National University Of Ireland, Galway, Galway Scholarships

National University Of Ireland, Galway - [NUI Galway], Galway, Galway - Scholarship

Galway, GalwayLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1845established year
19000enrollment
Public
7.3/10
Study Abroad Team's profile photo

Study Abroad Team

Updated on - Sep 17, 2026

    `, and vary repeated date phrases to eliminate 6-word repeats.

    University of Galway offers 20+ scholarships, of which 15+ are accessible to Indian applicants. Funding spans automatic tuition reductions, competitive Excellence awards, a fully-funded PhD stipend and the Government of Ireland flagship non-EU scheme. Most awards trigger the moment you accept an offer and pay the deposit.

    The university rebranded from National University of Ireland, Galway in 2022, so several application portals still list both names. Indian students concentrate on MSc Business Analytics, MSc Computer Science, MSc Biotechnology and MSc International Management. Scholarship values below reference the September 2026 fee schedule.

    • Standard non-EU Master’s tuition (2026/27): €16,500 to €25,090 (INR 18.26 to 27.77 Lakhs) depending on programme
    • With Global Merit Scholarship applied (€5,000 waiver): net €11,500 to €20,090 (INR 12.73 to 22.24 Lakhs)
    • With Cairnes 50% Merit or Science Excellence stack: net as low as €8,250 (INR 9.13 Lakhs) for a full MSc year
    • Next major deadline: tentative March 12, 2027 for the Government of Ireland IES 2027/28 call

    Currency Note: All INR conversions use the live rate of 1 EUR = INR 110.69 as of September 2026. Rates shift daily; verify with your remitting bank. Indian applicants sit in the non-EU fee tier, which covers every applicant from outside the European Union.


    University of Galway Scholarships for UG Students

    University of Galway automatically screens every non-EU undergraduate applicant for Global Scholarships once a firm offer is issued. The College of Science and Engineering runs the deepest UG pool, with the award renewable each year. Business, Arts and Health colleges also carry smaller merit rebates.

    ScholarshipValueEligibility (India-specific)ApplicationDeadline
    Global Merit Scholarship (Science and Engineering UG) €5,000 per year (INR 5.53 Lakhs/year), renewable Indian passport, non-EU status, strong Class 12 profile, offer holder for BSc or BE programmes Automatic on offer Rolling with admission; tentative July 1, 2027 for the September 2027 intake
    Global Excellence Scholarship (Science and Engineering UG) €10,000 per year (INR 11.07 Lakhs/year), renewable Top-band Indian applicant, competitive selection from the offer pool Automatic; competitive review by college committee Competitive review after deposit by tentative May 1, 2027
    Business, Public Policy and Law UG Global Merit €2,000 to €5,000 per year (INR 2.21 to 5.53 Lakhs) Indian offer holder for BComm, BSc Business Information Systems, BA Public and Social Policy Automatic on offer Rolling with admission
    Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies UG Global Merit €2,000 per year (INR 2.21 Lakhs) Indian BA offer holder, minimum 75% Class 12 aggregate Automatic on offer Rolling with admission

    Award value locks in once your fee assessment is issued, so the discount shows directly on the semester invoice. Renewal each year is conditional on passing every module at the first attempt. Non-EU applicants should confirm direct-application status because Galway does not process Indian UG applicants through CAO.

    Indian applicants targeting the September 2027 UG intake should apply through the Global Galway portal before December 2026. Late applicants past the June 30 rolling window enter a depleted scholarship pool. Full course lists for BSc, BE and BA options sit in the University of Galway programs page.


    University of Galway Scholarships for PG / Master’s Students

    Postgraduate funding at University of Galway runs across three tracks: college merit reductions, competitive Excellence awards and the Cairnes 50% Business Merit. Indian applicants qualify for all three without any separate form. Each award deducts directly from your semester-one fee invoice.

