Do I need to apply for an Irish exemption if I live outside the Republic of Ireland?

Candidates born and fully educated outside the Republic of Ireland who are presenting qualifications other than the Leaving Certificate for matriculation are automatically exempt from Irish and do not need to make application to NUI.

An NUI exemption from Irish will automatically be granted to candidates whose permanent residence is in Northern Ireland/United Kingdom and who are presenting only GCE/GCSE qualifications for matriculation.

However, please note that this is an exemption from minimum entry requirements only. Where a course has a specific requirement for a certain grade in Irish or another language, an exemption/waiver will not meet this requirement. In such a case you will need to contact the HEI directly for guidance (for example Primary School Teaching Courses require a minimum grade in Irish).