India leading source of international students in Ireland

India has emerged as the leading source of international students in Ireland, surpassing the US and China, with over 9,000 student visas issued this year alone.

The growing preference for Ireland among Indian students is driven by strong academic opportunities, post-study work options and increasing collaborations between Indian and Irish institutions.

Ireland’s Minister for Higher and Further Education James Lawless, who is in Delhi as part of Ireland’s global St Patrick’s Day outreach, spoke about this during a media roundtable on Monday.

As part of the outreach, Irish ministers travelled to different countries to strengthen diplomatic, educational and economic ties. “Indian students are the biggest single category of students in Ireland, with over 9,000 studying across various programmes, including STEM subjects, business courses, data analytics, healthcare and AI,” Lawless said.

Ireland is now looking to deepen collaborations with Indian institutions, including IITs, to attract more STEM students, particularly in AI, green energy and emerging technologies.

With an unemployment rate below 4 per cent, Ireland is close to full employment, creating high demand for skilled graduates.