    ScholarshipValueEligibility (India-specific)ApplicationDeadline
    Global Merit Scholarship (PG Master’s, all colleges) €2,000 to €5,000 per year (INR 2.21 to 5.53 Lakhs) Non-EU PG offer holder with high 2:1 or first-class Indian UG (63% and above) Automatic on offer Rolling; tentative May 1, 2027 for the September 2027 intake
    Global Excellence Scholarship (PG Master’s) €10,000 per programme (INR 11.07 Lakhs) Top-band Indian applicant, competitive selection across the offer pool Automatic; competitive review Deposit by tentative May 1, 2027 for competitive consideration
    Cairnes Business Postgraduate Merit Scholarship Up to 50% tuition, roughly €9,150 (INR 10.13 Lakhs) on a full MBA year Indian Cairnes offer holder with H1 or first-class UG (70% and above) Automatic on offer for taught Master’s; separate essay for MBA merit awards Rolling; tentative July 15, 2027 for the MBA cohort
    College of Science and Engineering PG Excellence €10,000 tuition support (INR 11.07 Lakhs) Indian offer holder for MSc Computer Science, MSc Business Analytics, MSc Biotechnology, MSc Health Data Science Automatic; competitive selection Deposit window closes tentative May 1, 2027
    MBA Named Scholarships (McGinty, Colm Feeney, 30% Club, GPA Enhanced, MedTech, Social Impact, ICT, Alumni) Up to 50% of €18,300 MBA tuition, roughly €9,150 (INR 10.13 Lakhs) Indian MBA offer holder matching each award brief: female physician, small-organisation candidate, women leaders, GAA player, health-tech founder, alumni link Separate 1-page essay per award, submitted post-admission Tentative July 15, 2027 for the September 2027 MBA cohort

    Reddit Insight: Non-EU applicants who deposit before the May cutoff report that the Cairnes 50% Merit and the Science Excellence award do not stack. The invoice reflects the higher single award, not the combined value.

    Indian MSc candidates aiming for a two-award stack should target programmes outside Cairnes Business School. STEM MSc offer holders hold the strongest odds since Science and Engineering funds the largest Excellence pool for 2027 intake.

    Every scholarship value listed above sits net of the current €18,300 to €25,090 tuition band. Compare your target programme against the annual fee schedule on the University of Galway fees page before finalising the deposit.


    India-Specific Scholarships at University of Galway

    University of Galway does not run a dedicated India-only merit scholarship. Indian applicants instead tap the same Global Merit, Global Excellence, Cairnes 50% and STEM Excellence pools open to all non-EU students. India engagement scaled up through a 2026 MoU with National Law University Delhi and Embassy-linked biotechnology scholar programmes.

    • Application window for Indian applicants: October 2026 to May 2027 for September 2027 start
    • Typical scholarship value on offer: €5,000 to €10,000 (INR 5.53 to 11.07 Lakhs) per programme
    • Post-study work permit: Stamp 1G, 24 months for Master’s, 12 months for Bachelor’s
    • Reddit sample offer age for admits: 22 to 26 years for MSc, 27 to 32 years for MBA
    ScholarshipValueIndia-specific eligibilityApplicationDeadline
    Global Merit for Indian applicants (all colleges, UG and PG) €2,000 to €5,000 per year (INR 2.21 to 5.53 Lakhs) Indian passport holder, non-EU fee-payer, strong UG grade profile Automatic on offer Rolling; applicants must deposit by tentative May 1, 2027
    Cairnes 50% Business Merit for Indian MSc and MBA candidates Up to 50% tuition, roughly €9,150 (INR 10.13 Lakhs) on MBA Indian applicant with H1 UG (70%+), Cairnes offer in hand Automatic for taught MSc; essay for MBA Tentative July 15, 2027 for the MBA cohort
    Science and Engineering Excellence for Indian STEM applicants €10,000 per programme (INR 11.07 Lakhs) Indian applicant to MSc CS, Data Analytics, Business Analytics, Biotechnology, AI or Health Data Science Automatic; competitive from offer pool Tentative May 1, 2027 cutoff for deposit
    Global Excellence Undergraduate for Indian applicants €10,000 per year (INR 11.07 Lakhs), renewable Indian Class 12 result of 90%+ (CBSE, ICSE or top state boards), BSc or BE offer holder Automatic; competitive Consideration closes tentative May 1, 2027

    Reddit Insight: Indian MSc CS and Business Analytics applicants who deposit by end of March 2027 report the Global Merit line item on the fee invoice within 10 working days. Waiting until June deposit removes access to the competitive Excellence pool.

