The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship 2026
Are you an aspiring postgraduate researcher looking for an opportunity to fund your studies in Ireland? The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme for 2026 is now open, offering a prestigious and highly competitive grant to support talented individuals across all disciplines.
Managed by Research Ireland, this program is unique in that it offers individual grants, allowing recipients to direct their own research projects at an early stage of their career. With an average success rate of 18% over the past five years, this is a chance to be recognized as a future research leader.
Key Dates for the 2026 Call
Mark your calendars with these crucial deadlines to ensure you don't miss out:
Call Open: 12:00 (Irish time) 11 September 2025
FAQ deadline: 16:00 (Irish time) 16 October 2025
Applicant deadline: 16:00 (Irish time) 23 October 2025
Supervisor deadline: 16:00 (Irish time) 06 November 2025
Research Office Endorsement deadline: 16:00 (Irish time) 13 November 2025
Call outcome: End of April 2026
Award start date: 01 September 2026
What the Scholarship Offers
The scholarship supports full-time research for both Master's and PhD candidates. The duration ranges from one to four years, depending on your degree type. The total value of the scholarship is up to €34,000 per annum, consisting of:
A stipend of €25,000
A contribution to fees of up to €5,750
Eligible direct costs of €3,250 to support your research project
Eligibility at a Glance
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
You must be affiliated with an Eligible Research Body in Ireland.
You must hold a first-class or upper second-class honours bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification. If you do not meet this, you must have a Master's degree.
The program is open to new entrants to a postgraduate degree, and in some cases, those who have completed no more than the first year of their degree.
Applicants must not have had two previous unsuccessful applications to the program.
You must not be a permanent member of staff in a research body.
All applications require a primary supervisor who must endorse only one application for this specific call.
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted through the online system by the relevant deadline. It is highly recommended that you submit your application well in advance of the deadline to avoid issues with heavy server traffic. No hard copies or email forms will be accepted.
Before applying, you should contact your proposed primary supervisor to discuss your research project. It is your sole responsibility to inform them of your nomination, as Research Ireland will not assist in finding a supervisor for you. For any queries, you should first contact the research office at your proposed Research Body.
To apply for the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship 2026, you will need to use the online system provided by Research Ireland. The application portal is referred to as the "SmartSimple platform" in the search results.
You can find the official information and application portal on the Research Ireland website at
For additional guidance on the application process, you can find the following resources on that page:
A "Guide for the Online System – Applicant"
An "Indicative Application Form"
A "Guide for the Online System – Supervisor"
Important Note
This scholarship is highly competitive. Research Ireland also partners with strategic funding partners, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Met Éireann, and the Department of Foreign Affairs. If you apply for a strategic funding partner grant and are not aligned with that theme, you will still be considered for a core Government of Ireland grant.
For more detailed information, including specific policies on research integrity, data protection, and eligibility for applicants from different countries, please refer to the official 2026 Call Document on the Research Ireland website.
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