Under 18 students in Ireland
Updated JUNE 2024
Under 18 students in Ireland
- All applicants must normally have reached 17 years of age by the 15th of January of the year following entry to Irish Universities
- Students under the age of 18 registering with the Irish Immigration Service Delivery will have to be accompanied by a legal guardian resident in the ROI. The guardian would have to show proof of residence (an Irish passport or IRP card) and a letter from the student’s parent(s) (If they are not acting as guardian) stating that this is the person they have appointed as guardian.
Extra documentation for unaccompanied students under 18 years
Birth Certificate
You must submit the child’s birth certificate with their application.
Consent of parent/legal guardian
We need parental consent from both parents/legal guardians. This consent must be a notarised document. It must provide full details of the person in whose care the minor will be in during their stay in Ireland. It must confirm:
- The parents/legal guardians agreement to the child coming to Ireland for study purposes, and
- That the school/host family/education agency is the legal guardian of the unaccompanied child student during the child’s stay in Ireland.
You must provide:
- Copies of the biometric page of the parents/guardians passports, or
- National identity cards showing the bearer’s signature.
Where only one parent has total custody, a Court Order bestowing sole custody of this child must be submitted.
Accommodation and vetting certificate
You must submit the address of where the student will stay while in the State. This forms part of the supporting documents for the application.
Where at least one parent is joining the student for the duration of the student’s time in Ireland (while the student is under 18 years of age):
- The parent must include details of their own visa application (where applicable).
If the parent does not need a visa to travel to Ireland:
- The parent should include a statement that they will be staying with the student for the duration of the student’s stay in Ireland.
- Where at least one parent is not joining the student for the duration of the student’s time in Ireland (while the student is under 18 years of age):
- The parent must include clearance from the Garda Síochána (the Irish Police) in respect of where the student is living.
This clearance will be sought from the Garda Síochána by the school. You must submit evidence of having received clearance as part of the visa application.
No entitlement on the part of other family members to travel with or join the student in the State
The granting of a visa to a person under the age of 18 years for the purpose of study does not give any entitlement to any other family member to accompany or join the student in the State.
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