The United Kingdom (UK) includes Northern Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland. It has long been the main University destination for Irish students opting to study outside of the Republic of Ireland, with Northern Ireland proving to be the most popular of the four countries.

Students from over 200 countries worldwide go to the UK every year to attend higher education which accounts for over 10% of the total student population in the UK.  Therefore, if you decide to go, you will most likely not be the only student in your course to have just moved to the UK!  Brexit, however, has seen a significant reduction in the numbers applying to the UK from other EU countries.  

• Northern Ireland is a very attractive option to Republic of Ireland students as it is so easily accessible. Ulster University and Queens University are the two main higher education institutions, while the Open University (Distance learning, online courses) is also based in Northern Ireland.
• Scotland was previously very attractive for Irish students as there were no tuition fees for undergraduate courses, however this has changed also due to Brexit.  There are 19 Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) in Scotland.
• England is home to a number of the highest ranking, and most prestigious, universities in the world such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and University College London.  In all there are almost 130 HEI's in England.
• Wales also has 8 universities and the cost of living is generally lower, and the quality of life higher, compared to many parts of England for example. Cardiff has recently been ranked as the most affordable University City in the UK.

Irish students have been choosing to study in the UK in significant numbers for some time.  Guidance Counsellors are generally very familiar with the UCAS application system, and will be able to give good advice on the application process. Students and adults wanting to do their own research will also find the UCAS website very informative as it covers most aspects of studying in the UK.

If you want to compare UK qualifications with Irish qualifications, see the ‘Qualifications can cross boundaries’ leaflet from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) that gives a rough guide to comparing qualifications in the UK and in Ireland. The leaflet shows how qualifications are organised and how they relate broadly to each other through the different qualifications frameworks, including the European Qualifications Framework.