UCC Global Excellence Postgraduate Scholarship
The UCC Global Excellence Postgraduate Scholarship is an automatic tuition fee reduction of €5,000 to €10,000 (around LKR 1.7M – 3.45M) for international postgraduate students starting a taught Master's at University College Cork. There is no separate scholarship application — every international postgraduate offer-holder is automatically considered, and the award is named in the offer letter. UCC is one of Ireland's top-3 universities (QS #275 in 2026), with particular strength in Food Science, Marine Science, Pharmacy, and Computer Science. Ireland's Stamp 1G post-study residence permit gives Master's graduates 24 months to find graduate-level employment — particularly valuable for Sri Lankan applicants targeting the Dublin / Cork tech and pharma corridors (Pfizer, Apple, Google, Stripe, Meta).
The round for September 2026 entry closed on 30 June 2026. The award runs on an annual cycle tied to admission, so expect a comparable deadline in late June for the following year. The award is applied automatically at offer stage. Confirm the current date with University College Cork before planning around it.
University College Cork
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
€5,000–10,000 (LKR 1.7M–3.45M)
Duration
1-Year Master's
Bonus
Ireland 24-mo Stamp 1G PSWR
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University College Cork — 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
€5,000 – €10,000 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
Offer for a UCC Taught Master's
You must hold an offer for a full-time taught Master's programme at UCC starting September 2026. Most taught Master's programmes are eligible, including Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Pharmacy, Food Science & Technology, Marine Science, Public Health, and the Humanities.
Strong Undergraduate Record
Higher tier (€10,000): first-class honours undergraduate degree. Lower tier (€5,000): upper-second-class honours (UK 2:1) or equivalent. For Sri Lankan applicants this typically means a first-class or second-upper from a Sri Lankan state university or a strong overseas Bachelor's.
Non-EU Fee Status
Open to non-EU international students paying overseas tuition fees. Sri Lankan citizens are eligible. The award does not stack with the Irish Government Scholarship or other UCC named awards — only the highest single discount applies.
English Proficiency
Meet UCC's standard English requirement — typically IELTS 6.5+ overall with no band below 6.0 (7.0 for Teaching, Medicine, Pharmacy). Sri Lankan applicants with English-medium undergraduate degrees can usually qualify via MOI letter for most programmes.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to UCC by 30 June
Submit your UCC Master's application via the UCC online portal (ucc.ie/en/study) by 30 June 2026 for September 2026 entry. Aim to apply 4-6 months before the deadline for rolling assessment. Include transcripts, motivation letter, two references, and English test (or waiver).
Automatic scholarship assessment
Every international postgraduate offer-holder is automatically assessed for the Global Excellence Scholarship — no separate form. The award value (€5,000 or €10,000) is determined by your academic record and is communicated in the offer letter.
Accept offer + pay deposit
Accept the offer in the applicant portal and pay the standard €1,500 - €2,000 tuition deposit by the deadline stated in the offer. This triggers your offer confirmation for the Irish student visa.
Receive scholarship at enrolment
The scholarship is applied as a direct reduction on your annual tuition invoice at UCC enrolment. You then apply for the Irish 'Stamp 2' student visa with the reduced tuition figure on the documentation.
Why UCC?
University College Cork is consistently ranked in the global top 300 (QS #275 in 2026) and is one of Ireland's three largest research universities. UCC has particular strength in Food Science (top 50 globally), Pharmacy, Marine Science, and Computer Science. Cork itself is Ireland's second city and has significantly lower living costs than Dublin — stretching the scholarship and self-funded budget further.
#275
QS World Ranking 2026
24 mo
Post-Study Stamp 1G PSWR
#1
Ireland for Food Science
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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