Garda Vetting

What is Garda Vetting?

Garda Vetting is a procedure that University of Galway uses to certify whether or not a student who has been offered and accepted a programme has ever been convicted of a crime.

University of Galway offers a number of programmes that require students to undertake placements with external agencies, which will bring them into contact with the public and in which they will assume positions of trust. To ensure the protection of the public, and safeguard public trust and confidence, the University is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake these programmes.

Who carries out the Garda Vetting?

The Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB)

How do I know if I have to be Garda Vetted?

Full lists of the programmes which require students to undergo the Garda Vetting process are available from: Programmes Requiring Garda Vetting

Who is responsible for Garda Vetting in University of Galway?

In the case of University of Galway, the Admissions Officer is the Garda Vetting Liaison, please email gvadmissions@nuigalway.ie if you have any queries.

Who needs to be Garda Vetted?

Any student who will have access to children and/or vulnerable persons as part of an University of Galway programme need to be Garda Vetted.

What is the procedure for Garda Vetting?

The below describes the details of the various stages that are involved in the Garda Vetting process.

• University of Galway has created an App to streamline the Garda Vetting process, please click here to start your application.  To access the App students will have received an email inviting them to begin the process.  Students will need their University of Galway Office 365 user account credentials to access the service.  Students will be contacted in due course regarding your Microsoft Office 365 credentials.  Only students with access to Microsfot 365 can access the App.  Please email GVAdmissions@nuigalway.ie with any queries.  Please note: for those who have not received an invite or approval for Garda Vetting do not log into the app.
• Applicants who have been offered, accepted and registrered for a place on a defined programme are automatically sent an email inviting them to begin the Garda Vetting process.  
• Students complete provisional registration during first year registration process. They acknowledge at registration that their registration process is not complete until they have satisfied Garda Vetting requirements for the programme.
• Students complete their confidential application via the Garda Vetting App,  uploading Proof of ID and Address, along wit Police Clearance if applicable, once the appliction is complete the information is uploaded to the National Vetting Bureau's website. The National Vetting Bureau (NVB) will then email the student directly to invite he/she to complete the vetting application online. The invitation will be sent to both the  students' University of Galway email and personal email addresses.
• The student has 30 days from the date of the NVB invitation to complete the online application before the invitation expires. Failure to complete the application in the designated timeframe will require a new applicaiont to be submitted,  via the Garda Vetting app, which will delay the completion of the students' vetting clearance.
• The GNVB then processes the application and forwards a vetting disclosure to the Garda Vetting Liaison and the Postgraduate Admissions Office, Garda Vetting Section in turn email this disclosure to the student.
• Once the information has been confirmed, it is then reviewed and the Garda Vetting Liaison classifies as follows:
• No previous convictions recorded
• Minor Offence
• Serious Offence
• Very Serious Offence
• The names of all students where no previous convictions have been recorded are available to the relevant head of School/College administrator. These students are deemed suitable for placement and may attend placements as required.
• With regard to minor offences, serious offences & very serious offences further action will be taken as per the Garda Vetting policy document.

Students who have satisfactorily completed Garda Vetting (and any other requirements of the registration process) will be deemed to be fully registered as students of University of Galway.

Where can I get information on the University of Galway Garda Vetting policy?

Click here‌ ‌for detailed information on the University of Galway Garda Vetting policy.

If I have been previously or recently Garda Vetted for another organisation do I still have to be Garda Vetted?

Yes. Garda Vetting is carried out separately by each organisation with whom you work or volunteer. As a result, no matter how many times you have been vetted by other organisations previously, you will need to fill out the form again for University of Galway.  Garda Vetting is not transferrable between organisations.

How long does the process of Garda Vetting take?

Typically, Garda vetting can take approximately ten working days from completion of the e-vetting process by the student.

Do I get the Garda Vetting Form signed with the local Garda Station?

You do not get the Garda Vetting form signed with the local Garda Station; Garda Vetting Forms will be to the Garda National Vetting Bureau through the app.

Where do you submit the completed Garda Vetting forms?

Where students have cannont access the app, they are required to submit the completed form(s) by posting to the Postgraduate Admissions Office, Garda Vetting Section, University of Galway or by putting them in an envelope and dropping them into the mail box at SID (Student Information Desk) on the ground floor of Áras Uí Chathail.

What is police clearance?

If you have resided for six months or more ( including time spent away on Erasmus) in any country outside of Ireland/Northern Ireland from age 18 upwards you must obtain a Police Clearance Certificate from that country. 

