Relocation Information
Information for non-EU students who need to formalize their stay in Cork for Stamp 2 Immigration purposes.
Moving to a new country is exciting but can also feel overwhelming. This information is here to help make your transition to life in Cork as smooth as possible. Discover key tips on immigration registration, navigating public transport, and understanding Cork’s weather so you can be prepared from day one. Start your journey with confidence!
Course Requirements
On Arriving to Ireland
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 meeting where you will later during your stay 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 do this once you have your specific landing stamp.
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.
You do not need to wait until you have a physical IRP / Immigration card to apply for a PPS or Irish Bank Account. Having the specific landing stamp in you passport is enough. The stamp showing your intention is to study in Ireland as apposed to being a tourist.
All students registered on a Work and Study Stamp 2/Visa related course need to apply for an IRP card while here in Ireland.
Applying for your IRP card – First time registrations
- First time registrations for applicants residing in Cork will be required to register their immigration permission at the Registration Office located at 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2.
- Appointments for first time registration can be made using the new online Immigraiton Registration Platform: Digital Contact Centre (DCC)
- Create an account at Digital Contact Centre (DCC). 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. To create an account you will need your email address, mobile number and an Identification Document.
- 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)
Your IRP Card will be posted to your address in Cork.
How to Show Proof of Having €4680
You need to show Immigration that you have access to €4,680 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 €4680.
- 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 €4680 in a bank account on registration with Immigration in Cork.
Show that you have access to €4680 by one of the following:
- Show your €4680 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 €4680. 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 €4680.
- 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 €4680 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 €4,680 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 €4680.
4. Show your €4680 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 €4680 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 lodgements. 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.
Applying for your IRP card – Renewal registrations
Renewal applications can be made online at: https://inisonline.jahs.ie
The Immigration Service website provides a live processing update for online renewal applications being processed. To ensure an equitable immigration system, applications are processed in the order in which they are received.
The IRP Card Registration Fee is €300. Your IRP card will be posted to your address in Cork.
To renew you will be asked to provide:
- The biometric page of your current valid passport. This is the page that shows your photograph, passport number and date of birth.
- The front and back of your current IRP card. This is the credit-card sized plastic card you received when you last registered your permission.
- A letter from your school, confirming your enrolment as a student on a full time course of 25 weeks and listed on the ILEP.
- A letter from your school that shows you have attended a minimum of 85% of all lessons.
- Proof you have paid college/school fees.
- Proof of your private medical insurance. Insurance MUST cover accidents & medical incidents including hospital stays for the duration of your residence. Travel insurance is NOT sufficient for Visa Renewal.
- Exam results from previous course.
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. Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late for class or leave more than 10 minutes early from class in either period will be marked absent for that period.
- 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
- Students studying on courses of 25 weeks or longer may , by prior agreement with the school, take holidays of up to a maximum of 2 weeks (10 working days plus two weekends).
- You are entitled to take:
– 1 week holiday after the first 4 weeks of study
– 2 weeks holiday after 6 weeks of study - All holidays must be taken over the duration of a full week, that is, starting on a Monday and finishing on a Friday.
- Please note that your course end date will be extended by 2 weeks when you take 2 weeks’ holiday as your visa requirement is that you must complete 25 weeks of study in total.
- Holiday request forms are available at the school reception.
- 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 TFI Leap Card (student bus ticket)
TFI Leap Card is up to 30% cheaper than cash single fares. You can travel on Cork City Bus Éireann services and selected others like the Cobh Connect, for as little as:
- €1.35 a journey with a TFI Adult Leap Card
- €0.65 a journey with a TFI Young Adult (23 years or younger) or Student Leap Card (must be studying for at least 6 months).
Adult Leap Card (for as little as €1.35 per journey)
Available to all adults at most Centra shops and the bus station at a cost of €5.00. The card can be topped up with credit like a mobile phone. When you are finished with the card you can return it and get a refund.
Young Adult ( 23 years or younger) or Student Leap Card (for as little as €0.65 per journey)
Apply Online
- Anyone aged 25 and younger can get a discount bus card – and the card will be posted to their address in Cork.
- If you are 26 or older and registered on a course of 6 months or more you can apply for a student discount bus card but must visit UCC to collect your card.
- Complete the online application before you go to the office. Apply Online Here.
Student Leap Card Collection Point:
- UCC SU Office reception, beside the Common Room in UCC (54 College Road, Cork City)
- Open: Mon-Fri 10-1 and 2-4
- No appointment necessary
- Bring your Cork English Academy student card, school letter and a photo ID (passport).
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
- Required Documents for an IRP Registration (irishimmigration.ie)
- IRP Registration for Cork students will now take place in Dublin (gov.ie)
- Permission to start work before having a physical IRP Card (gov.ie)
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.

