Relocation Information

Information for non-EU Students Needing a Stamp 2 Immigration Registration.

Starting life in a new country is exciting, but it can come with challenges. This guide is here to support you as you begin your journey.

On Arriving to Ireland – What to Expect at the Airport

On first arrival to the airport in Ireland you will present the following documents to the airport Immigration Officer:

1. Official School Letter
2. Medical Insurance Policy

On seeing these documents the Immigration Officer you meet at the airport will give you a specific landing stamp (a stamp showing your intention is to study in Ireland as apposed to being a tourist).

Having this specific landing stamp in your passport will allow you do the following from the day you arrive in Ireland:

1. Request an Immigration appointment and upload your documents online in advance of travelling to Dublin to get your physical IRP/Immigration card (stamp 2 student visa).
2. Apply for a PPS number (official number for work purposes). You can do this before you get your physical IRP card. You can Apply for Jobs and start work from the day you arrive in Ireland. The landing stamp in your passport permits this. Confirmation of this can be found here on the Government website.
3. Apply for an Irish bank account. This in general is not mandatory but in some rare cases an employer might request specific AIB or BOI Irish bank details to make payments to you.

On Arriving to Ireland (airport arrival)	Apply for your IRP Card (first-time registrations)
Show Proof of Funds €6665	How to Open an Irish Bank Account
Apply for a Job (PPS Number)	Discounted Bus Tickets
Your New Life in Cork

Course Requirements

Attendance Guidelines	Final Exam
Holiday Requests	School Closure Dates

Applying for Your IRP Card (first time registrations)

All students registered on a Work and Study Stamp 2/Visa related course need to apply for an IRP card while here in Ireland.
First time registrations for applicants residing in Cork will be required to register their immigration permission in Dublin at the Registration Office located at 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2.
The first step is to make an appointment for that meeting in Dublin.
Appointments for first-time registration have to be made using the new online Immigraiton Registration Platform.
Create an account at Digital Contact Centre (DCC): https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/
To create an account you will need your email address, mobile number and an Identification Document.

Make sure on first registration you are using this link: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/. Other links may be related to renewals for a 2nd or 3rd stay in Ireland and you should not use any other link for the purposes of first-time registration.
Once you have registered, you can make registration appointments, ask questions, request changes to your personal details, and check your application progress all in one place.
If you are having issues with the DCC platform please email : [email protected] OR [email protected]

Applications for first time immigration residence permission registration must be made within 90 days following arrival of the person in the State.
You will receive your appointment date and time by email.
In that email you will also be asked to fill in your address in Cork to a document. This is important as this is the address your IRP card will eventually be posted to.

You must bring the following to your appointment in Dublin:

The biometric page of your current valid passport. This is the page that shows your photograph, passport number and date of birth.
A letter from your school dated on or after the date your course commenced, confirming your enrolment as a student on a full time English language course, for a minimum of 25 weeks and listed on the ILEP.
The school will give you a hardcopy of your school letter at the school reception desk – This letter will be signed, stamped and printed for you). Do not print the electronic version yourself. You will need to get the school letter from reception – signed, stamped and printed)
Proof you have paid college/school fees.
Private Medical Insurance with medical cover for accidents and medical incident including hospital stays in Ireland, valid for 12 months, or if less than 12 months for the duration of your stay(either the school or your agency will give you this).
Proof of having €4680
Immigration will charge you €300 for your IRP card (this must be paid by card and cannot be paid by cash)
Full List of Required Documents

Your IRP Card will be posted to your address in Cork.

How to Show Proof of Having €6665

You need to show Immigration that you have access to €6665 at first registration (Only applies to some students)

This applies to Non-Embassy application students only: (examples Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Uruguay). You must show you have direct access to €6665.
This does not apply to Embassy application students: (examples Colombia, China, Morocco, Peru, , Turkey, Venezuela). This is because the appropriate checks on finance have already been undertaken as part of the visa application process in your home country by the Irish Embassy. This means you DO NOT need to show €6665 in a bank account on registration with Immigration in Cork.

Show that you have access to €6665 by one of the following:

Full List of Financial Requirements

Show your €6665 in a foreign bank account (your account at home for example or a parents account):

If you choose this option, you must bring 2 original bank statements from a foreign bank.
The first statement must show a balance of €6665. The statement must less than 1 month old.
The second statement must be from the same bank for the past 6 months. It must be no less than 6 months old.
Both statements must be for the same account and in the same name ( ie the same name as in your passport, or your parents).
You must also show that you have a debit card (for cash withdrawals in Ireland). The debit card must be for the same bank account that has the €6665.
If the student chooses this option and the currency is not in Euro than a printout from a currency converter is required to show the amount in Euro’s on the day of registration.

2. Show your €6665 using an Online/Digital Bank Account

Check out Revolut or Money Jar. Both have Irish IBANs.
This is a good option if you can electronically transfer funds from one account to another.

3.Show your €6665 on pre-paid credit card or debit card

If you choose this option, you must bring evidence to demonstrate to the registration office that you have a pre-paid credit card(s) or debit card(s) with €6665.

4. Show your €6665 using a regular Irish Bank Account (AIB for example)

How to Open an Irish Bank Account

Consider a Digital Account

Both Revolut or Money Jar now have Irish IBANs starting with IE (for some employers in Ireland this is important).
You can use this digital account to show proof of having €6665 if you like. You can make an electronic transfer from one account to this new digital account.
You cannot lodge cash to these accounts. You can only make online transfers.
You can open a digital account within minutes!

