As an EU citizen you enter through the Irish state's Free Fees scheme, which covers the tuition fee for eligible undergraduate programmes. You pay only the Student Contribution, around 2,500 EUR per year (reduced in Budget 2026), plus a small student levy (~102 EUR).

For comparison, a non-EU student pays tuition from 16,900 to 55,600 EUR per year, depending on the programme (Medicine is the most expensive). The cost of living in Limerick is around 9,000-12,000 EUR per year, so the annual total for a Romanian is around 12,000-15,000 EUR, far below the UK or the USA.

Cooperative Education is the hallmark of University of Limerick. UL introduced the first integrated placement programme in Ireland and today runs one of the largest placement schemes in Europe. Over 2,000 students are sent each year on placements of 6 to 8 months with companies in Ireland and abroad.

Unlike an optional internship, these placements are compulsory, integrated and academically credited in many undergraduate programmes, and most are paid. That means you graduate with real work experience on your CV and, often, with a job offer from the company where you did your placement.

Undergraduate applications in Ireland are made through the CAO (Central Applications Office), which allocates places strictly on the basis of points. The Romanian Baccalaureate diploma is converted on an official scale into points equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate (the maximum being 625 points).

Your Baccalaureate average and your grades in the relevant subjects determine how many points you receive. Each UL programme has a points requirement (the points threshold) that varies from year to year, depending on how many candidates apply. Competitive programmes require more points. We help you estimate where you stand.

Yes. Ireland is a natively English-speaking country, and all undergraduate programmes at UL are taught in English. You do not need to learn a new language in order to study, to do the Cooperative Education placement or to live in Limerick.

As a Romanian student you need proof of your English level: usually IELTS 6.0-6.5, TOEFL iBT 80-90 or equivalent (Cambridge C1 Advanced). In some cases, a good English grade in your Baccalaureate may be accepted directly. Check the exact requirement of your chosen programme on ul.ie.

UL is renowned for: Engineering (mechanical, electronic, civil, biomedical, software, aeronautical), Business through the Kemmy Business School (AACSB accredited), Sciences (computer science, materials science, biochemistry, sport sciences) and Education, with UL being a major centre for teacher training in Ireland.

Most of these programmes include Cooperative Education, that is the paid placement of 6 to 8 months. For a Romanian student with a technical or business profile, the combination of Free Fees, teaching in English and an integrated paid placement is highly advantageous.

As an EU citizen, you do not need a study visa to study and live in Ireland. You can move freely with your Romanian ID card or passport.

After arrival, you obtain a PPS Number (Personal Public Service Number), the Irish equivalent of a national ID number. It is needed in order to be paid on the Cooperative Education placement, for a part-time job and for public services. You get it at an Intreo centre with your ID document and proof of your address in Ireland. Recommended: a European health insurance (the European Health Insurance Card) or private cover.

In the QS World University Rankings 2026, UL is ranked 401 worldwide, a jump of around 20 places from the previous year, and 5th among universities in Ireland.

More important than the raw ranking position is the employability of graduates: through Cooperative Education, UL students enter the job market with 6 to 8 months of real work experience already on record. That makes them very attractive to employers, especially in engineering, business and technology.

Yes, as an EU citizen! Unlike the UK or the USA, where you need a work visa, as a Romanian (EU) citizen you automatically have the right to work in Ireland without a visa, as soon as you graduate or even during your studies.

Ireland hosts the European headquarters of many technology and pharma companies (Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, Stripe, Analog Devices, Johnson and Johnson, Regeneron), many with a presence in the Mid-West region around the city of Limerick. Many UL students receive job offers from the very company where they did their Cooperative Education placement. With an Irish degree recognised across the EU, you can then work anywhere in the European Union, without a visa.