If you are choosing a Stamp 2 English course in Ireland from Latin America (or anywhere outside the EEA), you will hear two names: ILEP and TrustEd Ireland. Agents, school sites, and forums often treat them as the same thing. They are not.
In August 2026, Ireland's quality agency QQI authorised the first English-language education (ELE) providers to use the TrustEd Ireland mark. The older Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) is still running for many schools — but it is closed to new providers and will eventually be replaced. For students, the practical question is simple:
How do I know if this English course is still eligible for a study visa / Stamp 2 permission — ILEP, TrustEd, or both?
This guide answers that with official sources only. It is not immigration advice. Always verify on irishimmigration.ie and trustedireland.ie before you pay.
What ILEP is
The Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) is the list Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) has used so non-EEA / non-Swiss students can be recruited onto approved programmes. For English courses that support Stamp 2-style study, being on an eligible list has been the baseline check.
Important ISD facts (as of their ILEP page, updated February 2026):
- • The ILEP is closed to new applicant providers.
- • The final ILEP update was published on 20 June 2025.
- • Non-EEA students can be recruited to programmes on the ILEP or to eligible programmes from providers authorised to use the TrustEd mark.
- • Where a provider still has programmes listed on the ILEP and remains in compliance, it may continue to recruit non-EEA nationals until the ILEP ceases operation.
- • TrustEd Ireland's statutory quality mark will supersede the ILEP for student immigration purposes.
Source: ISD — Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP).
For a student-facing walkthrough of why the list exists, see our ILEP guide.
What TrustEd Ireland is
TrustEd Ireland is QQI's statutory international education mark — a quality mark for higher education and English language education providers. Once authorised, providers and their eligible programmes appear on QQI's TrustEd list of eligible programmes. That list is designed to identify programmes that meet immigration requirements so ISD can decide study visas and immigration permissions.
QQI is clear that this TrustEd list will supersede the non-statutory ILEP. Providers that want to recruit non-EU/EEA/Swiss students who need study visas or residence permissions for study (beyond 90 days) must ultimately obtain TrustEd authorisation.
TrustEd also brings a Learner Protection Fund managed by QQI for authorised private HE and ELE providers — academic and financial bonding so learners can complete elsewhere or, in some cases, receive a refund of some or all of the most recently paid fees. That is separate from "is this course on an eligible list?" — both matter, for different reasons.
Sources: QQI announcement (5 Aug 2026); TrustEd Ireland — check eligible courses.
First English schools with TrustEd (August 2026)
On 5 August 2026, QQI announced the first ELE providers authorised to use the TrustEd Ireland quality mark:
- • Bridge Mills Galway Language Centre
- • Emerald Cultural Institute
- • International House Dublin
- • Liffey College
- • Patrick's English Academy
Those names are a news fact, not a ranking or endorsement. More ELE and higher-education applications were under review, with further authorisation decisions expected in Q4 2026.
QQI also states that the current ILEP will continue in operation until decisions from the second TrustEd application cycle are announced, scheduled for the end of 2026. After that point, ILEP is expected to cease, and providers will no longer be eligible to recruit those students unless they obtain the TrustEd mark. Do not treat "end of 2026" as a hard personal deadline invented by GoStudy — it is QQI's published schedule; check the live QQI / ISD pages when you enrol.
Sources: QQI — first ELE TrustEd providers; TrustEd ELE institutions listing.
What you should do before you pay
Check both official lists for your exact programme. TrustEd Ireland's own checker says eligible programmes will not appear on both lists — so you must check both:
- ISD / ILEP eligible programmes (while ILEP still operates)
- TrustEd Ireland eligible programmes
Practical checklist:
- Ask the school for the exact programme title and which list they claim (ILEP, TrustEd, or transitioning).
- Search that title yourself on the official checkers — not an agent PDF or an old screenshot.
- Confirm the course type matches what you need (English language programmes of 25+ weeks are listed among the eligible programme types on TrustEd's checker page).
- Keep written confirmation (email + dated screenshots of the official listing).
- Remember: list eligibility ≠ fee safety. After verifying the list, still ask which learner-protection arrangement covers your enrolment — see our Limerick school-closure checklist.
GoStudy shows ILEP / TrustEd signals on school cards so you can compare providers quickly — always treat the official lists as the source of truth.
Eligibility list vs learner protection (short)
Last week's post covered what happens when an English school fails mid-course and why students should verify learner protection in writing. TrustEd's Learner Protection Fund for authorised providers is part of that wider story. Being on ILEP or TrustEd tells you about immigration eligibility for the programme. Protection arrangements tell you about what happens to your fees and place if the provider fails. You need both conversations before money leaves your account.
Compare Stamp 2 English schools on GoStudy
This article does not tell you which school to pick. It tells you how to verify eligibility in a dual-list year.
Next step: Compare Stamp 2 English schools.
Reading in Spanish or Portuguese? Same hub: ES · PT-BR.
For visa overview (not a substitute for official advice): our Stamp 2 / visas guide.