Your Rights as a Student at an Accredited Irish Language School

Why Accreditation Actually Matters to You

Ireland's English-language school accreditation system has been changing, and it's worth understanding what changed. Choosing a school with a real, current quality mark — not just a nice website — means you're protected by a formal framework with real recourse if things go wrong. Most students never need to use these protections, but knowing what to check is worth five minutes before you arrive.

From ACELS to TrustEd Ireland

For years, ACELS (Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services) was Ireland's main recognition scheme for English-language schools. ACELS stopped accepting new schools in 2015 and is now being phased out entirely — so a school advertising "ACELS accredited" may be relying on an outdated status rather than current oversight. Don't treat an old ACELS badge alone as proof a school is legitimate today.

The replacement is TrustEd Ireland, a state-backed quality mark run by QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland). Schools apply and are independently assessed on academic quality, student welfare, premises, and how they handle complaints — nothing carries over automatically from ACELS. QQI has begun awarding TrustEd Ireland status to English-language schools, with more schools added as later application windows are assessed.

ILEP: What Actually Matters for Your Visa

If you need a student visa (most non-EU/EEA students do), the list that matters is the ILEP (Interim List of Eligible Programmes), run by the Department of Justice. Your specific programme — not just the school in general — needs to appear on it for your visa and immigration permission to be valid. The ILEP is itself in transition: it's due to close once the TrustEd Ireland rollout is complete, after which TrustEd Ireland authorisation becomes the standard schools need instead.

MEI (Marketing English in Ireland), now merged with RELSA as MEI-RELSA, is a separate voluntary industry association — and it's still active and reputable. Most established Dublin schools hold MEI-RELSA membership alongside their state accreditation status.

Before you pay anything: check your school's current status directly with QQI (qqi.ie) for TrustEd Ireland, and confirm with your school or agency that your specific programme is listed on the ILEP. If a school can't point you to either, that's a serious red flag.

Your Core Rights as a Student

By enrolling at a properly accredited school, you are entitled to:

• A written enrolment agreement before any payment — specifying the course, dates, fees, and the school's refund policy.
• Placement in the correct class based on a placement test on arrival, not solely the level you stated when booking.
• A class size no larger than the school's published maximum — typically 12–15 students for accredited schools.
• A minimum number of teaching hours per week, as defined in your course agreement.
• A certificate of attendance at the end of your course, showing the dates, level, and hours completed.

If Something Goes Wrong

Problems can range from minor — you feel you've been placed in the wrong class level — to serious, such as a school closing unexpectedly. Here is how to escalate:

1. Talk to your class teacher first. Level and scheduling issues are usually resolved quickly at this stage.
2. Go to the Director of Studies or school manager. Accredited schools are required to have a student complaints procedure. Ask for it in writing if it isn't displayed publicly.
3. Escalate to QQI or MEI-RELSA. If the school fails to resolve a legitimate complaint and it holds TrustEd Ireland status, QQI's complaints process is outlined at qqi.ie. If it's an MEI-RELSA member, MEI-RELSA's member complaints process is at mei.ie.

If Your School Closes

This is rare, but it has happened in Ireland. Student protection now sits with TrustEd Ireland and, for visa students, with the ILEP system — schools holding either status are expected to help place affected students at another eligible school to finish their course. Keep digital copies of your enrolment agreement, payment receipts, and any correspondence — you'll need them to make a claim.

Three Things to Do Before You Arrive

• Check your school's TrustEd Ireland status directly at qqi.ie — even if your agency already confirmed it, verify it yourself.
• If you need a student visa, confirm with your school or agency that your specific programme is on the ILEP.
• Read the refund clause in your enrolment agreement carefully. Know what happens if you need to shorten your stay.
• Store digital copies of all documents: enrolment letter, receipts, IRP card, and insurance policy.