Guides
Stamp 2 visa for English courses in Ireland
What you need to travel and study in Ireland (courses under 3 months)
A quick checklist for short English courses. Have it ready before you fly.
- A valid passport
- Your course booked and fully paid, plus the school's letter
- Accommodation booked for your whole stay
- Health or travel insurance for your whole stay
- Proof you can support yourself, like bank statements
- A return or onward flight out of Ireland
1.A valid passport
It's the first thing the immigration officer will ask to see when you land.
2.Your course booked and fully paid, plus the school's letter
All students have to enrol and pay for their course in full before travelling to Ireland. Bring the letter or confirmation from your school — it shows why you're coming.
3.Accommodation booked for your whole stay
Bring the address and booking details of where you'll stay. Ideally they cover all your course dates.
4.Health or travel insurance for your whole stay
Bring proof of health or travel insurance that covers your whole stay.
5.Proof you can support yourself, like bank statements
At the border you may be asked to show you have enough money for your stay. Immigration lists proof of sufficient funds as a useful document, and recent bank statements are an easy way to show it.
6.A return or onward flight out of Ireland
Bring your travel itinerary, including your flight home or onward. The officer stamps your passport with how long you can stay (up to 3 months), and you need to leave before that date.
- This is for visa-exempt nationalities, such as Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica. If your country needs a visa for Ireland, you must apply for a short stay 'C' study visa before you travel.
- On a course under 3 months you come in as a visitor: you can't work in Ireland and you don't get a Stamp 2.
- Studying 25 weeks or more? That's the Stamp 2 route — see our Stamp 2 visa guide
If you are coming from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland to study English in Ireland for more than 90 days, you normally need a long-stay study visa, then an IRP card with Stamp 2 conditions after you arrive. This is the short version students actually use.
This is a student overview, not legal or immigration advice. Rules and lists change. Confirm them on irishimmigration.ie before you apply or pay.
Stamp 2 at a glance
The numbers people search for. They can change — check Irish Immigration before you book flights.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Course | At least 25 weeks and 15 hours of class a week, ending with a recognised exam. |
| Which list | ILEP and/or TrustEd Ireland ELEI (English). A TrustEd higher-education mark is a different route. This directory does not list it. |
| Funds to show | €6,665 if your residence is about eight months or less (€833 a month). €10,000 if it would run longer. That is proof you can support yourself, not your rent. |
| IRP card | About €300 when you register your permission after you arrive. |
| Medical insurance | Private medical insurance for the length of your stay. Ask the school what they arrange and what you buy yourself. |
| Working hours (term time) | Up to 20 hours per week while your course is in session. |
| Working hours (holidays) | Up to 40 hours per week in the official holiday periods (June to September, and 15 December to 15 January). |
| Learner protection | Check the badge on the school profile. If cover is not confirmed, ask for the insurer and policy number before you pay. |
What Stamp 2 means
Stamp 2 is the immigration permission most full-time English language students hold. It lets you study on an eligible course and work limited hours. It is tied to your course and to renewals. It is not, by itself, a path to permanent residence.
The 25-week course rule
For Stamp 2 English, your course needs to be on the current Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) and/or in the TrustEd Ireland ELEI directory (English language — not the higher-education TrustEd list). It has to last at least 25 weeks, with at least 15 hours of class a week, and end with an exam from a recognised awarding body. You can renew up to three 8-month English courses, about two years.
Schools can leave the ILEP list
A school that was fine to enrol at a few months ago can be off the live list by the time you pay. Re-check the current ILEP file and the TrustEd Ireland ELEI directory yourself — not a PDF an agent sent you. We wrote up the September 2026 English-list changes so you can see how fast this moves. That post is a checklist, not a set of schools to apply to.
Working while you study (overview)
- • Up to 20 hours per week during term time.
- • Up to 40 hours per week in designated holiday periods (typically summer and mid-December to mid-January).
- • You need a PPS number to be paid legally once you have an Irish address.
Fees and money you should plan for
Plan for the course (tuition, registration, materials), then living costs. Rent is the big one, and Dublin is the expensive city. Immigration also asks you to show access to funds: €6,665 (€833 a month) if your residence is about eight months or less, or €10,000 if it would run longer. Budget about €300 for the IRP card and private medical insurance for the whole stay.
Before you pay any school
- • Re-check that the school and the exact course are on the live ILEP list and/or the TrustEd Ireland ELEI directory. “Applying”, or a brochure from the spring, is not enough.
- • Ask for the school’s Learner Protection insurer and policy number — this is what protects your fees if the school closes.
- • Get the exact total in writing: tuition + registration fee + materials/book fee.
- • Confirm refund terms if your visa is refused.
Many of these are visible directly on each school profile.
Stamp 2 FAQ
What is Stamp 2?
It is the Irish study permission for most non-EEA students on eligible full-time courses, including many ILEP English programmes.
Do I need an ILEP course?
For English leading to Stamp 2, the course should be on the current ILEP list and/or with a TrustEd Ireland ELEI provider, for at least 25 weeks and 15 hours a week. A TrustEd higher-education listing is not the English path this site covers.
Can I work on Stamp 2?
Yes, within limits: 20 hours per week in term and 40 in the official holidays. You need a PPS number before you can be paid. Schools do not guarantee jobs.
What should I check before paying?
That the school is still on ILEP and/or TrustEd ELEI, what the learner-protection badge says (ask for the insurer and policy if it is not confirmed), the full written fee total, and the refund rule if your visa is refused.
How much money do I need to show?
€6,665 if your residence is about eight months or less (€833 a month), or €10,000 if it would run longer. Visa-required nationals are usually checked at the visa stage. Many non-visa-required nationals show it at their first IRP registration. It is not a quote of your rent.
Browse schools by city
Most people start with Dublin, then look at Limerick if the rent is the problem. Each city page lists schools on ILEP and/or TrustEd Ireland ELEI.