Ireland Govt Opens Postgraduate Scholarships For Master’s And PhD Candidates

Ireland Govt Announces Fully Funded Scholarships for Kenyans with Ksh 315K Monthly Allowance; How to Apply

Research Ireland has opened applications for the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarships, offering full-time funding for master’s and doctoral students across all disciplines.

Kenyan students aspiring to pursue full-time research master’s or doctoral degrees in Ireland can now apply for this fully funded opportunity.

The scholarships are designed to support high-quality research while promoting fairness, transparency, and international collaboration.

Pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or those introducing creative, innovative approaches are welcomed.

Proposals of an interdisciplinary nature are also encouraged, as it is recognised that advancing fundamental understanding is achieved by integrating information, techniques, tools, and perspectives from two or more disciplines.

The programme is open to new entrants to a Master’s or PhD programme or to registered students in the first year of the degree for which they are seeking funding, aligning with a full-degree funding model.

Ireland Govt Announces Fully Funded Scholarships

Scholarship Value

The scholarship offers a comprehensive funding package of up to €34,000 per annum, which translates to approximately KSh 5.13 million annually. The breakdown is as follows:

Stipend: €25,000 per year (~Ksh 3.78 million)
Contribution to Fees: Up to €5,750 per year (~Ksh 867,250)
Research-related Costs: €3,250 per year (~Ksh 490,750)

Any remaining differential in fees must be paid by the grant recipient and/or the Research Body.

Applicants must accept the full grant package; partial acceptance is not allowed.

Funding duration depends on the degree type. Master’s students will receive support for two years, while PhD candidates can receive funding for up to four years.

“Candidates who have already begun their degree but completed no more than the first year may be eligible for partial funding, subject to confirmation by their research body,” read the guideline from Research Ireland.

Eligible career breaks—including maternity, paternity, parental, adoptive, extended sick, or carer’s leave—may also adjust the funding period.

Also Read: Govt Opens Scholarship Applications and Revisions for Students: How to Apply

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following conditions:

Be new entrants to the postgraduate program, or have completed no more than the first year of their degree
Hold a first-class or upper second-class honours bachelor’s degree or, if not, a master’s degree
Be affiliated with an Eligible Research Body, responsible for verifying all academic results
Applications may be submitted in English or Irish only
Must not have had two previous unsuccessful applications, regardless of research body or topic change
Must not be a permanent staff member at any Irish or international research body
Must have a primary supervisor who will guide the research project. Primary supervisors can endorse only one applicant per scholarship cycle; co-supervisor or secondary supervisor roles have no restriction
Applicants from any country are eligible, categorized as:
- Category 1: Nationals of EU member states, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, the UK, or Ukraine, with at least three of the past five years’ residency in one of these countries
- Category 2: All other applicants. A proportion of scholarships is reserved for exceptional candidates from this category

Applicants may choose to apply under a strategic funding partner grant.

If their research does not align with the partner theme, they will automatically be considered for the core Government of Ireland scholarship.

Research Ireland will ensure submissions broadly match the intended theme, and applications clearly misaligned will only be assessed under the core program.

Application Process

All applications must be submitted online via Research Ireland’s portal SmartSimple platform by the relevant deadline
Applicants should register and submit early, as server traffic may delay submissions
Hard copies or email submissions are not accepted
All applications require endorsement from the primary supervisor; failure to submit endorsements will render applications ineligible. The primary supervisor must be based at an Eligible Research Body in Ireland that is approved by Research Ireland.
Applicants are responsible for discussing their research project with the primary supervisor in advance
Research Ireland will not provide individual correspondence regarding eligibility or assessment

Also Read: Russia Announces Tuition-Free Scholarships for Kenyans: How to Apply

Scholarship recipients are expected to begin their studies at the nominated research body by 1 September 2026, although delayed starts may be allowed until 1 March 2027 if necessary.

Candidates currently enrolled in other programs must complete their degrees by the scholarship start date.