Stamp 2 is the permission you register on when you come to Ireland for a full-time course that appears on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) or the eligible programme list of a TrustEd Ireland authorised provider. It covers everything from a 25-week English language course to a masters or PhD, and it comes with a genuinely useful work concession: 20 hours a week during term and 40 hours a week during the fixed holiday windows.
We will also be straight with you about its limits. Stamp 2 time is not reckonable for citizenship, it does not count towards Stamp 5 long-term residence, and there is a cap of 7 years on student permission overall. The smart way to use Stamp 2 is as the first rung of a ladder: finish your award, move to Stamp 1G to work full time, then convert to a Critical Skills or General Employment Permit. We help you plan that whole journey from day one.
Made for people like you
Degree and postgraduate students
You have an offer for a full-time course at NFQ Level 6 or above with at least 15 hours of organised daytime tuition a week.
English language students
You are taking a full-time language course of at least 25 weeks. Each course earns a permission of up to 8 months, with a maximum of 3 courses ever.
Students who plan to work
You want to earn while you study. Stamp 2 plus a PPS number gives you full employment rights at the national minimum wage or better.
Students building a longer plan
You see the course as step one towards Stamp 1G, an employment permit and a long-term future in Ireland. We map the whole route with you.
Do you qualify?
Stamp 2 follows the course. If the programme is full-time and on an eligible list, and your finances, insurance and fees are in order, you qualify. If the course is not on a list, the best you can get is Stamp 2A, which allows no work.
You will need
- Enrolment on a full-time course on the ILEP or on the eligible programme list of a TrustEd Ireland authorised provider
- For third-level study, a course at NFQ Level 6 or above with at least 15 hours of organised daytime tuition per week
- Access to €10,000 on top of course fees for a stay over 8 months, or €833 per month (up to €6,665) for shorter stays
- Course fees paid in full if under €6,000, or at least €6,000 paid if the fees are higher
- Private medical insurance covering your stay, arranged by you or by the college
- Registration with Immigration Service Delivery within 90 days of arrival if you are staying more than 90 days
This route is not for you if
- Your course is not on either eligible list; that is Stamp 2A territory, which allows no employment at all
- You want to study part-time or by evening classes; only full-time eligible courses qualify
- You plan to be self-employed or run a business; Stamp 2 only allows casual employment, and taxi driving is specifically prohibited
- You have already used up the 7-year cap on student permission in Ireland
- You are counting on this time for citizenship; Stamp 2 residence is not reckonable for naturalisation
Stamp 2 vs Stamp 2A, at a glance
Stamp 2
Work concession- Course
- Full-time, on the ILEP or TrustEd Ireland list
- Work
- 20 hrs/week in term, 40 hrs/week in holiday windows
- Public funds
- None
- Citizenship
- Not reckonable
- Typical holder
- Degree, postgraduate and language students
Stamp 2A
- Course
- Full-time, but not on an eligible list
- Work
- None at all
- Public funds
- None, and private medical insurance required
- Citizenship
- Not reckonable
- Typical holder
- Semester abroad, private secondary school
How the journey works
- 01
Choose an eligible course and secure your place
Day 1We check the course against both the ILEP and the TrustEd Ireland provider list; a programme appears on one or the other, never both. You then pay the fees the rules require: in full if under €6,000, or at least €6,000 if higher, before the visa application or registration.
- 02
Apply for a study visa if you are visa-required
~8 weeksVisa-required nationals apply online through AVATS and send the printed summary with supporting documents to the designated visa office within 30 days. The long stay D visa costs €60 single entry or €100 multi entry and decisions typically issue within 8 weeks. Disclose every previous visa refusal, for any country.
- 03
Arrive and book your registration appointment
If you are staying more than 90 days you must register. After you land, you book a free appointment through the ISD Customer Service Portal. All first-time registrations nationwide happen at Burgh Quay in Dublin, and a booked appointment keeps you legal even if the slot falls after your first 90 days.
- 04
Register and receive your IRP card
~15 working daysAt the appointment your documents are reviewed, your photo and fingerprints are taken and you pay the €300 fee by card. Your passport is stamped with Stamp 2 and the IRP card is posted to you, usually within about 15 working days.
- 05
Get a PPS number and start working within the limits
Apply for a PPS number through MyWelfare. With a valid Stamp 2 IRP and a PPS number you can work up to 20 hours a week in term time and 40 hours a week only during June to September and 15 December to 15 January, with full statutory employment rights.
- 06
Renew every year, online
YearlyStamp 2 is granted per course year. You renew through the ISD online portal from up to 12 weeks before your IRP expires, but only after the new course year has started. Each renewal needs proof of enrolment, attendance, academic progression, finances and insurance.
- 07
Plan the ladder off Stamp 2
When you finish your award, apply for Stamp 1G under the Third Level Graduate Programme within 6 months of being notified of your result. That gives you 12 months of full-time work rights after a Level 8 award, or up to 24 months after Level 9 or higher, to land a job and convert to an employment permit.
What to gather
Start collecting these early. Weak or missing documents are the most common avoidable cause of delays and refusals.
