Dozens of international students waiting for tens of thousands in refunds on rejected visas

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ARE waiting months, and sometimes up to a year, for refunds worth thousands of euros from English language schools in Ireland that should be paid within 20 days after visa refusals.

Under rules set by the Department of Justice through the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), schools must return course fees within 20 working days when a student’s visa application has been refused.

However, the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) says it has received more than 30 complaints so far this year, which detail how some students have waited up to 12 months for refunds that are worth a combined total of more than €60,000.

Brian Hearne, ICOS policy and communications manager, said the organisation has seen a “substantial increase” in complaints in recent months.

“In these sorts of instances, it should be very straightforward,” Hearne said.

“Once the visa refusal letter has been provided to the school, they are required to refund the money within 20 working days. However, we’ve seen multiple examples where people have been waiting months, and even up to a year, without any indication of when they will get their refund.”

He described the situation as “completely unacceptable”, particularly given the financial strain that many students and their families are put under to study abroad.

“We’re dealing with young people and their families who have saved, taken out loans and made huge financial sacrifices to pay these course fees,” he said.

“To then be left waiting months, or even a year, for a refund adds huge financial stress to what is already a very challenging situation.”

25-week courses at these English language schools, which are required for non-EU visa applicants, can range in cost from €3,500 to upwards of €5,500 depending on the provider.

Weekly course costs can range from €150 to €270 per week.

One student from East Asia, who cannot be named, said they have been waiting more than three months for a refund of €1,600 paid to a language school in the west of Ireland.

According to details seen by The Journal, their visa was refused in late November 2025, and they submitted a refund request within a week.

Their application was refused on the basis that they had not sufficiently demonstrated a clear academic or professional need to undertake the course in Ireland. Officials also said they were not satisfied that the visa conditions would be observed, citing concerns around the student’s ties to their home country and the risk of overstaying.

Broadly speaking, international student visa applications for Ireland are primarily refused due to insufficient financial evidence, lack of demonstrated intent to return home, and incomplete or inconsistent documentation.

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Despite repeated follow-ups, the student said the language school only confirmed receipt of their documents in mid-January and indicated the request would be “reviewed”.

Three months on from that acknowledgement, the student said they had received no further updates or payment.

In correspondence seen by The Journal, the student highlighted that the school’s own refund policy stated processing should take four weeks, adding that the delay “clearly violates” those terms.

Hearne said such cases point to deeper compliance issues within the sector, particularly around the use of escrow accounts, which are designed to hold student fees until a visa decision is made.

An escrow account is a secure, third-party managed account that holds funds or assets on behalf of two parties in a transaction until specific contractual conditions are met.

“That money should be held in an independent account and only released once a decision is made,” Hearne said.

“If the visa is refused, it should go straight back to the student. The fact that people are waiting months suggests that, in some cases, these safeguards are not being properly implemented.”

He said ICOS had received complaints relating to “a dozen or so” schools, stressing that while many providers comply with the rules, problems persist across much of the sector.

The issue comes at a sensitive time for the industry, as schools are being assessed for inclusion in TrustEd Ireland, a new state-backed quality assurance mark aimed at strengthening standards and protecting students.

Hearne warned that without stronger enforcement and oversight, such problems could undermine confidence in Ireland as a study destination.

“If this issue isn’t dealt with, word is going to get out that Ireland is not a good place to study, and that international students aren’t protected,” Hearne said.

“International education is a huge industry here, worth well over €1 billion, so reputational damage in this area is a serious concern.”

ICOS has called on both the Department of Justice and Quality and Qualifications Ireland to strengthen enforcement of existing rules and ensure that schools process outstanding refunds without further delay.

In a statement to The Journal, the Department of Justice said that prospective students are “advised to check the refund policy before paying fees”.

“Providers must remain in compliance with the relevant criteria to retain a listing on the ILEP and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration monitors compliance,” a department spokesperson said.

“Failure to adhere to ILEP criteria may result in removal from the ILEP.”

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