    Indian passport holders also qualify for private funding routes such as the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarship, covered under the External Government section. Some Indian applicants further stack an education loan against the reduced Galway invoice. Net cash outlay can drop below INR 15 Lakhs for the year.

    Bring your unconditional offer letter and scholarship confirmation to the Irish visa file. Document routing details sit on the University of Galway admissions page.


    University of Galway PhD Scholarships

    University of Galway funds doctoral study primarily through the Hardiman Research Scholarship. This award covers full tuition and pays a stipend at Irish Universities Association rates for four years. Additional funded PhD posts flow through SFI Centres for Research Training and individual PI-funded projects.

    ScholarshipValueEligibility (India-specific)ApplicationDeadline
    Hardiman Research Scholarship (PhD) €25,000 per year stipend (INR 27.67 Lakhs/year) plus full tuition, 4 years Full-time PhD starter, not previously registered for a PhD; Indian applicants eligible under standard entry rules Application form plus supervisor form plus two academic references Tentative February 5, 2027 (annual cycle) for a September 2027 start
    SFI Centre for Research Training PhD (CRT) €25,000 per year stipend (INR 27.67 Lakhs/year), tuition covered, €5,500 travel and consumables allowance STEM PhD candidate aligned to a CRT theme (AI, Genomics, Foundations of Data Science); Indian applicants eligible Direct through the CRT programme portal, includes coding or research task Tentative January 30, 2027 for the September 2027 start
    PI-funded PhD posts (grant-based) Stipend €22,000 to €25,000 per year (INR 24.35 to 27.67 Lakhs) plus tuition, project-specific Match to a supervisor and a live research grant; Indian applicants eligible where visa timelines allow Direct supervisor email plus formal school application Rolling; posted on FindAPhD and Euraxess year-round

    Hardiman is the marquee doctoral award, but PI-funded posts advertise year-round and often move faster. Indian applicants secure most PhD funding by engaging a Galway supervisor two intakes ahead of the intended start date.

    Applicants who miss the Hardiman February cycle should redirect to SFI CRT calls opening December 2026. For a broader read of Galway research strengths, the University of Galway overview page lists top-rated departments across medicine, biosciences, computing and marine research.


    External Government Scholarships for University of Galway

    Two external routes matter most for Indian applicants heading to University of Galway. The Government of Ireland IES funds full non-EU tuition and pays a stipend for one year. Inlaks Shivdasani targets Indian passport holders who already hold a Galway admit.

    ScholarshipValueEligibility (India-specific)ApplicationDeadline
    Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) €10,000 stipend (INR 11.07 Lakhs) plus full tuition waiver, 1-year Master’s Indian applicant with conditional or unconditional offer at Galway; 60 total awards across all non-EU countries Direct via the Higher Education Authority (HEA) portal, requires personal statement plus 2 references Tentative March 12, 2027 (2027/28 call opens tentative late November 2026)
    Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarship Up to USD 100,000 (approximately INR 88 Lakhs at prevailing USD-INR near INR 88 per USD) covering tuition, living, one-way flight and visa Indian passport holder, born on or after 1 January 1998, first-class Indian UG, Galway admit in hand Three-stage application via the Inlaks online portal, includes an interview round Tentative March 31, 2027 for the September 2027 start
    Ireland Fellows Programme (Asia) Full-funded 1-year Master’s (fees, flights, accommodation, living costs) India is not currently on the eligible-country list (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos only); Indian applicants must route through IES instead Not applicable to Indian passport holders Not applicable
    State Bank of India Global Ed-Vantage Education Loan (loan support, not a grant) Loan up to INR 1.5 Crore against a Galway offer at approximately 9.15% interest Indian applicant with confirmed Galway admission and co-applicant income proof Via SBI branch or the SBI online loan portal Rolling; sanction typically 15 working days

    Reddit Insight: Indian applicants targeting the Government of Ireland IES apply in November for the March deadline. Recipients report the €10,000 stipend paid in two tranches after registration, with tuition waived on the fee invoice itself.

