QQI officially validates Study Group’s international higher education programme

• The International Foundation Year (IFY) programme, delivered at the Dublin International Study Centre (DISC) and developed by Study Group Ireland, has been officially validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) at level 5 on the national framework of qualifications (NFQ). 
• The external recognition is an endorsement of quality of education provided by Study Group Ireland as it seeks demonstrate its commitment to a long-term relationship with University College Dublin (UCD) and expand teaching excellence across Ireland. 
• Successful completion of the programme awards international students a Level 5 Specific Purpose Award (Special Purpose Award), putting students on par with Irish secondary education leavers setting them up for success at Irish and EU universities.

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) has officially validated the International Foundation Year (IFY) programme delivered at Dublin International Study Centre by Study Group Ireland, a subsidiary of leading international education providers Study Group, providing external public validation of the company’s commitment to academic and assessment quality. 

From September 2025, students studying at Dublin International Study Centre (DISC) who successfully complete the International Foundation programme will be awarded a Level 5 Specific Purpose Award (Special Purpose Award), that puts them on a par with domestic students when they successfully leave secondary education.

Credits awarded by this nationally and internationally recognised certificate will ideally set students on their path to join undergraduate courses at University College Dublin and is recognised by other Irish institutions allowing DISC students to apply to other Irish and EU Universities. 

The certificate also grants the holder working rights of up to 20 hours a week outside of term, greatly enhancing the prospect of boosting employability credentials for students looking towards their career path and beyond their academic degrees.

QQI’s endorsement of the programme attests to the quality of the offering from Study Group Ireland, a subsidiary of Study Group, one of the leading educators in supporting students in their preparation for global higher education.

The requirements set by QQI to have a programme officially validated are of the highest standards of teaching, quality assurance and governance. These are the same standards that regulate all university programmes across Ireland, including the curricula delivered at University College Dublin and Trinity College, two of the highest ranked universities in the world.

Achieving this recognition cements Study Group Ireland’s ambition to continually expand teaching excellence across Ireland’s higher education sector. It also demonstrates Study Group’s commitment to building and developing a strong and flourishing relationship with University College Dublin as the partners look to build a bright future together. 

Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon said: “Our students have clear goals in mind when they embark on their international education journeys. This starts with the certainty that when choosing to study in a foreign environment, they receive the high-quality education they were promised. Developing innovative world-class programmes is at the heart of our culture and I am proud of this achievement of external validation. It is testament to the quality of our teaching staff, our pedagogy and our curriculum and I am excited to welcome our next cohort of students and to build on these foundations for future growth.”