How does Maynooth University support international and study abroad students?

Maynooth University's International Office is the first point of contact for international students applying for full-degree, Erasmus, Study Abroad, and Summer School programmes, and it also supports Maynooth students who want to study abroad. Use this guide if you are an international applicant, an incoming exchange or study abroad student, or a current Maynooth student planning a period abroad.

Who the International Office serves

The International Office handles four broad groups, each with a different starting point:

The office is described as the first point of contact for international students, so if your situation does not clearly fit one of these categories, start there rather than with a department.

Incoming: Erasmus, study abroad and summer programmes

Incoming students have three distinct routes:

• Exchange Incoming (ERASMUS and Study Abroad) — for students nominated by a partner institution for a semester or year at Maynooth.
• Study Abroad Incoming — for visiting students coming outside a formal exchange arrangement.
• Summer and Tailored Programmes — short programmes, including tailored options, distinct from semester-length study.

Each route has its own application process, so confirm which one applies to you before preparing documents. The site separates these pages, which signals that requirements and timelines differ.

Outgoing: studying abroad from Maynooth

Current Maynooth students can use the Go Abroad with Maynooth pathway to find opportunities to study at a partner institution. The International Office supports these students alongside incoming visitors, so the same office is your contact whether you are arriving or leaving.

Maynooth is also part of the Arqus European University Alliance, which appears alongside the outgoing options and is worth checking if you are looking for European-wide opportunities beyond a single exchange partner.

Pre-arrival and orientation

The International section includes a Pre-Arrival & Orientation page. Use it after you have accepted a place or been nominated: it covers what to do before you travel and how you are welcomed on arrival. Treat it as the practical checklist stage, separate from the application stage.

Full-degree applicants

If you are applying to Maynooth as an international student for a complete undergraduate or postgraduate degree, the International Office is your first contact, but the academic routes sit under the main study sections:

• Undergraduate Studies — Level 8 degrees; first-year students begin each September, and the site points to a 2027 intake. Applications for undergraduate degrees go through the CAO, with a dedicated "How to Apply | CAO" page.
• Postgraduate Studies — taught Master's, Diplomas and Certificates, research programmes, micro-credentials and Springboard courses, with separate pages on fees, funding and scholarships and on how to apply.

For applicants outside Ireland, check the international pages first for entry and visa-related guidance, then follow the CAO or postgraduate application route for the academic side.

Practical steps to get started

1. Identify your category using the table above.
2. Go to the International section of maynoothuniversity.ie and open the matching page.
3. For incoming exchange or study abroad, confirm your nomination or application route before gathering documents.
4. For full degrees, follow the CAO route (undergraduate) or the postgraduate how-to-apply page, using the International Office for international-specific questions.
5. Once accepted or nominated, work through Pre-Arrival & Orientation.

Common sticking points

• Mixing up exchange and study abroad incoming routes. They are listed separately; using the wrong one can send your application down the wrong process.
• Assuming summer programmes follow semester rules. Summer and tailored programmes are a distinct category with their own pages.
• Leaving orientation until arrival. The pre-arrival material is published in advance and is meant to be used before you travel.
• Applying to a degree without checking international entry guidance first. The International Office is the stated first contact for international applicants; use it before or alongside the academic application.

The site's navigation (About Us, Study at Maynooth, Research, International, and an A-Z directory plus people finder) lets you locate the relevant office or staff member if your question falls outside these pathways.