Study Abroad Intakes In Ireland - Why The Timing Of Your Application Matters 

In Ireland, there are two general intakes: the Fall Intake (September) and the Spring Intake (February).

The Fall Intake is the main intake and it usually starts in September while the Spring Intake starts in February.

If you’re looking to apply for the Fall Intake, you’ll have to do so by April or May. The deadline for the Spring Intake would be around October and November. Dates will vary depending on the university or course you’re looking to enrol in.

It is important to meet the deadlines and submit your application in time, along with all the required documents – so it might be helpful to note the important dates down in your calendar so you don’t forget or miss them!

Between the two intakes, you might be unsure which one to choose. Thus, it helps to factor in several things such as the availability of your preferred program, acceptance rates, your academic records and entrance test scores, among others.

There isn’t a better or worse intake between the two as both have pros and cons to each of them. This includes factors such as the variety of courses available, internships, scholarships and financial aid.

Before taking the plunge, it is important for you to understand both intakes better and then decide what matters to you most.

As the Fall Intake is the primary intake, all programmes in different areas of study would usually be available across a higher number of participating Irish universities.

Apart from that, there are more opportunities to participate in internships and placements at the end of the semester when it comes to this particular intake.

Being in this earlier intake also means you would’ve spent an extra semester in school as compared to your peers in the Spring Intake. Thus, you would have finished more projects, taken on more leadership roles and participated in more activities, which might look more attractive on your CV or resume.

For these reasons, the majority of the students looking to further their studies in Ireland tend to opt for the Fall Intake – that means there would be many other students applying to the same course as you!

While there are more course options available, there would also be more competition when it comes to successfully getting accepted into your desired course.

Not all courses or universities offer a Spring Intake. Hence, there are fewer options as compared to the Fall Intake.

Having said that, this also translates to a smaller number of applicants for the limited available courses, as most students would have already enrolled themselves in the Fall Intake. Thus, you’ll have better chances of getting into your preferred course.

As this intake starts later, you’ll also have ample time to prepare all your application paperwork, get reference letters and obtain other necessary documents – that means you’ll get to avoid the stress that comes with scrambling at the last minute if there’s any delay in getting your documents.

In the event you missed the Fall Intake, enrolling yourself on the Spring Intake could be a good idea, especially if the course you’ve been eyeing happens to be available too!

Now that you have a better idea about the different intakes, do you feel more confident when it comes to making a decision?

Even if you’re still unsure, we’re here to help!

At IDP, our education counsellors can offer tailored guidance for course selection and answer all your burning questions about studying abroad.

Apart from that, we’ll be there to navigate every step of the application process with you so that you have a smoother journey.