TFI Live App
Real-time information about public transport in Cork.

Bike Share App
Rent a bike and easily explore the city.

Cork Safety Alerts
Stay ahead of the traffic, and weather. Get push notifications for your area of Cork.

Weather App
Met Éireann, the Irish National Meteorological Service, is the leading provider of weather information for Ireland.

Revolut Bank App
Manage your finances easily with this online bank.
Setting up a local Irish bank account is recommended if you’re staying in Ireland for a longer time.
How to Guides
Check out these How-To Guides, designed to help you navigate life in a new city with ease.

Apply for a Leap Card
How to apply for a discount student bus ticket (leap card).

Apply for a Stamp 2
How to apply for an IRP/Stamp 2 (suitable for non-EU students)

Rent a Room
How to find your own accommodation in Cork.

Prepare for the Weather
How to stay warm and dry. Seasonal tips and general temperatures.

Apply for a Job
How to apply for a job – jobs websites and Jobs Club.

How to Budget
How to budget – a guide to typical costs of living in Cork.
Meet New Friends
Get out and about, meet new friends and practice your English.

Gyms in Cork
Offering Pay-as-you-go and discounts ideal for students.

Cork Parkruns
A free, weekly, 5km timed run with 3 locations around Cork city.

Volunteer Cork
Make connections and practice your English through volunteering.
Places to Study in Cork

Top Places to Study
Looking for a quiet spot to focus, Cork offers plenty of excellent study locations. Check out our favourites Cork City Library, Quay Co-Op Library and The Bookshelf Cafe.

Late Places to Study
Continue studying with friends after the school closes at 17:00, by exploring these late opening study-friendly spots. Check out our favourites: WebWorkHouse, Bean and Leaf and Starbucks.

Early Places to Study
Check out these near-by early opening cafes if waiting for the school to open at 08:30: Cafe Velo, Soma Cafe and Bean and Leaf.
Discover Cork
Explore Cork city’s historic buildings, narrow streets and lively markets in one of Ireland’s oldest cities.

Hotspots in Cork
Check out Cork’s favorite cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Parks in Cork
Parks, green spaces and river walkways dotted around the city center and neighboring suburbs.

Beaches in Cork
Here are some of our favorite beaches near Cork City.

Places of Interest
Ring the Shandon Bells in the 300-year-old tower of St. Anne’s Church, and marvel at the French Gothic spires of St. Finbarre’s Cathedral.

Festivals in Cork
Festivals to cater for all tastes, with events in performance and visual arts, choral singing, comedy, film, folk music, jazz, literature, writing, and traditional music.

Discover Cork
Your ideal City for Learning English. Cork’s locals are warm, approachable, and always ready for a chat—perfect for practicing your English skills.
Local Websites
Check out these websites for local information, events, and community connections.

Craving Cork
A guide to Cork’s best restaurants, cafes, and bars.

Tripe + Drisheen
Independent News from across Cork city and county.

Pure Cork
Discover top tourist attractions and things to do around the city.
Cork has everything you need for a fulfilling and enriching language stay, from its rich cultural heritage to its welcoming people and lively student life. Come to Cork, improve your English, and discover what makes this city so special.