Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme
This is Ireland's flagship national postgraduate research award, funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and administered by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, the agency formed when the Irish Research Council merged with Science Foundation Ireland. It is worth up to EUR 34,000 a year: a EUR 25,000 living stipend (roughly LKR 8.6M at 345 to the euro), a contribution to fees of up to EUR 5,750, and EUR 3,250 towards direct research costs. Non-EU scholars — which includes Sri Lankan citizens — can request an additional EUR 4,000 a year towards the higher non-EU fee, though you or your host institution must cover any remaining gap, so this is not automatically a full fee waiver at every university. Awards run one to four years. Two things a Sri Lankan applicant needs to hear plainly. First, it is genuinely open on nationality — unlike many national schemes, there is no residency or citizenship restriction, and the average success rate has run at about 18 percent over the past five years, so it is competitive but not a lottery. Second, and more importantly right now: Research Ireland is not running a 2027 call for this programme. The 2026 call closed on 23 October 2025 for awards starting September 2026, and Irish universities including Maynooth have published notices that neither this scheme nor the Enterprise Partnership Scheme will open for 2027 while the new agency restructures its funding portfolio. If you are planning PhD study in Ireland, treat this as a scheme to watch rather than one to build a 2027 plan around, and look at university-funded PhD studentships in parallel.
The 2026 call closed on 23 October 2025 (awards starting September 2026). Research Ireland is NOT opening a 2027 call — Irish universities have published this notice. Watch researchireland.ie for a restructured scheme before assuming a 2028 round
Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland (formerly the Irish Research Council)
Government-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Total Value
Up to EUR 34,000/yr (LKR ~11.7M)
Stipend
EUR 25,000/yr (LKR ~8.6M) tax-free
Duration
1–4 years (research master's or PhD)
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Government awards like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.
Who awards it
Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland (formerly the Irish Research Council) — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.
What it covers
Up to EUR 34,000 a Year (LKR ~11.7M) — Stipend, Fees and Research Costs. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.
Where we come in
We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
All Nationalities — Sri Lankans Included
There is no citizenship or residency restriction. A Sri Lankan citizen applying from Colombo competes on the same footing as an Irish or EU applicant. What matters is the quality of the research proposal and the strength of the host institution's backing.
New Entrants or First-Year Registered Students
You apply either as a new entrant to a research master's or PhD, or as a student already registered in the first year of one. You cannot pick this up in year two or three of an existing PhD.
You Need a Supervisor and a Host Institution First
This is not a scheme you can apply to alone. An academic supervisor at an eligible Irish higher education institution must agree to supervise you and endorse the application, and the institution submits it. Start contacting potential supervisors six to nine months before any call opens.
First-Class or Upper Second-Class Degree
The academic bar is a first-class or upper second-class honours bachelor's degree, or a master's degree where the bachelor's falls short. A Sri Lankan Second Upper is generally read as the equivalent of an Irish H2.1, but your host institution makes the final equivalence call.
The Non-EU Fee Gap Is Real
The standard fee contribution is capped at EUR 5,750, with a further EUR 4,000 available on request for non-EU scholars. Irish non-EU PhD fees often exceed that combined figure, so ask your prospective department in writing who covers the difference before you commit.
account_tree Application Process
Find a supervisor and a host institution
Identify Irish academics whose research matches yours and email them a short, specific proposal plus your CV and transcripts. Nothing else in this process can start until one of them agrees to supervise and host you.
Wait for a call to open
Calls have historically opened in late summer with an October deadline. With no 2027 call running, monitor researchireland.ie and your target university's research office for the shape of whatever replaces it.
Build the application with your supervisor
You submit through Research Ireland's online system, but your supervisor, a second referee and the host institution all complete sections and endorse it. Each has an earlier internal deadline than the applicant deadline — ask for those dates on day one.
Assessment and outcome
Applications are peer-reviewed internationally and scored on the applicant, the proposal and the research environment. Outcomes have typically been announced in the spring for an autumn start, with a success rate averaging around 18 percent.
Irish study visa from Sri Lanka
Once you have the award and an offer, apply online through AVATS and submit documents to the designated Irish visa office for Sri Lankan applicants. Your award letter is strong evidence of funds. Allow eight weeks or more, and longer in peak season.
Why research in Ireland?
Ireland is an English-speaking EU research base with strong clusters in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, agri-food, data analytics and social sciences, and its universities host large volumes of Horizon Europe work. Non-EU graduates can stay on under the Third Level Graduate Programme — up to two years for doctoral and master's graduates — which is a significant part of the country's appeal for Sri Lankan researchers. Research Ireland was established in 2024 to bring national research funding under one agency, so the funding landscape is being redrawn rather than shut down.
EUR 34,000
Maximum annual value
~18%
Average success rate, past 5 years
No 2027 call
Programme paused for 2027
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
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Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Ireland, in LKR as well as local currency.
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Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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