Open a Regular (traditional) Irish Bank Account

This might be useful if staying in Ireland long term or need to make cash lodgments. You will find detailed instructions about opening an AIB Irish Bank Account here.
If you follow the instructions carefully you could have an AIB Irish Bank Account within 2 weeks.

Attendance Guidelines

An attendance rate of 85% is required.
A register is taken before and after the break each day and attendance is calculated on the basis of both registers.
Attendance by students is defined as attending the full designated tuition hours – i.e. arriving more than 10 minutes late, or leaving before the class has concluded, means the student is marked absent for the class / class segments.
You will receive a verbal warning from the Director of Studies if your projected attendance reaches 95%.
A First Letter of Warning is issued if your projected attendance percentage reaches 92%.
A Second Letter of Warning will be issued if your projected attendance reaches 88%.
In cases of illness, please provide the school with a medical certificate. This will not affect your attendance

Final Exam Requirements

You are obliged by Immigration to take the end of course exam (TIE or IELTS) which you selected when booking your course. The school will register you for this exam. The Academic Team will reach out to you closer to your exam date to help you prepare and give you the exam schedule.

How to Make a Holiday Request

Eligibility for Holidays

Courses of 25+ Weeks: Students may take up to 3 weeks holiday (15 working days + 3 weekends).

Holiday Terms and Procedures

Holidays must be prearranged with at least 2 weeks’ notice.
Holidays must align with a full week (Monday to Friday).
Approved holiday weeks are added to the end of the course duration.
As per Immigration policy, Stamp 2/Study Visa holders must have completed at least:
3 weeks of their course before taking 1 weeks holidays
6 weeks of their course before taking 2 weeks holidays
9 weeks of their course before taking 3 weeks holidays

Please do not make travel arrangements until you receive confirmation that your holiday is approved.

School Closure Dates

As well as weekends the school will be closed on the following public holiday dates:

Public Holidays 2025

3rd February, March 17, 21 April, 05 May, 02 June, 04 August, 27 October.

Christmas period closure dates: 22 December 2025 to 04 January 2026.

Apply for a Student Bus Ticket

Student Bus Fares

General bus tickets are €1.90 per journey, Adult Leap Card holders can get a ticket price of €1.35 and Young Adult Leap Cards holders have a further discounted price of €0.65 per journey.

Anyone the age of 25 or younger is eligible to apply for a Young Adult Leap Card, which allows travel at the discounted rate of €0.65 per journey on Cork City Bus Éireann services and selected others (e.g., Cobh Connect).

Previously, students aged 26 or older enrolled in courses of 6 months or more could apply for a Student Leap Card. However, the Leap Card office is currently not issuing Student Leap Cards. We understand this is frustrating and hope it’s only a temporary issue.

If You’re 25 or Younger – Apply for a Young Adult Leap Card

€0.65 per journey with a Young Adult (25 or under) Leap Card.
Anyone aged 25 or younger can apply online and have their card posted to their address in Cork.
Apply Online Today.

If You’re 26 or Older – Use the TFI Go App for €0.65 Fares

Until the Student Leap Card issue is resolved, students aged 26 and over can still access the €0.65 fare using the TFI Go (Transport for Ireland) app. This is a great alternative that works regardless of age, as long as the correct steps are followed.

How to Use the TFI Go App for €0.65 Bus Fares:

Create a Profile
Download the TFI Go app and register an account.
Buy a Card
Select “Bus Éireann” as the operator.
Buy a Ticket
- Passenger Type: Young Adult / Student
- Ticket Type: Cork Single Zonal (one-use ticket)
- Zone: Select Red Zone – €0.65
- Proceed with payment and card details.
Manage Tickets
- Tickets appear under Active, Past, or Available Tickets.
- Active tickets must be used within 90 minutes of activation.

Top Tip: Only activate your ticket when your bus is about to arrive — just in case it’s delayed or doesn’t show up.

Show the spinning circle on the app to the driver. Once tapped, the spinning circle will stop, and you’ll be allowed to board.

How to Apply for a Job

Finding a job in Cork can be a great way to maximize your English language use in real life settings. Put what you have learned in class into practice in real life work settings.

Apply for a PPS Number

Everybody who would like to start work in Ireland will need a PPS number. You will need the following for your visit to the PPS Office in Cork:

Your passport
A Job offer letter or confirmation email from an employer offering you a job, stating your new job position and start date.
Proof of address ( present your school letter and insurance documents with matching addresses).

Find more information about the PPS application at Gov.ie

Monthly Jobs Club

Remember to sign up for our Monthly Jobs Club where we help students with:

Writing a CV/ Resume
Writing a Cover Letter
Interview Skills

Sign-up for the next Jobs Club on the school notice board located in the student chill-out area, ground floor.

Useful Contact Information

School Telephone + 353 21 203 8786
School Emergency mobile +353 867900 860
School Email: [email protected]
Academic & Exam Information: [email protected] ,Vincent O’ Connor
Immigration & Attendance Information: [email protected]

Information Sources

Your New Life in Cork

Essential Apps for Life in Cork

The Transport apps are very useful if you end up living outside of the city center for example with host family.

TFI Go App

Perfect for paying for bus and train fares on-the-go.

Learn More

TFI Live App

Real-time information about public transport in Cork.