Ireland Student Visa From Pakistan: €10,000 Funds, €60 Fee and an 8 Week Wait
Apply for an Ireland student visa from Pakistan on AVATS: €60 fee, €10,000 a year in funds, €6,000 of fees paid first, IELTS 5.0, and a decision in 8 weeks.
To get an Ireland student visa from Pakistan, apply online on AVATS up to three months before travel, pay the €60 visa fee and show at least €10,000 you can access for each year of study. You must also pay at least €6,000 of your course fee before applying. Expect a decision in about 8 weeks.
With several UK universities reported to be cautious about Pakistani applicants, Ireland is an obvious next look. Ireland teaches in English, lets students work part time and runs its own visa system, separate from the UK. The official name is a long stay "D" study visa, and Ireland's Immigration Service Delivery, part of the Department of Justice, sets every rule below.
| Item | Official figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | €60 single entry |
| Funds to show | €10,000 a year, plus course fees |
| Course fee paid before applying | At least €6,000, or the full fee if lower |
| Decision time | About 8 weeks |
| Registration after arrival | €300 |
| Work allowed | 20 hours a week in term, 40 in holidays |
Your course must be on Ireland's ILEP list first
A Pakistani student can only get Irish student permission for a full-time course on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes, called the ILEP. Check the ILEP before you accept any offer. If the course is not listed, the visa will not be granted.
The ILEP covers degree courses and English language programmes. Ireland's immigration service says listed colleges must offer learner protection, publish a refund policy and the names of their recruitment agents, and must not take fees in cash. It also warns that the list does not guarantee a college's quality. Research the college, not just the price.
Some agents sell cheap English language courses as a route in. Know the limit before you sign: a full-time English language student gets permission of up to 8 months at a time, and no more than three such courses, two years in total. Choosing a recognised agent matters as much here as anywhere, and the same checks for study abroad agents in Pakistan apply.
Show €10,000 for each year, plus your course fees
For courses that began after 1 July 2023, you must show immediate access to at least €10,000, plus your course fees. You or your sponsor must also show access to €10,000 for each later year. For a course of 8 months or less, the figure is €833 a month or €6,665, whichever is lower.
At about Rs 325 to the euro, €10,000 is roughly Rs 3.25 million, before tuition. That is for living costs only. Ireland also accepts an education bond of at least €10,000 as an alternative.
The course fee rule catches many applicants. If your fee is under €6,000, you must pay it in full before applying. If it is over €6,000, you must pay at least €6,000 first. Pay by bank transfer to the college's Irish account or through an approved student fee service, and make sure the payment shows on your letter of acceptance.
Apply on AVATS in three steps
The application starts online on AVATS, Ireland's visa application system, up to three months before you travel. You must apply from your home country or where you legally live, so a student in Pakistan applies from Pakistan.
- Fill in the AVATS form fully and honestly. It creates a Summary Application Form that tells you where to send your documents and how to pay.
- Pay the visa fee. A single entry visa is €60. It is not refunded if you withdraw or are refused.
- Print, sign and date the summary form and send it with your original documents within 30 days of creating the online application.
The documents list includes your passport, valid for at least 12 months after arrival, two photos, private medical insurance, an application letter, your letter of acceptance, proof of fee payment, academic results, English test results, the finances evidence and a Summary of Finances form. Letters from organisations must be on headed paper with a landline number. Mobile numbers and Yahoo or Hotmail addresses are not accepted.
English: IELTS Academic 5.0 is the visa minimum
For a degree or other non-preparatory course, Ireland's visa minimum is IELTS Academic 5.0, Duolingo 75, TOEFL iBT 61 or a B2 level on tests such as LanguageCert. The certificate must be issued within two years of your course start date.
That is only the immigration floor. Your college will usually set a higher score, so read the entry rules on your offer. If you have a gap since your last full-time study, explain it with your job history. Ireland asks for this in writing, so do not leave a year unexplained.
Declare every earlier visa refusal from any country, with the original refusal letter. The Irish service says hiding one will result in refusal.
Refused? Appeal free within 2 months
If your Irish study visa is refused, you get a letter explaining why. You can appeal within 2 months of the date on that letter, and the appeal is free. The college must also process your refund request within 20 working days of a visa refusal.
Once you arrive, you register your permission and pay €300. As a student you may work up to 20 hours a week in term. During June, July, August and September, and from 15 December to 15 January, the limit is 40 hours. Compare these rules with the Germany student visa from Pakistan or the Canada study permit before you choose a country.
Common questions
How much bank balance is needed for an Ireland student visa from Pakistan?
At least €10,000 for each year of study, plus your course fees. For courses of 8 months or less, €833 a month or €6,665.
What is the Ireland study visa fee?
€60 for a single entry visa. It is not refunded if the visa is refused.
How long does an Irish study visa take?
About 8 weeks from the date the visa office receives your application. Missing documents make it longer.
Can I work in Ireland on a student visa?
Yes. Up to 20 hours a week during term, and 40 hours a week in the summer months and over the Christmas period.
Can I appeal an Irish visa refusal?
Yes. You can appeal within 2 months of the refusal letter's date, and there is no fee.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 10 October 2026, about 9:45 pm PKT. Steps, documents, the 8 week wait, the €6,000 rule and appeals are from Ireland's Immigration Service Delivery page on the long term study visa. Funds, English scores, the €60 fee, the €300 registration fee, work hours and ILEP rules are from the same service's finance, English requirement, visa fee and student FAQ pages. The rupee figure uses an approximate rate for illustration only.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
