Pre-Arrival

Pre-Arrival

1. Accept your offer

Refer to your offer letter for instructions on how to accept your offer. If you are not sure about how to accept your offer, email postgradadmissions@universityofgalway.ie for postgraduate queries and internationaladmissions@universityofgalway.ie for undergraduate queries.

2. Pay your deposit or tuition fee

Refer to your offer letter for instructions on how to pay any deposit that may be required by the University. The rules regarding payment and deposits may vary depending on the programme you have been accepted to. Your initial deposit will be deducted from your tuition fee, which unless otherwise stated in your letter of offer, is to be paid in full before you can register as a student. Please see the tuition fees section for more information.

3. Purchase Health Insurance

Proof of medical expenses insurance is required for all non-EU students for immigration purposes. Please refer to the Health Insurance section of our website for more information.

4. Prepare your immigration/travel documents

All non-EU/EEA nationals are subject to immigration control at the point of entry to the Irish State, so please ensure you comply fully with Irish Immigration Regulations and that you have all the required documentation ready for inspection immigration officials.

Immigration officials at your port of arrival may request documentary evidence from you that you will be attenging University of Galway. You can use your offer letter as proof of this.

5. Review your Pre-Arrival Guide

Download the International Guide here, it has all the information you might need as you transition into life at University of Galway.

6. Book your accommodation

Please refer to the accommodation section of our website for information on how to book student accommodation.

7. Make travel arrangements

Check the Academic Calendar for your term dates and How to Find Us for information and advice on getting to Galway.

8. Pack your things

Check out the list of useful items to pack for Galway. The most important thing to remember is to pack light. Make a list of things you will actually need to see you through the first few weeks in Galway and discard everything else.

9. Plan your budget

It is important to understand all the costs involved, including tuition fees and day-to-day living costs. Budgeting is one of the key skills you will develop during your time at university and once you learn how to manage your money, you will be able to enjoy university life to the full.

10. What to Expect on Arrival into Ireland

At the port of entry, immigration officers will want to ensure you meet the entry requirements as an international student. Despite being already granted your visa, you need the following documents in your hand luggage

• Photocopies of your passport.
•  Plane tickets.
• Two copies of your offer and acceptance letters.
•  Copy of medical insurance policy.

11. Getting to Galway

Galway City is served by an extensive public transport service from Dublin, Shannon and Knock airports, including the following public transport options

From Shannon:

• Bus Éireann provides a direct service from Shannon airport to Galway. Travel time is approximately 2 hours.

From Dublin:

• Regular direct transfers from Dublin Airport operated by Bus Éireann, Go Bus and Citylink, with fully air-conditioned coaches and free Wi-Fi. Travel time is approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes.
• Irish Rail offers a direct transfer from Dublin City. Travel time is 2 hours, 10 minutes (Note: Irish Rail does not provide a service from Dublin airport)

From Knock:

• Bus Éireann provides a direct service from Knock Airport to Galway. Travel time is approximately 2 hours.

Campus Entrances and Car Parking

Click here for a guide to University of Galway campus entrances and parking.

Bikeshare

Click here for information.

Campus Maps

• View Google Map of Campus
• View PDF Campus Map‌

 12. Mobile Sim Cards

Please ensure your mobile phone is unlocked and is compatible to accept an international SIM card. Your current network provider can provide you with your unlocking code. Your phone may be unlocked already; you can check this by putting in a different SIM card to your current network to see if it works.

SIM cards are easily purchased in Galway City Centre from different providers. If you are self-isolating, you can order a SIM card to be delivered from Tesco Mobile. 

Vodafone is a common option for students to get. The recommended plan is "Vodafone X" as it is the best value for money for International students. You will need to signup for the plan as follows:

Set Up:

1. Pop your new Vodafone sim into your unlocked phone.
2. Text UNLIMITED to 50222 to avail of our Vodafone X student plan.

What do I get?

• Unlimited data (there is no cap on data, it’s truly unlimited)
• Unlimited any network texts
• 100 any network minutes & unlimited minutes from 3 pm on Fridays until 11.59 pm on Sundays
• Includes roaming across Europe
• More info available here

Cost:

The plan costs €20 for 28 days. To avail of the student offer, you will need to top up by €20 in one go. If you want to add more credit and do not want to reactivate/reset your offer, you will need to top up by €5, €10 or €15.

How do I top up?

• Online on our website
• On the My Vodafone app available on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
• In any of our Vodafone stores
• Most convenience stores and supermarkets also offer top up (Spar, Mace, Londis, Centra, Supervalu, Tesco etc.). You should ask at the till for '€X Vodafone Credit'

How do I find my number?

• Make a call or send a text to a friend

International Calls

You can purchase an add-on that will give you international minutes to eligible countries to use for 28 days for a flat fee. Full information is available by clicking here.

Help?

You can find common FAQ’s here.

There are several other mobile phone service providers in Ireland offer a range of monthly plans. By topping up mobile credit each month, students can avail of unlimited data and texts with certain mobile phone companies. See the links below for current promotions and call allowances. 

3 Mobile

Tesco Mobile

Before I arrive can I get a Vodafone E-SIM instead of a plastic SIM card?

Yes, Vodafone eSims are available for certain supported devices (check here).  You order a new number online here for free – simply choose “get a new number”, continue and then choose “eSim”. A debit or credit card is required to order a new number for security purposes but no charge is made – the sim is completely free. After the order has been placed, an email with next steps and how to connect the eSIM to the phone will be sent to you. eSim FAQs are available here .

13. Banking

To open an Irish bank account with one of the main banks in Ireland, you will need to have an address in Ireland and have completed your online registration at University of Galway.  

Allied Irish Bank (AIB) or Bank of Ireland (BOI) are the two main Irish banks and to open an account with either you will need the following:

• Valid Passport
• Copy of your University of Galway registration statement ( which shows your home address and your term address in Galway.
• You may also be asked for your Student ID card

Allied Irish Bank 

Bank of Ireland 

Digital Banking

You may also consider opening a digital bank account such as Revolut, N26 or Money Jar before coming to Ireland. 

Money Jar is an Irish company whose client funds are held in a tier 1 Irish bank and are fully regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. It provides you with an Irish IBAN so you can get paid into your Money Jar account plus pay all of your day-to-day bills, make mobile and online payments with your MJ Mastercard.

You can sign up from anywhere in the world by downloading the app. All you need to open an account is a valid government-issued identification document (from any country) and an Irish postal address. This address is used to receive your card in the post so it doesn’t have to be your permanent residential address.

University of Galway students can use the sign-up code 52441 to set up an account. Further details are available here.  

 Please note that students can bank free of charge with Irish banks. Online accounts via apps will have transaction fees and possible monthly fees so it is advisable to check this before signing up. 

14. Registering with Immigration (GNIB)

All new undergraduate and postgraduate students attending University of Galway for the first time will receive an appointment to attend GNIB from the International Office. The International Office will be contacting you directly by email with your appointment date and time (dates of appointments will be in October). All non-EU/EEA nationals who have entered the State must register with their local Garda National Immigration Bureau office within 90 days of arrival.

15. Life as a student in Galway

Find out about our student's experience of life and learning at University of Galway through our Global Student Platform. 

16. Keep in touch

We hope you find this pre-arrival section of our website useful in helping you prepare for your stay at University of Galway. If you are unsure about anything, don't hesitate to contact the International Office.

t: + 353 91 495277
e: international@universityofgalway.ie

You can also reach out to fellow international students over on our Instagram, Facebook page and follow us on X for the latest news and updates.