28), Oxford 1,475-2,175, Edinburgh 1,546, Manchester 1,484-1,503, Imperial (London) 1,821-1,893, LSE at least 1,550.
Visa and proof of funds
- Ireland: nationals of visa-required countries apply through AVATS for a long-stay D study visa up to 3 months before travel; non-visa-required nationals need no visa but must register for stays over 90 days. The course must be full-time (at least 15 hours per week) and on the ILEP or TrustEd Ireland list. Single-entry visa EUR 60, multi-entry EUR 100; Irish Residence Permit registration EUR 300. Decisions take about 8 weeks.
- Ireland, funds: EUR 10,000 per year for visa-required students and EUR 7,000 per year for non-visa-required. Private medical insurance is required (travel insurance is not accepted).
- UK: online application with a CAS; from outside the UK up to 6 months before the course. Visa fee GBP 558; usually about 3 weeks from abroad.
- UK, funds: first-year course fee (up to 9 months) plus GBP 1,529 per month in London or GBP 1,171 elsewhere (GBP 13,761 / 10,539 over 9 months). Funds must be held for 28 consecutive days. An ATAS certificate and TB test results may be needed.
Work rights and post-study
- Ireland: with Stamp 2, 20 hours per week in term time and 40 hours in holidays (June to September and 15 December to 15 January). Stamp 2A holders may not work.
- UK: full-time degree-level study at a compliant higher education provider allows 20 hours per week in term time and full-time outside term; self-employment is not allowed.
- Ireland, post-study (Stamp 1G): 12 months for level 8; level 9 or above 12 months, renewable for another 12 if the graduate shows steps toward graduate-level work. Apply within six months of the award notification; fee EUR 300.
- UK Graduate route: 2 years if applying on or before 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027, 3 years for PhD graduates; fee GBP 937 and a healthcare surcharge of about GBP 1,035 per year (gov.uk/graduate-visa).
Language and scholarships
- Ireland: immigration minimum, for visa purposes only, is IELTS Academic 5.0 (TOEFL iBT 61, Duolingo 75); universities typically ask for IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 per band.
- UK: CEFR B2 for degree level, proven by an approved SELT or a degree taught in English.
- Scholarships: UK pages list Chevening, Commonwealth, GREAT and university schemes; eligibility and amounts for Turkey must be confirmed in the call text. Irish scholarship data is not used here as a verified summary.
Decision checklist
- Is my programme on the ILEP (Ireland), and is the university a licensed sponsor that will issue a CAS (UK)?
- Have I calculated total budget (tuition + living + proof of funds + health surcharge) for both?
- Is my post-study plan robust to the change in the Graduate route from 1 January 2027?
- Did I note the verification date?
Frequently asked questions
This guide is general information. Dates, fees and requirements can change; verify official sources before applying.