Welcome to National College of Ireland

We are delighted you chose to study at National College of Ireland. The NCI International Pre-Arrival Programme is a bespoke programme designed to help you prepare and plan for a successful, safe and stress-free journey to Ireland. It is delivered online and commences twelve weeks before classes start. We strongly encourage all new students to take part in the programme, which includes the following:

    • Tuesdays: you will receive a newsletter by email that covers a key topic with a supporting guide
    • Thursdays: we will host a webinar on the week's topic, and you will have the opportunity to ask real-time questions (webinars will also be recorded and available on the NCI Unibuddy Community)
    • NCI Unibuddy community: you will be invited to an exclusive fresher community group where you will have the opportunity to connect with other peers and receive International Support announcements
    • Visa Status Survey: keep us updated on your visa status by completing the survey

September 2024 Key Dates

Date Description
26th August Recommended earliest date to travel to Ireland
Airport shuttle service commences
Welcome Programme commences
6th September Deadline to submit Registration Form
11th September Recommended last day to arrive
Airport shuttle service closes
16th September Classes commence (all students must travel to start classes in person)
22nd September Welcome Programme ends

Pre-Arrival Programme Schedule September 2024

Important: Please note that topics, dates, and times are subject to change before the programme's starting date.


Group photo of the NCI International team
1. Welcome to NCI & connect with us
Newsletter about meeting and connecting with the International Support Team followed by a webinar on 4th July 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon
NCI students studying in their accommodation
2. Finding accommodation in Dublin
Newsletter with tips and recommendations on how to secure accommodation in Dublin, followed by a webinar on 11th July 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon
NCI student talking to a career advisor
3. Career Support at NCI
Newsletter about the NCI Career Development & Employability Service, followed by a webinar on 18th July 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon
NCI students talking on NCI campus
4. Budget & Banking
Newsletter about banking and Ireland and planning your budget, followed by a webinar on 25th July 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon
Student signing a form at main reception in NCI
5. How to prepare for your course
Newsletter on how to best prepare to get started at NCI followed by a webinar on 1st August 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon
NCI students studying in a classroom
6. Registration form & airport shuttle
Newsletter about travelling to Ireland, registration form and how to book the free airport shuttle service at NCI, followed by a webinar on 8th August 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon
NCI students working together on a laptop in NCI canteen
7. Getting started as an International Student
Newsletter about what you need to get started at NCI and get established in Ireland as a new student, followed by a webinar on 15th August 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon
NCI students holding balloons that spell out "Welcome to NCI"
8. Final Check in & Welcome programme
Newsletter about the welcome programme and how you can participate, followed by a webinar on 22nd August 2024 at 3pm (Irish Standard Time).
Coming Soon

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Pre-arrival video guides
We have created a YouTube playlist with the video version of our pre-arrival guides.
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