Ireland Fellows Programme – Asia

Benefits & funding

• Full academic programme fees at an Irish higher education institution.
• Economy flights to and from Ireland.
• Monthly living stipend of €700, subject to review.
• Accommodation paid for trimesters 1 and 2, normally September to May; for trimester 3 a monthly accommodation stipend of €800–€1,000 depending on location.
• Medical and travel insurance, visa application fees, and the Irish residence permit fee.
• A settling-in allowance for arrival costs and a completion and departure allowance at the end of study.
• Orientation, social and networking events, plus training in areas such as leadership, project management and conflict management.
• The award covers the fellow only. Spouses and dependents get no financial support and no visa support.

Eligibility

• Resident national of Vietnam, Cambodia or Lao PDR.
• Applicants from Vietnam need at least 2 years of substantial work experience directly relevant to the proposed course; applicants from Cambodia and Lao PDR need at least 3 years.
• A bachelor’s-level qualification from an accredited, government-recognised institution, with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or first-class or upper second-class honours. A lower second-class result can be accepted where the applicant has substantial directly relevant experience.
• The degree must have been awarded in 2015 or later.
• Applicants must not already hold a qualification at master’s level or higher, must not currently be studying at that level, and must not be due to begin one in 2026/27.
• The master’s in Ireland must start no earlier than August 2027, and the applicant must be free to take it up in the 2027/28 academic year.
• Applicants may have applied to the Ireland Fellows Programme at most once before.
• Three courses must be chosen from the Directory of Eligible Programmes, matched to the applicant’s academic and professional background.
• Evidence of leadership ability, of commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals at home, and of commitment to building positive relationships with Ireland.
• No age limit is published. The programme states that it welcomes applicants with disabilities, applicants from minority or disadvantaged groups, and applicants whose gender identity sits outside the male/female binary, and that it wants more female applicants.

Application process

1. 1
   Read the Asia applicant guidance note and choose three eligible master’s courses from the Directory of Eligible Programmes.
2. 2
   Submit the Stage 1 preliminary application by email to the Asia scholarship address (asiascholarship@dfanet.ie), with a passport identity page, the degree award certificate, and final transcripts including an explanation of the grading system.
3. 3
   Shortlisted applicants are invited to submit the Stage 2 detailed application with original documents.
4. 4
   Sit the Duolingo English Test, or IELTS in January where the chosen institution does not accept Duolingo.
5. 5
   Attend a Stage 3 interview.
6. 6
   Successful candidates are put forward to Irish institutions, hear the outcome around March, and receive confirmation of the fellowship in June or early July before travelling.

Program timeline

1. Stage 1 preliminary applications open

   29 June 2026

2. Stage 1 closing date

   26 July 2026

3. Duolingo English Test for shortlisted applicants

   September 2026

4. Stage 2 detailed application opens

   21 September 2026

5. Stage 2 closes

   18 October 2026

6. Interviews

   November–December 2026

7. IELTS testing where required

   January 2027

8. Candidates hear the outcome of institution applications

   Around March 2027

9. Fellowships confirmed

   June–early July 2027

10. August–September 2027

    Study begins in Ireland, running to mid-2028