    The USD-INR rate in September 2026 sits near INR 88 per USD; the Inlaks INR estimate above assumes this cross rate. Layer any external award on top of the Global Merit or Cairnes rebate for the deepest possible funding stack.

    Galway’s academic standing supports competitive external applications, especially in health data science and marine biology. See the University of Galway ranking page for QS subject positions that strengthen your IES personal statement.


    University of Galway Scholarships: Frequently Asked Questions

    Ques. What is the highest possible scholarship stack for an Indian student at University of Galway?

    Ans. An Indian PhD candidate can hold the Hardiman award: €25,000 stipend plus full tuition each year. Total value reaches roughly €125,000 (INR 138 Lakhs) across the four-year term. At Master’s level, the Government of Ireland IES covers the full non-EU tuition and adds a €10,000 stipend (INR 11.07 Lakhs) for one year. Neither award stacks with the Global Excellence or Cairnes 50% since those are institutional tuition rebates already covered by IES.

    Ques. When should Indian applicants apply to secure a scholarship for the September 2027 intake?

    Ans. Submit the Galway admission application by December 2026 so your offer arrives before the automatic Merit and Excellence allocation window opens. Deposit by tentative May 1, 2027 to remain in the competitive Excellence pool. The Government of Ireland IES 2027/28 call closes on tentative March 12, 2027, so plan the external submission in parallel with your admission file.

    Ques. Do I need a separate scholarship form beyond my Galway admission application?

    Ans. No separate form is needed for Global Merit, Global Excellence, Cairnes 50% Business Merit or Science Engineering Excellence. Each award is screened from your admission profile once the offer is issued. Hardiman PhD, the MBA named scholarships, Government of Ireland IES and Inlaks Shivdasani all require their own dedicated submissions.

    Ques. What Indian UG grade do I need to qualify for the Cairnes 50% Business Merit Scholarship?

    Ans. Cairnes requires a first-class Indian Bachelor’s, equivalent to 70% aggregate or CGPA 7.5 out of 10. High 2:1 profiles at 63 to 69% qualify for Global Merit at €2,000 to €5,000 (INR 2.21 to 5.53 Lakhs) instead of the 50% rebate. Applicants below 63% are typically offered admission without any automatic Merit reduction.

    Ques. How competitive is the Hardiman PhD Scholarship for Indian applicants?

    Ans. Hardiman receives roughly 250 applications each year for about 25 to 30 funded slots across all disciplines. Indian applicants strengthen the file by naming a Galway supervisor in advance and co-drafting the research proposal. Prior peer-reviewed publications, an Irish or European conference presentation, and a tight fit with a live research theme sharpen the odds further.

Scholarships offered

Max Arthur Macauliffe Special Merit Scholarship-NUI


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: Variable Amount
  • Type: College-Specific
  • Level of Study: Master
  • Number of Scholarships: 3

Sir Peter Freyer Special Merit Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: Variable Amount
  • Type: College-Specific
  • Level of Study: Master
  • Number of Scholarships: 2

NUI Undergraduate Merit Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: $2,267
  • Type: College-Specific
  • Level of Study: Bachelor
  • Number of Scholarships: N/A

TU Dublin Centenary Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: Variable Amount
  • Type: College-Specific
  • Level of Study: Master
  • Number of Scholarships: 60

Axol Science Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: $2,000
  • Type: Company-Sponsored
  • Level of Study: Bachelor
  • Number of Scholarships: N/A

Reviews


StreamDegree TypeStudent StatusNationalityBatchCourse
Sort By :
Newest First

Sciences (4)
Engineering (1)
Business (1)
Business Analytics (1)
Data Science and Analytics (1)
Energy and Power Engineering (1)
Human Resource Management (1)
Digital Marketing (1)
System Engineering (1)

7 Reviews Found

SV
9.0 /10

Scholarship

  • No, I did not receive any scholarship.
  • For my programme, an average of 1-2 people receive scholarships. The scholarship amount can be about 20% of fees to a full scholarship with a living stipend of 2000 Euros depending on their merit and academics
  • During Covid times we were not able to go to our part-time works so we were paid 200 euros a week for being unemployed.

