Visas
The Third Level Graduate Programme, and who gets two years
In short
Graduates of an eligible Irish programme at level 8 get twelve months on Stamp 1G; at level 9 or above, twenty-four months, granted as twelve plus a further twelve on evidence of looking for graduate-level work. Both are capped by overall residence limits of seven and eight years. You must apply within six months of being notified of your award.
Ireland's stay-back is simpler than most, and the conditions that catch people out are the deadline and the residence caps rather than the headline length.
The scheme rules are published by Immigration Service Delivery, and the detail below follows their document rather than a university's summary of it.
How long you get
A level 8 award gives the lesser of twelve months or the period that brings total residence, counting time on Stamp 2 as a student and on Stamp 1G, to seven years.
A level 9 or higher award gives the lesser of twenty-four months or the period that brings total residence to eight years. The permission is granted for twelve months first, then renewed for a further twelve if you can show you have taken appropriate steps to find graduate-level employment, such as interviews or registration with graduate recruiters.
Eligibility and the six-month deadline
You need an award at level 8 or above from a recognised Irish awarding body, on a programme on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes, with written notification of the award on or after 1 January 2017, a current Stamp 2 permission and an up-to-date registration card.
The application must be made within six months of being notified of your award. Miss it and the scheme is closed to you, regardless of the result you got.
You can enter the programme again after a higher award, within the eight-year cap, but no more than twice in total.
What you can and cannot do on Stamp 1G
Stamp 1G allows full-time work without an employment permit, which is what makes it valuable. It does not permit operating a business or being self-employed.
The permission is a bridge, not a destination: the intended route is into an employment permit, and the two-year version exists so that graduates of master's and doctoral programmes have time to find a role at the right level.
The money question before any of this
For visa-required students, which includes Indian nationals, Irish rules ask for evidence of immediate access to at least EUR 10,000 for courses beginning after 1 July 2023, described as the estimated cost of living for one academic year, and ready access to the same amount for each subsequent year in addition to course fees. For courses under eight months the figure is EUR 833 per month of stay, or EUR 6,665, whichever is lower.
Bank statements for the previous six months on headed paper are the standard evidence, and credit cards are not accepted. Degree students may be able to use an education bond of at least EUR 10,000 instead.
Related questions
Does a one-year taught master's count as level 9?
Irish taught master's degrees are normally level 9 on the national framework, which is the band that attracts up to twenty-four months. Confirm the level of your specific award with the awarding body.
What evidence is needed for the second year of Stamp 1G?
The scheme rules describe appropriate steps to access suitable graduate-level employment, giving examples such as job interviews and engagement with graduate employment agencies. Keep records as you go rather than assembling them at renewal.
Is the EUR 10,000 in addition to fees?
For subsequent years the rules state it is in addition to course fees for each of those years. Treat the first year the same way and budget fees separately.