University of Galway International Fee Reduction Scholarship
The University of Galway (formerly NUI Galway) offers International Fee Reduction Scholarships of EUR 2,000 to EUR 5,000 (LKR 690k-1.7M) per year to international undergraduate and postgraduate students based on academic merit. The university is one of Ireland's top universities, particularly strong in medicine, marine sciences, business (J.E. Cairnes School), engineering, arts, and Celtic studies. Located on the Atlantic coast in the historic city of Galway, the university has around 18,000 students with a thriving international community. The scholarship is automatically considered for eligible applicants — no separate form required. Sri Lankan applicants find Galway an attractive lower-cost alternative to Dublin, with strong English-medium teaching and a welcoming small-city atmosphere.
September 2027 entry: applications open October 2026; main deadline 1 July 2027 (most programmes); scholarship consideration automatic with admission
University of Galway
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
EUR 2,000 - EUR 5,000 per Year
Duration
Each Year of Programme
Application
Automatic at Admission
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University of Galway — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
EUR 2,000 - EUR 5,000 Tuition Reduction. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Galway Programme Admission
You must be applying to the University of Galway for an undergraduate or taught postgraduate programme. Most programmes participate — Bachelor's, Master's by coursework, and one-year graduate certificates. Research PhD/MRes candidates apply for separate Galway PhD scholarships.
Non-EU International Status
Open to non-EU international students paying overseas tuition. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka are eligible. EU students have separate Galway funding routes and lower tuition baseline.
Strong Academic Profile
Awards are tiered by academic merit. UG entry: 3 As at A/L for top tier (EUR 5,000); 3 Bs for lower tier (EUR 2,000). PG entry: first-class for top tier; strong second-upper for lower tier. Subject choices should align with the intended programme.
English Proficiency
Required: IELTS 6.5+ overall (no band below 6.0) or TOEFL iBT 88+ for most programmes (higher for Medicine, Law, and some Health Sciences). Sri Lankan applicants with English-medium degrees may qualify for the MOI-letter waiver.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to Galway
Submit your University of Galway application via the international portal or via CAO (for Irish applicants). Non-EU applicants apply directly via the Galway international application system. Application fee EUR 50.
Submit application materials
Required: school/Bachelor's transcripts, IELTS/TOEFL, motivation letter, two references. For some programmes (e.g. Medicine), UCAT/HPAT and interview are required. Sri Lankan applicants can request MOI-letter waivers where applicable.
Automatic scholarship review
All admitted international students are automatically reviewed for the International Fee Reduction Scholarship. The award tier is determined by academic record translated to Galway's grading scale. There is no separate scholarship application.
Offer + Irish visa
Successful applicants receive an offer letter specifying the scholarship tier. Use the offer + scholarship + financial documents to apply for the Irish Student Visa (Long-Stay D) via VFS Colombo. Galway's International Office provides accommodation booking support.
Why University of Galway?
The University of Galway was founded in 1845 (originally as Queen's College, Galway) and is consistently ranked in the top 3 Irish universities. Notably strong in marine sciences and medicine; the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics is highly respected. Galway city itself (population 80,000) offers a much more affordable Irish experience than Dublin — accommodation, food, and entertainment are 30-40% cheaper. The Atlantic coast and Connemara are on the doorstep. Strong international student support including a small but established Sri Lankan student community.
#284
QS World Ranking 2026
Top 3
in Ireland
~18,000
Students Total
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.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat IE actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for IE, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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