Dates: between Sept and May
Duration: term or year
Age: from 13 to 18 years
Price: year from 14.579 €
Public or state-funded schools are the most common in Ireland, the choice of the majority of students. There are single sex and mix schools, and you can attend for a trimester or a full year.
Voluntary schools are funded religious schools. Vocational schools are equally funded but managed by private committee. And Comprehensive or Community schools are 100% state funded and are run by a local public district.
Welfare has personally selected those schools with the relevant features, specifically for the international student, mainly location, size and atmosphere.
Flexible and practical, the academic standard is high and offers a wide range of subjects, focusing on growth and personal development. The open and friendly nature of the Irish is the reason why it’s so easy for students to fit into the system. There is a close relationship with teachers, who help students in lessons and encourage participation in school.
There is a wide variety of schools, public, funded or private, religious or secular, single sex or mixed.
Education is mandatory from 6 to 15 years of age.
Primary education
Finishes at 12 years old, upon completion of eight years, with the acquisition of a basic general knowledge.
Secondary education
It comprises six levels, divided in two cycles.
JUNIOR CYCLE
It’s three years of study, and culminates with the Junior Certificate examination, essential to access the Senior cycle.
SENIOR CYCLE
After two years of study students take the Leaving Certificate examination, for access to university.
SCHOOL CYCLES
Primary and secondary
SCHOOL SYSYTEM
National Curriculum
FAITH
Catholic or secular
AREAS
Ireland
They are very similar to Spanish culture, in Ireland family always comes first. They are usually large and, even if the children don’t live at home any longer, they love spending time together. They are warm, nice and friendly. You will feel welcome. Even if they host another international student, you would be the only one from your country. How you get to school will depend on the distance from the host family, either using public transport, walking or in the family car.
First Term: September – December.
Second term: January – March.
Third Term: April – May/June.
Apart from Christmas and Easter, there are two breaks of around 10 days in the first two terms, when you can either stay with your host family or go back home to your country. The last term is so short that there’s no break.
First term: 8.265 €
Full year: 14.579 €
*Includes school fees, accommodation, meals, books, uniform, activities, airport transfer upon arrival and departure, accommodation during half term breaks, local coordinator in Ireland and Welfare services.
A whole school year in Ireland can be validated seamlessly, as long as the student achieves the minimum required qualifications, as laid out by the Department of Education of the country of origin. Our coordinator will make sure the student chooses the relevant subjects to comply with the set requirements, and will take care of the procedures to obtain the certification.
Students must complete the year and pass the official Leaving Certificate examination. This process doesn’t include the procedure to access university.
Please note that if you study both years, you can obtain access to university with your median grades, and opt to take the exams to raise your grades.
