Soaring rents and a housing shortage for international students in Ireland requires urgent action from the government, two student associations have said.

Ireland has pledged to "promote continuing linkages and deeper connections" between higher education institutions in Ireland and the UK, as well position itself as a leading knowledge economy.

The Irish Council for International Students has criticised a government plan to exclude non-European students from a nationwide tuition fee rebate scheme.

ICOS has welcomed the appointment of a minister for HE but noted that the new Program for Government offers a "mixed-bag" – with the absence of an International Education Mark a particular concern.

Visa restrictions in Ireland have been eased for English language students, meaning that they will be able to stay in the country for the remainder of the year provided they meet certain conditions.

As coronavirus continues to dramatically reshape how higher education systems operate, smaller destinations such as Ireland are setting the bar high for their approach to supporting international students at a time when others have been accused of allowing them to "fall through the cracks".

The Irish Council for International Students has released a pre-election manifesto, warning that action must be taken to sustain Ireland’s popularity as a study destination.

The number of international students at Irish third-level institutions has surged over the last three years, with the majority feeling generally positive about their educational experiences, a new survey has found.