June 2023 marks the one-year anniversary of ApplyBoard being active in Ireland. As we approach a year of helping students settle into the leading English-speaking study abroad destination in Europe, we’re excited about its growth as a destination market.
Today, we’re exploring what makes international education tick in Ireland. What’s behind its impressive growth? Where do opportunities lie for students in the Irish job market? And what subjects and study levels are pulling students to Ireland? We tackle it all in our 2023 update of the Irish international education market.
Key Insights at a Glance
- International enrollment in Ireland increased by 20% in 2021/22, the largest single-year increase since 2014/15.
- In 2021/22, one of every five international students studying in Ireland was from an EU country.
- 44% of international students studied at the postgraduate level in 2021/22, up from 31% in 2016/17.
- Health and welfare is the most popular field of study in Ireland for the second consecutive year.
A Record Year for International Education in Ireland
In 2020/21, the pandemic caused fewer international students to study in Ireland than the previous year, something which had not happened since 2011/12.
When the HEA released the 2021/22 key data figures, one thing was clear—2021/22 was a year of resurgence for international education in Europe’s leading English-speaking study-abroad destination.
In 2021/22, over 30,400 international students studied at Irish institutions.1 This set an all-time high for the number of international students in Ireland.
While growth was definitely expected following a pandemic-driven downturn in international applications, Ireland exceeded expectations. Let’s compare the annual growth of the Irish international education market over the last few years to some other key destination markets:
While Ireland’s international student population is a fraction of the US’s or the UK’s, its year-over-year percentage growth in 2021/22 dwarfs the competition.
International enrollment jumped by over 12% in the UK last year, the largest annual increase of the last decade. The US market also rebounded from 2020/21 to 2021/22, jumping by 7%. In the same time frame, the number of international students studying in Ireland increased by a whopping 20%.
The Looming Impact of Brexit
This rebound in enrollment was partially due to the lifting of travel restrictions in a post-pandemic world, but that likely doesn’t tell the whole story. The UK’s departure from the European Union became an even bigger topic of conversation in international education circles earlier this year when HESA data revealed that first-year enrollment for EU students in the UK declined by 53% in 2021/22.2
Brexit is also likely to be a driving force behind Ireland’s high annual growth rate. EU students that are no longer offered home tuition fees at UK universities are still looking for a study-abroad experience closer to home. Many of these students are now considering Ireland as a destination for their international education journeys.
Where are International Students in Ireland Coming From?
But how much has the landscape of international education in Ireland changed over the last 12 months? Let’s take a look at the top 15 source markets for Ireland in 2021/22:3
After falling to third place last year, the US returned as a major driver of international education in Ireland in 2021/22, ranking as Ireland’s biggest source market for the ninth time in 10 years.
India and China, the next two largest sources of international students in Ireland, are trending in similar directions as seen in other destination countries this year. Indian growth is surging while the number of new Chinese students is plateauing.
With over 14 times the number of Indian students studying in Ireland today compared to 2010, India figures to play a prominent role in growing international education in Ireland for a long time.
In the case of China, this academic year will be very telling for predicting future trends out of Asia’s most populous country. As international travel restrictions and China’s COVID Zero policy lift, it will be interesting to see whether the international education giant can make a swift recovery.
Malaysia and the UK are also countries to watch. Both of these nations have seen international enrollment at Irish universities slowly decline over the last five years. Let’s take a look at which countries they could be making way for.
The Future of International Education in Ireland
Let’s take a look at the markets which are helping shape the future of international education in Ireland. Here are the top 10 fastest-growing source markets from 2020/21 to 2021/22:
Of the nine countries with an annual growth rate higher than the overall average of 20%, five of them are in the EU.
In our initial coverage of the Irish market last year, we predicted a post-Brexit EU boom for this budding market. These growth rankings validate our suspicions that Brexit has a hand in Ireland’s impressive post-pandemic rebound.
In 2021/22, one in every five international students studying in Ireland was from an EU country, an increase from the 1 in 7 students that came from the EU in 2016/17.
As UK universities continue to adjust tuition rates and charge EU students full international student fees, we expect the EU to take an even bigger slice of the pie at Irish universities moving forward.4
Irish Post-Graduate Programmes Increasing in Popularity
What study levels are grabbing the attention of international students in Ireland? Let’s have a look. The chart below shows the distribution of international enrollments in Ireland by study level:
Study level trends have remained fairly consistent in Ireland throughout the last five years. Since 2016/17, undergraduate enrollments have accounted for 44% to 50% of all of the international enrollment in Ireland, with PhD claiming between 10% and 14% of total enrollment.
The big trend that we’re seeing from a study level perspective in Ireland is the growing popularity of master’s programmes. 29% of international students there were studying at the master’s level in 2021/22, up from 20.8% in 2016/17.
Five of the 10 most popular schools among international students in Ireland during 2021/22 are ApplyBoard partner schools.
This aligns with some of the trends we’ve recently seen in the UK market. Master’s programmes are typically shorter in length and offer competitive annual tuition fees. For students who already hold an undergraduate degree and are looking for quicker pathways to work in their field, master’s programmes are an attractive option.
Ireland’s Third Level Graduate Scheme allows students to stay in Ireland for 12 months to work after completing their undergraduate degree. But master’s degree, postgraduate diploma, and doctoral degree holders may remain in Ireland for two years.
Top Irish Fields of Study
Let’s see what international students are coming to Ireland to study in 2021/22:
Compared to last year, the order of this list has remained largely unchanged. STEM continues to be a focus area for international students at Irish universities, with 22% of students studying in this area, while business slots in as the second most popular subject.
For the second consecutive year, health and welfare is the most-studied field by international students in Ireland. 21.5% of students in 2021/22 were enrolled in popular programs such as nursing, social work, medicine, and childcare.
Ireland is not alone in its rising international enrollment rates within healthcare-focused programs. We’re seeing an increased interest in this field across all of our major destination markets. Students gravitate towards fields that are hiring and offer long-term stability—two characteristics that health and welfare boast all around the world.
The demographic of Irish citizens aged 85 and older will grow by 95% before 2031. Demand for more workers in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes will rise as this trend takes shape. The opportunity for international students in this field is only beginning to reach its potential.
A Promising Future for Ireland
Ireland is a strong and growing market with the potential to transform the lives of many hopeful international students, who will in turn give back to the Irish economy.
At ApplyBoard, we’re excited to cover this market in more detail moving forward. Keep your eyes peeled for more Irish ApplyInsights content over the next few months.
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FOOTNOTES:
1. All data courtesy of the Irish Higher Education Authority (HEA), unless otherwise stated.
2. Data courtesy of HESA.
3. Great Britain includes students from England, Wales, and Scotland. The HEA defines Northern Irish students as domestic students.
4. Select UK universities still offer domestic tuition rates to EU students.
