Career Colleges and Vocational Schools in Ireland

In Ireland, vocational education is known as further education and training (FET). It covers courses for anyone over the age of 16 at levels 1 to 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), the 10-level system that places every recognised Irish qualification, from basic literacy to doctorates. FET is the practical, job-focused route between school and university: Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses, apprenticeships, traineeships, evening courses, and adult and community education.

The sector is overseen by SOLAS, the state Further Education and Training Authority, and most courses are run by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country, alongside other local and private providers. According to SOLAS, about 36,000 FET courses were delivered in 2025, with around 390,000 core enrolments. This directory currently lists one vocational school in Ireland, the Irish Academy of Public Relations in Dublin.

How further education and training works

Practical learning starts at school: alongside the standard Leaving Certificate, senior-cycle students can take the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), which combines academic and practical subjects, or the more work-oriented Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA). After school, the main FET options are:

• Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses: full-time courses, usually lasting one year, that lead to a level 5 or 6 award on the NFQ
• Apprenticeships: structured programmes that alternate learning in the workplace with learning in an education or training centre, starting with a contract of employment with an approved employer
• Traineeships: occupation-specific training of typically 6 to 20 months full-time, combining classroom training with coaching at a host employer
• Evening and part-time courses: short upskilling modules, typically 30 hours over 10 weeks, and the Back to Education Initiative for adults
• Youthreach: a full-time programme, usually over two years, for 15- to 20-year-olds who left school early, leading to awards at levels 3 and 4
• Online courses: SOLAS also runs eCollege for online training in areas such as business, IT and design

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the national awarding body for further education and training, so most FET awards are QQI awards placed on the NFQ. Private training providers may also offer their own diplomas and certificates; check whether a course leads to a QQI award or to the provider's own certificate.

Progression and recognition

A QQI FET award can lead on to higher education. The Central Applications Office (CAO), which processes applications for undergraduate courses at Irish higher education institutions, runs a scoring scheme for applicants presenting QQI FET awards and reserves a quota of places on nursing courses for them. Because every QQI award has a level on the NFQ, it is also easier to compare with qualifications in other countries.

Admission for international students

Students search and apply for publicly funded courses through FETCH (fetchcourses.ie), the national course hub developed by SOLAS with Education and Training Boards Ireland. Each provider sets its own entry requirements. EU/EEA citizens can study in Ireland without a visa. Students from outside the EU/EEA who need a long-stay study visa must be accepted on a full-time course lasting an academic year with at least 15 hours of study a week, and meet the other visa requirements; for courses of under three months, a short-stay C visa applies. The new TrustEd Ireland quality mark, which providers need to recruit non-EU students on visa programmes, is awarded to higher education and English language providers, so non-EU students should confirm with a further education provider whether its course qualifies before applying.

Costs and funding

Fees depend on the course, the provider and the student's residence status: there is no single national fee for international students, and private providers set their own prices. The FETCH portal has a section on grants and allowances for eligible learners. Ask the provider for the full fee, what it includes and whether you qualify for any support before you enrol.

How to choose

• Award: a QQI award at NFQ level 5 or 6, or the provider's own certificate
• Next step: whether the course gives access to higher education through the CAO, or leads straight to work
• Format: full-time PLC, apprenticeship with an employer, part-time evening classes or online study
• Specialisation: some private providers focus on one field; the Irish Academy of Public Relations, founded in 1991 by Ellen Gunning, offers professional diplomas and certificates and online continuing professional development courses in public relations and communications, and states that it has graduates in 53 countries
• Visa status: for non-EU students, whether the course meets the requirements for a student permission

Frequently asked questions

What is a PLC course in Ireland?

A Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course is a full-time further education course, usually lasting one year, that leads to a level 5 or 6 award on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Can a further education course lead to university in Ireland?

Yes. The CAO has a scoring scheme for applicants with QQI FET awards and reserves a quota of nursing places for them, so a PLC course can be a route into a degree.

Who awards vocational qualifications in Ireland?

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the national awarding body for further education and training. Private providers may also issue their own certificates.

Can non-EU students get a student visa for a vocational course in Ireland?

Only for a course that meets the visa rules, including full-time study for an academic year with at least 15 hours a week. Check with the provider before applying, as the visa quality mark TrustEd Ireland is aimed at higher education and English language providers.