Education System in Ireland

In Ireland, most qualifications fit into what is known as the The National Framework of Qualifications(NFQ). This framework divides all qualifications into ten levels. The range of Levels include different types of qualifications from

Basic Education (Level 1-3)

Certificates and Diplomas (Levels 4-7)

Undergraduate Degrees (Levels 7-8) and

Postgraduate Qualifications(Levels 9-10) .

The Irish Education System was traditionally divided into three basis levels: Primary (8 years), Secondary (5 or 6 years) and Higher Education which offers a wide range of opportunities from post-secondary courses, to vocational and technical training, to full degree and the highest post-graduate levels.

Primary Education - It covers the initial education periods of eight years .

Secondary Education - It starts at age twelve and lasts for six years .

Tertiary Education ( Higher Education ) -  It start from NFQ level 6 onwards .

Third-level education is made up of a number of university, the technological institutes and the colleges of education. In addition there are a number of independent private colleges.

There are seven universities, which are autonomous and self-governing. They offer degree programmes at bachelor, masters and doctorate level.

There are 14 institutes of technology which provide programmes of education and training in areas such as business, science, engineering, linguistics and music to certificate, diploma and degree levels. The Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) makes its own awards. The other institutes of technology grant degrees, diplomas and certificates, which are validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).