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

January 2024 Key Dates

Date Description
31st October Pre-Arrival Programme commences
8th December Deadline to upload photo for Student ID
Deadline to pay tuition fees in full to ensure fees receipts are issued before the Christmas holidays (does not apply to students established in Ireland and on an approved payment plan)
21st December NCI closes for Christmas holidays
2nd January NCI re-opens after Christmas holidays
3rd January Recommended earliest date to travel to Ireland
Airport shuttle service commences
8th January Welcome Programme commences
12th January Deadline to submit Registration Form
17th January Recommended latest day to arrive in Ireland
Airport shuttle service closes
22nd January Classes commence (all students must travel to start classes in person)
28th January Welcome Programme ends

Pre-Arrival Programme Schedule January 2024

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


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 2nd November 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).
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 9th November 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).
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 16th November 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).
NCI students talking on NCI campus
4. Budget & Banking
Newsletter about banking and Ireland and planning your budget, followed by a webinar on 23rd November 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).
NCI students studying in a classroom
5. 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 30th November 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).
Student signing a form at main reception in NCI
6. How to prepare for your course
Newsletter on how to best prepare to get started at NCI followed by a webinar on 7th December 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).
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 14th December 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).
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 21st December 2023 at 3pm (Irish Time).

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