Yes, if you enroll full time in a course on Ireland’s official list. For a one-year course, you must show you have access to €10,000, and you need private health insurance.
Watch: 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA
The video starts at the part that answers this question. For the whole picture, read 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA (2026).
Subscribe to Love Ireland on YouTube for a new plain-English guide to Ireland every week. The full video is on YouTube: 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA (2026).
The course
Part-time and distance learning courses do not qualify.
Working while you study
Students can work up to 20 hours a week during term.
After you graduate
- Graduates with a qualifying Irish degree can stay 12 months to look for work.
- With a master’s, up to 24 months.
To stay after that, you need a job with an employment permit.
The catch
Student years do not count toward citizenship, and students normally cannot bring family.
Rules and fees change, so check the official pages before you apply.
General information, not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Facts checked against official Irish government pages on October 12, 2026.
Official sources
- Immigration Service Delivery: Eligible Study Courses
- Citizens Information: Immigration Rules for Non-EEA Students
- Immigration Service Delivery: Student FAQs
- Immigration Service Delivery: Third Level Graduate Programme
- Immigration Service Delivery: Immigration Permission Stamps
Subscribe to Love Ireland on YouTube for a new plain-English guide to Ireland every week. The full video is on YouTube: 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA (2026).
Tours & experiences you might love
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