How do I go about obtaining a police clearance certificate?

The following websites provide information on how to obtain Police Clearance Certificate (s) which you may find useful:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-police-clearance.html for details about obtaining Police Clearance Certificate (s) from various countries around the world.

If you cannot find any information using the above links regarding your relevant country/countries, we would advise you to contact the relevant Embassy regarding procedure for obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate from that country.

How often do you need to be vetted?

Students should be vetted at the commencement of a new programme of study at University of Galway but the University reserves the right to request that you undergo further Garda Vetting at any stage during your course of study.

Should I disclose any conviction or offence that was “minor” or a long time ago?

Yes. You should disclose any court conviction regardless of location, timing or significance, including what may be considered as “minor” or “non-conviction”.

What if I am a Non-EU student coming to study at University of Galway for the first time?

All Non-EU Students must be Garda Vetted, regardless of the length of time spent in the Republic of Ireland. A Police Certificate must also be provided (see above).

What information will be disclosed when the form is returned?

Particulars of the criminal record (if any) relating to the person, and a statement of the related information (if any) to the person which the Chief Vetting Bureau Officer has determined should be disclosed.

Or it will state that there is no criminal record or specified information, in relation to the person.

 What is a “criminal record” ?

A “criminal record”, in relation to a person, means a record of the person’s convictions, whether within or outside the State, for any criminal offences, together with any ancillary or consequential orders made pursuant to the convictions concerned, or a record of any prosecutions pending against the person, whether within or outside the State, for any criminal offence, or both;

Who sees the results of a vetting application?

The results are issued directly to the Garda Vetting Liaison within University of Galway and the student directly; the outcome is made available to your Head of School/College Administrator. This information may be passed onto the placement agency subject to the Data Protection Acts.

What do I need to do when going on placement?

You may request a letter for your placement agency from your Head of School/College Administrator.

What information must be provided as part of Garda Vetting?

• You will be asked to provide personal information –name(s), date of birth, city or town of birth etc.
• ALL addresses both within and outside the State at which you have lived from birth to the present date.
• List of all convictions (if any) for offences in the State and elsewhere.
• Declaration of applicant signing (signature, print name and date, your signature authorises the Vetting Bureau to check this information and share the results with the University).
• Proof of address.

What is an Alias?

An Alias is any other name that you are known by other than the forename that is recorded on your birth certificate. ( For example, someone named Kathleen may be known as Kate or Katie)

Do I need to include all addresses?

Yes, all addresses from birth to present date including term addresses and addresses outside of Ireland and/or Northern Ireland should be stated on the application form.

I cannot remember the month of the year in which I moved address. What should I do?

If you cannot remember the month in which you moved to any address an estimation of the month is acceptable.

I cannot remember some of my addresses. What should I do?

If you cannot remember the full address please submit as much of the address as possible for example the street/road, town and country.  You will be required to enter a note on the form stating that you cannot remember the full address.

I was travelling for a year and did not have one fixed address. What should I do?

For that particular timeframe you must enter a note on the form stating that you were travelling and did not have one fixed address. Please name the countries through which you travelled.

Do I need to sign the form?

The form must contain your original signature and cannot be completed by a third party on your behalf. The form must NOT be signed by a representative of the Gardaí at local level.

Can I include an initial in my signature (to indicate an additional name)?

If you wish to include an initial in your signature for example John M. Smyth, you must provide the full name the initial stands for in the Forename section and the print name section. (i.e. John Mark)

Can I use the Irish Version of my name as my signature?

The signature used must match the name in which the form is completed.  You may complete the Forename and Surname sections in both the English & Irish version of your name and then sign the form in either the English or Irish version.

I cannot remember the month and year of a conviction that I have.  What should I do?

Please provide an approximate month and year.

Do I need to submit an original or certified copy of police clearance certificate(s).

Certified copies of police clearance documents from all jurisdiction(s)/state(s) of previous residence referring to the time spent in each country. NUI Galway only accepts police clearance documents which are less than one year old or which cover the entire period of residence in other jurisdictions.

Only certified copies of the above documentation should be submitted. Uncertified copies will not be accepted and will be returned with a request for a certified copy.

How do I obtain a Certified Copy of my original document?

To certify a photocopy of an original document, a member of An Garda Síochána or a solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths must sight the original document and the photocopy of the document at the same time.  The certifier will provide a signature, stamp and date on the photocopy which confirms that the photocopy is a true copy of the original document.