The glass-walled European Parliament Paul Henri-Spaak building facade in Brussels.

Ireland September 2026 intake has closed (visa-required countries closed 31 May 2026). Expect the September 2027 round to follow the same pattern with a late-May 2027 cut-off — confirm on griffith.ie before planning

Griffith Global Excellence Scholarship

Griffith College is Ireland's largest independent third-level institution, with its main campus on South Circular Road in Dublin and further campuses in Cork and Limerick. Its Griffith Global Excellence Scholarship (GGES) is the award that matters most to Sri Lankan applicants: a 50% reduction on tuition fees for non-EU students, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. That is a substantial cut on a Griffith fee that typically sits in the region of EUR 16,000 a year for non-EU programmes. Places are limited and awarded on academic excellence. Crucially, the award is renewable annually rather than guaranteed for the full degree — you must hold a minimum H2.1 grade average and maintain 80% attendance to carry it into the next year, which is a real condition, not boilerplate. Griffith separately operates a Bursary applied to eligible international applicants and tiered Academic Merit Scholarships worth roughly EUR 500 to EUR 2,000; these are smaller and may not apply to every programme. Deadlines are earlier for visa-required countries — Sri Lanka is one — so a Sri Lankan applicant works to the late-May cut-off, roughly a month ahead of applicants who do not need a study visa. Griffith is also a listed provider for the Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship on certain master's programmes in law, communications, computing and business.

Griffith College Dublin

University-funded

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Value

50% Tuition Reduction (non-EU)

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Renewal

Annual, on H2.1 + 80% attendance

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Levels

Undergraduate and Postgraduate

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Non-EU Applicants Get the Larger Award

The reduction is 50% for non-EU students and 25% for EU students. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka fall into the non-EU band and require an Irish study visa, so the earlier of Griffith's two deadlines applies to you.

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Demonstrated Academic Excellence

Places are limited and awarded competitively on academic record. A strong A/L profile for undergraduate entry, or a good Second Upper / First Class Sri Lankan Bachelor's for postgraduate entry, is the realistic bar.

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Renewal Is Conditional — H2.1 and 80% Attendance

The scholarship is renewed annually only if you maintain a minimum H2.1 grade average and 80% attendance. Losing it in year two means paying full fees for the rest of the degree, so plan your finances against that scenario.

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Earlier Deadline for Visa-Required Countries

Griffith sets an earlier closing date for applicants from visa-required countries such as Sri Lanka — 31 May for the September 2026 intake, against 30 June for non-visa countries. Work to the earlier date.

account_tree Application Process

Apply to a Griffith programme through the online portal

Apply directly through Griffith's international application portal or an authorised representative. You cannot be considered while holding only a conditional offer for the Government of Ireland scholarship route, so clear your conditions early.

Meet the visa-required-country deadline

Sri Lanka is a visa-required country for Ireland. Submit your application and scholarship request by the late-May cut-off rather than the later non-visa date.

Receive your offer with the scholarship stated

Check that the 50% reduction, the renewal grade condition and the attendance condition are set out in writing in your offer. Query anything ambiguous before paying a deposit.

Apply for your Irish study visa

Sri Lankan applicants apply online through the Irish immigration service (AVATS) and submit documents via the designated visa office. You will need proof of funds covering remaining fees plus living costs — the scholarship letter helps evidence the reduced fee. Allow 8 weeks or more for processing.

Why Griffith College?

Griffith College is Ireland's largest independent third-level institution, teaching business, computing, law, media, design and journalism across Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Its Dublin campus sits in a walled Victorian complex near the city centre, and its programmes are validated on the Irish national framework. Ireland's post-study Third Level Graduate Programme lets non-EU graduates remain to seek work, which is a large part of the country's draw for Sri Lankan students. Griffith also offers a 10% sibling discount on net tuition fees.