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Ireland Check current round

SETU International Academic Excellence Scholarship (IAES)

The International Academic Excellence Scholarship is South East Technological University's flagship award and sits in a different league from the partial fee reductions that most Irish technological universities offer. The Full IAES covers the entire SETU programme tuition fee; the Major IAES covers half of it. Both apply solely to tuition — living costs, accommodation and the visa maintenance requirement remain yours. The scheme exists to attract exceptional international (non-EU) candidates to full-time, on-campus undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes, so online, part-time and off-shore formats are excluded. SETU runs campuses in Waterford, Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny and Wicklow, with programmes across engineering, computing, science, health, business and the creative industries, and living costs across the south-east are far below Dublin's. Two conditions decide the shape of your application. It is for self-funded students only, and you cannot hold any other scholarship alongside it — so if you are also chasing a government award, decide which route you are actually on. And SETU runs an annual competition selecting a limited number of students per region, meaning you are competing against other South Asian applicants rather than the whole world. Applications for 2026/27 have closed and reopen in 2027 for the September 2027/28 intake.

Applications for the 2026/27 intake are closed; the scheme reopens in 2027 for students applying for the September 2027/28 intake

South East Technological University

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Full IAES

All of the tuition fee

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Major IAES

Half of the tuition fee

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Levels

Undergraduate and taught postgraduate

info How this award actually works

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Who awards it

South East Technological University — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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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.

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What it covers

Full or Half Tuition Fee Coverage (Full IAES / Major IAES). 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.

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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

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Exceptional Non-EU Candidate

The scheme is aimed at attracting exceptional international (non-EU) candidates to SETU. Sri Lankan applicants are eligible — the policy names no excluded countries.

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Full-Time, On-Campus Programmes Only

Only full-time on-campus undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes qualify. Online, part-time and off-shore delivery formats are excluded.

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Self-Funded Students Only

You must be self-funding your studies. Government-sponsored or employer-sponsored students fall outside the scheme.

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Cannot Hold Another Scholarship

Recipients may not hold any other scholarship. If you are shortlisted elsewhere you will have to choose, so sequence your applications with that in mind.

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Competition Is Run Per Region

SETU conducts an annual competition selecting a limited number of students per region. In practice you are ranked against other applicants from South Asia rather than against the global field — which cuts both ways, but keeps the pool comprehensible.

account_tree Application Process

Apply for admission to a full-time on-campus SETU programme

Submit your international application with attested transcripts, degree or A/L certificates, passport copy and English evidence. Only on-campus, full-time programmes are in scope.

Apply when the scholarship round reopens in 2027

The 2026/27 round has closed. Watch setu.ie for the 2027 opening for the September 2027/28 intake and apply as soon as the call is published.

Regional competition and selection

SETU selects a limited number of recipients per region on academic excellence. Full IAES awards cover the whole tuition fee; Major IAES awards cover half.

Accept and apply for the Irish study visa

Accept the award, then apply for the Irish D-type study visa with your offer, scholarship confirmation and evidence of maintenance funds — remember that living costs are not covered by the IAES.

Why South East Technological University?

SETU spans campuses in Waterford, Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny and Wicklow, teaching engineering, computing, science, health, business and creative programmes with a practical, industry-linked emphasis. A full-tuition award at an Irish university is rare, and living costs across the south-east are a fraction of Dublin's.

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Tuition covered by the Full IAES

50%

Covered by the Major IAES

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Campus locations in the south-east

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.

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