Pre-Arrival Programme

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 weekly 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 2026 Intake: Key Dates

Date	Description
28 October 2025	Pre-Arrival Programme commences
5 December 2025	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)
18 December 2025	Pre-Arrival Programme ends
23 December 2025	NCI closes for Christmas holidays
2 January 2026	NCI re-opens after Christmas holidays
5 January 2026	Recommended earliest date to travel to Ireland Airport shuttle service commences Welcome Programme commences
9 January 2026	Deadline to submit Registration Form
12 January 2026	Recommended latest date to arrive in Ireland Airport shuttle service closes
13 to 16 January 2026	Orientation Session (up to 4 hours) The exact date, time, and duration of orientation depends on your programme, and will be updated on the NCI website in January.
19 January 2026	Classes commence (all students must travel to start classes in person)
25 January 2026	Welcome Programme ends