  • I searched for accommodation through the Rent.ie website and asked my childhood friend to help visit the place and pay the rent and get the keys ready for me when I arrive.
  • I paid a monthly rent of 450 Euros it only included the rent and waste collection.
  • I had to struggle to find owners who were willing to share their ID and Property ownership papers and make a formal agreement, as these were required for our travel immigrations during covid restrictions.
  • Ideally all incoming students can go for student accommodation for initial times and physically visit sites before paying upfront, as a lot of fake people are present online.
  • My accommodation was very close to the college. Biomedical science building was 1.5km away from my accommodation. Indians are distributed throughout the Galway area, not specific areas.

academic: 8/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 6/10
placement: 10/10
extracurricular: 10/10

Scholarship

  • I did not get any scholarship. It's very tough to get one. None of my friends got the scholarship. But i have heard one chinese student from my class got a 50% scholarship as he was having his own startup in China, so he showcased that he can be a great addition to the cohort of students and can bring some great ideas for entrepreneurship and innovation.
  • There is no fixed number of scholarships given to students in a particular course. It all depends on the panel that decides this.

  • I found accommodation through a friend's recommendation. There are various platforms or sources where one can get leads, like university help, daft.ie (local website), galway advertisers (local publisher), facebook groups, whatsapp groups and via friends (most helpful).
  • My monthly rent was 500 Euros for accommodation (all utilities extra). I had to pay extra for Wi-Fi, electricity, laundry, and bins.
  • It is a bit tough to sort out the accommodation, as there is huge demand but very less supply. Landlords have become greedy and they take advantage of this situation by charging unreasonable prices for the room, but as students have no option, they need to take that room.
  • My accommodation was around 2.5 km away from the university.

academic: 6/10
faculty: 6/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 6/10
placement: 6/10
extracurricular: 8/10

Scholarship

No

Good ranking, good professors, reviews by previous students, cheap accommodation, good TA positions

academic: 8/10
faculty: 9/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 8/10

Scholarship

No.

The program was of my interest. This university was recognized and had a good reputation.

academic: 9/10
faculty: 9/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 9/10
placement: 8/10

Scholarship

No, I didn't receive any scholarship.

NUI Galway is a great university in terms of highly educated faculty, infrastructure, and quality education. I selected to study at NUI Galway due to the good quality of education, a short-term course of 9 months with NFQ level 9, and the interesting subjects in the curriculum.

academic: 9/10
faculty: 8/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 8/10
placement: 6/10

Scholarship

No, I didn't receive any scholarship.

The National University of Ireland Galway is one of the most prestigious universities in Ireland and is ranked #230 in the world. The MS course provided is highly respected and the course structure is aligned with the required needs of the market. One more reason to join this university is its location in Galway where living expenses are comparatively less than in Dublin and the university tuition fees are low.

academic: 8/10
faculty: 7/10
infrastructure: 8/10
accomodation: 8/10
placement: 8/10

Scholarship

I got the Business Merit Postgraduate Scholarship for MSc Digital Marketing of €4225. There was a special application for the scholarship where along with I had to write one SoP (Set out below your reasons for choosing this particular course of study, how it relates to your previous study and/or employment, why you have chosen to study in Ireland rather than in your home country and its relevance to your future career/educational plans.).

I came across Ireland because of English speaking nation that provide advantage of courses being offered in English. The cost of education is lower for Indian students in Ireland than many other international destinations, another advantage is that we can choose to stay back for two years after completing the course. The course duration for masters is also one year. NUIG serve as a perfect platform for me to gain skills and develop my personality for various reasons like repute of the institution, up-to-date curriculum, global exposure, diversified peer group, learned faculty, good infrastructure and resources, accomplished alumni record and career opportunities. NUIG also ranked 238th in the world’s top 1,000 institutions.

academic: 8/10
faculty: 9/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 7/10
placement: 7/10

Comments


No Comments To Show
Photos

interested in this College ?

Get free counselling