Study in Ireland, the Netherlands, France or Italy in 2026: fees, visas, work rights and post-study options compared
Last reviewed 2026-10-23. Rules, fees and processing times in this area change often. Check the official source before you act, and tell us if something looks out of date.
Ireland, the Netherlands, France and Italy are popular alternatives to the US, UK and Australia for international students. Costs, work rules and post-study options differ a lot. The figures below mostly come from secondary sources, so use them to shortlist, then confirm on each government and university page.
At a glance
| Ireland | Netherlands | France | Italy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition for non-EU students (per year) | About EUR 10,000 to 58,000 depending on level and subject | Bachelor EUR 9,000 to 20,000; Master EUR 12,000 to 30,000 | Public universities: about EUR 2,895 (Licence), EUR 3,969 (Master) in one source; private schools set their own | Public roughly EUR 500 to 4,000; some private much higher (Bocconi about EUR 13,000) |
| Living costs per month | About EUR 900 to 1,800 (Dublin higher) | About EUR 1,100 used as a funds benchmark by one university | About EUR 1,000 to 1,200 in Paris | About EUR 900 to 1,300 |
| Work during study | 20 h/week in term, 40 in holidays | Up to 16 h/week or full-time in summer; employer needs a work permit | About 964 h a year | 20 h/week, 1,040 h a year (a vacation-hours rule conflicts between sources) |
| Post-study stay | Third Level Graduate Programme, 12 months, up to 24 for Master's and above | Orientation year, 1 year | APS, 12 months for Master's level and above | Job-search permit, up to 12 months |
Ireland
- Visa: a Study (type D) visa for visa-required nationals, followed by registration and an IRP card after arrival (reported at EUR 300).
- Funds: one source reports EUR 10,000 for the first year (courses over 8 months) and at least EUR 6,000 of tuition paid with the application, standardised since June 2025. Funds must be easily accessible; locked deposits may be rejected.
- Insurance and VFS biometrics are required for Indian applicants, according to the sources we read.
- After study: the Irish Immigration Service says the Third Level Graduate Programme gives 12 months after a Level 8 degree and 12 months, extendable by a further 12 on evidence of job-search steps, after Level 9 or above. A "revised programme" is mentioned without details.
- Universities: Trinity College Dublin ranked 75th in QS 2026, the highest in Ireland. Others named in sources include UCC, Maynooth, TU Dublin and ATU.
The Netherlands
- Visa: the university normally arranges the MVV entry visa and residence permit through Studielink. One university document gives an IND fee of EUR 243 and a funds figure of EUR 13,200 for the first year (indicative; we did not verify these on the IND site).
- Deadlines: most courses close on 1 May for non-EU students, with earlier dates for some.
- Work: an employer must apply for a work permit; during each calendar year you choose either up to 16 hours a week or full-time in June, July and August.
- After study: the IND says the orientation year lasts one year and cannot be extended. Your Dutch degree must be recent (within three years), and a route for graduates of top-ranked foreign universities also exists. Pair it with our guide to the Dutch highly skilled migrant salary thresholds.
- Universities (QS 2027 per NL Times): TU Delft 48, University of Amsterdam 60, Utrecht 113, Leiden 119, Erasmus Rotterdam 148.
France
- Process: Indian students normally use the Etudes en France / Campus France procedure before a VLS-TS student visa. We could not confirm India's inclusion from the pages we read, so check Campus France India.
- Conflicts in our sources: one guide says funds of EUR 615 a month; another says EUR 877.50 a month from 1 August 2026. The validation fee is quoted as EUR 75 or EUR 150. The visa fee is quoted as about EUR 99. Check France-Visas and the official service portal.
- Work: about 964 hours a year without a separate permit.
- After study: the APS is reported at 12 months, non-renewable, for graduates at Master's level or higher.
- Universities: PSL ranked 28th in QS 2026 and is France's top-ranked institution.
Italy
- Process: pre-enrol on Universitaly, then apply for a type D study visa. Some universities require either a Dichiarazione di Valore from the Italian mission or a CIMEA certificate (one, not both). For A.Y. 2026/27, the University of Pisa listed pre-enrolment by 30 September 2026 with 4,500 places for visa-required students.
- Tuition: public fees depend on family income (ISEE) or a flat rate; examples reported include up to EUR 3,900 at Politecnico di Milano and EUR 1,600 to 2,800 at Sapienza. Private universities such as Bocconi cost more.
- Work: 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year in one source. Another says vacation hours are unlimited, so confirm with the local immigration office.
- After study: a permit for job search of up to 12 months, convertible to an employment permit.
- Funds and fees: the figures we found come from commercial sources only, so we do not quote them here. Check the Universitaly and consulate pages.
Which should you choose?
- Lowest tuition: Italy and France's public universities, but check the language of instruction and application deadlines.
- English-taught programmes and a clear graduate route: Ireland and the Netherlands.
- Shortest post-study window: all four are about 12 months, with Ireland offering up to 24 months for Master's graduates.
- Cost of living: Dublin and Paris are the most expensive.
Compare with our other guides: post-study work visas compared, scholarships for Indian students and top universities compared by country. Run a free assessment on Visa Ray to compare routes for your profile.
Sources
- Irish Immigration Service: Third Level Graduate Programme
- ApplyBoard: Ireland student visa guide 2026/27
- Mastersportal: tuition and living costs in Ireland
- Trinity College Dublin: QS 2026
- IND: residence permit for orientation year
- Study in NL: tuition fees
- NL Times: TU Delft in QS rankings
- Integration France: Campus France 2026 guide
- CCFS-Sorbonne: France student visa
- PSL: QS 2026 ranking
- University of Pisa: Universitaly pre-registration
- Study.eu: Italy tuition and living costs
Figures were gathered in October 2026 from embassy, university, law-firm and education-site pages. Many official government pages could not be read directly, and where sources disagreed we say so. Fees, funds thresholds and work-hour rules change often, so confirm everything on the official immigration or university page before you apply. Visa Ray is a rule-based reference tool, not a law firm. You can run a free assessment on Visa Ray for your own profile.