Passport bio page
Valid for the length of your stay
Letter of acceptance
Full-time eligible course, minimum 15 hours weekly daytime tuition
Evidence of fees paid
In full under €6,000, or at least €6,000 if higher
Bank statements
Showing €10,000 access, or €833 per month for stays of 8 months or less
Private medical insurance
Required at visa stage and at every registration
Entry visa and landing stamp
Visa-required nationals; the landing stamp must match your purpose
Proof of address
Required at registration
Current IRP card
For every renewal
Attendance and progression evidence
Language students need at least 85% attendance
Exam results or transcripts
To show academic progress at each renewal
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IRP registration or renewal | €300 | Per person, every year, paid by card. Students under 18 are exempt. |
| Long stay D study visa | €60-€100 | Single entry €60, multi entry €100. Non-refundable. Some nationalities are exempt. |
| Course fees paid up front | €6,000 min | Fees under €6,000 must be fully paid; above that, at least €6,000 before you apply or register. |
| Proof of funds to show | €10,000 | Not a payment, but you must evidence access to it on top of fees for stays over 8 months. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
Government fees and finance thresholds are set by Immigration Service Delivery and can change. Ignore third-party sites quoting higher figures; we confirm the current official numbers with you before anything is paid.
How long it takes
Guide figures from current official processing information. Individual cases vary.
Study visa decision
~8 weeks
Typical time from receipt at the visa office. Apply well before the course starts.
First registration
Within 90 days
Book through the ISD portal after you arrive. The IRP card is posted about 15 working days after the appointment.
Stamp 2 renewal queue
~13-14 weeks
On 10 July 2026 ISD was processing Stamp 2 renewals submitted in early April. Apply the moment your 12-week window opens.
Language course permission
8 months
Per 25-week course, at officer discretion, up to a lifetime maximum of 3 courses.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
Finances that do not stack up
Large unexplained lump sums landing in your account just before the application, or funds locked where you cannot access them, are among the most common reasons student applications fail.
Avoid it: Show around 6 months of statements, explain every significant deposit and keep the money accessible in your own name.
The course is not on an eligible list
Only ILEP or TrustEd Ireland listed programmes carry Stamp 2. Enrol on anything else and at best you receive Stamp 2A with no right to work, at worst a refusal.
Avoid it: Check both lists before paying a cent in fees. A programme appears on one list or the other, so search both.
Poor attendance or no course progression
Renewals require proof of academic progress each year, and English language students must show at least 85% attendance. Falling short means the next permission is refused.
Avoid it: Keep attendance records and results from day one, and always progress to the same or a higher NFQ level.
Working over the permitted hours
The 20 and 40 hour limits are absolute maxima across all your jobs combined. Breaching them is an offence for the employer and can mean revocation of your permission and refusal of future applications.
Avoid it: Track your hours across every employer in the same week and remember the 40-hour weeks only apply in the fixed holiday windows.
Non-disclosure of past visa refusals
The application asks about previous visa refusals for any country. Leaving one out, even an old or minor one, leads to refusal for non-disclosure.
Avoid it: Declare everything and attach a short, honest explanation. A disclosed refusal is manageable; a hidden one is fatal.
Renewing from abroad or before the course starts
Renewals must be made while you are physically in Ireland, and Stamp 2 renewals cannot be submitted until the new course year has actually started. Getting either wrong means a refused application.
Avoid it: Time the renewal for after your course begins, inside the 12-week window, and do not travel while it is pending without advice.
Common questions
When exactly can I work 40 hours a week?+
Only during the fixed holiday windows: the months of June, July, August and September, and 15 December to 15 January inclusive. These dates have been standardised since 1 September 2016 and they do not move to match your college's own term dates. Every other week of the year the limit is 20 hours.
Can I split my hours across two jobs?+
You can hold more than one job, but the limit applies to all employments combined. In term time the total across every employer must stay at or under 20 hours in the week; you cannot do 15 hours in one job and 15 in another.
What do I need before I can start work?+
A valid IRP card showing Stamp 2 and a PPS number, which you apply for through MyWelfare. Once working you have full statutory employment rights, including the national minimum wage of €14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026. Self-employment, running a business and taxi driving are not allowed.
Does Stamp 2 count towards citizenship?+
No. Time on Stamp 2 (and Stamp 2A) is not reckonable residence for naturalisation, and it does not count towards Stamp 5 long-term residence either. The clock starts when you move to a reckonable permission such as Stamp 1G after graduation or Stamp 1 on an employment permit.
How long can I stay in Ireland as a student?+
The overall cap is 7 years of student permission, counting all your previous time as a student in Ireland, with limited exceptions for courses like medicine and for documented special circumstances. English language study is capped separately at 3 courses of up to 8 months each, 2 years in total, after which you must progress to higher education or leave.
What is Stamp 2A and who gets it?+
Stamp 2A covers full-time study that is not on an eligible list, for example a semester abroad, a fee-paying private secondary school, or the spouse of a financially independent student. It allows no employment at all, gives no access to public funds, requires private medical insurance and is not reckonable for citizenship.
Can I change course once I am here?+
Not in your first year. After that you may change only to a course at the same or a higher NFQ level, and you cannot switch from full-time to part-time study. Progression is expected to move upwards, for example from a language course to Level 7, then Level 8; moving from a degree back to a language course is generally not allowed.
What happens after I graduate?+
You apply for Stamp 1G under the Third Level Graduate Programme within 6 months of being notified of your award: 12 months for a Level 8 degree, up to 24 months for Level 9 or higher. On Stamp 1G you work full time without a permit while you secure a job, and recent Irish graduates benefit from reduced permit salary thresholds, €34,009 for a General Employment Permit and €36,848 for Critical Skills. We plan this transition with you well before final exams.
Grounded in official sources
Ready to talk through your next step?
Book a consultation with our team and leave with a clear, personal plan grounded in the official rules.
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