THE IRISH GOVERNMENT is to fund 50 medical places for students at Queen’s University Belfast over the next two academic years. 

A total of 25 places will be made available for qualifying students from Ireland or Northern Ireland in Queen’s from September 2024. A further 25 places will be made available in September 2025. 

These places will be co-funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education and the Department of Health. 

Students who take up these places will pay the same student contribution rate of €3,000 as their counterparts studying in medical schools in Ireland.

They will also commit to applying to take up a position in the HSE as an intern at the end of their studies.

“We have forged really important bonds with partners in Northern Ireland to help improve access to education and research and this is a further example of these relationships benefiting both education and healthcare systems on the island,” Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said. 

All applicants will apply via the UCAS system and cit the UCAT test. 

As the window for entry in September 2024 closed on 16 October 2023, all candidates interviewed will receive information as soon as the scheme has been announced to determine if they are interested in this scheme.

All applicants will have ranked highly enough to receive an offer.

Details of entry for the 2025/26 scheme will be provided at a future date.