About Ireland

Small country.
Global classroom.

Ireland combines an English-speaking environment, a distinctive culture and an established international education sector — creating opportunities to learn far beyond the classroom.

Galway — an English-speaking city on Ireland’s Atlantic coast
Galway — an English-speaking city on Ireland’s Atlantic coast

Ireland in numbers

English-language education already brings learners from around the world to Ireland.

The figures below are deliberately sourced and scoped: some describe the English-language sector, while broader economic figures cover international education as a whole.

125,000+English-language studentsCurrent figure published by English Education Ireland
100+nationalitiesrepresented across the EEI network
62member institutionsin English Education Ireland's current network
€2.38bneconomic valueof Ireland's broader international education sector in the Government's review of the 2016–2020 strategy

Sources: English Education Ireland; Government of Ireland — International Education Strategy Review; Global Citizens 2030. Figures are presented with their scope and reference period.

Atlantic coastline on the island of Ireland
Why Ireland stands apart

English is part of everyday life.

For a language learner, Ireland offers something fundamental: English is not confined to a lesson. It is the language of daily interactions, activities, travel, culture and community.

The Irish Government's Global Citizens 2030 strategy highlights Ireland's offer as a native English-speaking society, an EU member and a culturally rich learning environment.

That setting creates the conditions for immersion — but a good programme still has to make purposeful use of them.

In Ireland, English does not end when the lesson does.

EPIC perspective

A destination is more than a classroom.

EPIC exists to help schools and international partners understand, create and represent the kind of immersion that makes studying in Ireland genuinely different.