Application Deadline: July 26, 2026
Applications are now open for the 2027/2028 Ireland-SIDS Fellows Programme. The aims of the programme are to nurture future leaders; to develop in-country capacity to achieve national Sustainable Development Goals and to build positive relationships with Ireland.
Eligible countries
To be eligible for an Ireland Fellows Programme – SIDS award commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2027, applicants must be a national of one of the eligible SIDS countries and resident in one of the eligible SIDS countries – they can be a national of one country and resident in another, in the same region, as set out here:
Africa: Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles.
Asia: Maldives, Timor-Leste.
Caribbean: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
For Belize, please see the Latin America Fellowship page.
Pacific: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an Ireland Fellows Programme – SIDS award commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2027, applicants must also:
- Have a minimum three years’ substantial work experience that is directly relevant to your proposed programme(s) of study.Hold a bachelor’s level academic qualification from an accredited and government-recognised higher education institution, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) – i.e. a first class honour, or second class honour, Grade 1 (a second class honour Grade 2 may be accepted if the applicant has substantial directly relevant work experience). It must have been awarded in 2015 or later (i.e. within the last 12 years).
- Not already hold a qualification at master’s level or higher. Not currently undertaking a programme at master’s level or higher, or be due to start a programme at master’s level or higher in the academic year 2026/27.
- Be applying to commence a new programme at master’s level in Ireland no sooner than August 2027.
- Be able to demonstrate the following: leadership abilities and aspirations; a commitment to the achievement of the SDGs within your own country; and a commitment to contribute to building positive relationships with Ireland.
- Have identified and selected three programmes relevant to your academic and professional background from the Directory of Eligible Programmes.
- Have a clear understanding of the academic and English language proficiencies required for all programmes chosen.
- Must not have applied to the Ireland Fellows Programme on more than one previous occasion.
- Be in a position to take up the Fellowship in the academic year 2027/2028.
Benefits
Ireland Fellows Programme awards are fully funded. The award includes the payment of academic fees; visa application fees; medical and travel insurance; economy flights to and from Ireland; and the Irish residence permit fee. Allowances include the following:
A settling-in allowance towards items needed on arrival in Ireland;
- A completion and departure allowance at the end of the study period;
- A monthly living stipend of €700 (subject to review);
- Student accommodation arranged and paid for trimesters 1 and 2 (normally September to May), and in trimester 3 a monthly accommodation stipend of €800- €1000 depending on location in Ireland (subject to review).
- In addition, the Ireland Fellows Programme features many extracurricular, training and volunteering opportunities to help you make the most of your experience in Ireland.
Applications
Please read the Applicant Guidance Note carefully before completing as eligibility criteria may differ from country to country.
The application process consists of three stages:
- Preliminary Application
- Detailed Application
- Interviews.
English language requirements
Irish higher education institutions require a high standard of English language proficiency and this will be verified by English language testing. This is necessary for admission to all Irish HEIs, with no exceptions. English language tests are also required for visa applications.
Application documents
Directory of Eligible Postgraduate Programmes
Ireland Fellows Programme Directory of Programmes 2027-2028
Stage 1 Guidance note
Ireland Fellows Programme SIDS 2027-28 Stage 1 Guidance Note
Application form
Download Ireland Fellows Programme SIDS 2027-28 Stage 1 Application Form Word format
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Ireland-SIDS Fellows Programme
