Dozens waiting for refunds from English language schools Dozens of young people from developing countries have been left out of pocket after English language schools in Ireland failed to return course fees following unsuccessful visa applications, according to recent reports. The Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) has confirmed awareness of 30 cases involving ten schools where students who paid provisional course fees upfront are struggling to recover their money after visa refusals. Under Irish immigration regulations, non-EEA students must pay course fees in advance before applying for a study visa. Education providers are required to hold these fees in a ring-fenced escrow account and refund them within 20 working days if a visa application is unsuccessful. One case highlighted by RTÉ News involves Lorena Prasca Ramirez from Colombia, who paid €2,810 for a 25-week English language course at NED College in Limerick in February 2025. After her visa application was refused in June 2025, she requested a refund but has yet to receive the money ten months later. Despite numerous emails and intervention by ICOS on her behalf, the college has not responded to refund queries since October 2025. ICOS stated that it has contacted NED College on behalf of Ms Prasca Ramirez and another applicant owed a refund, but has received no response to its inquiries. The organization emphasized that education providers must clearly display their refund policies on their websites, particularly for international students, as required by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). These policies must explain how visa refusal cases are handled, including processing timelines, with ISD guidelines specifying a maximum of 20 working days for eligible courses. Students who provide proof of visa refusal, such as an embassy letter, are entitled to a refund of their course fees. ICOS advises prospective students to review refund policies carefully before payment and to retain copies of all correspondence for their records. Some providers may withhold refunds if visa refusal results from false documentation, though policies vary in fairness and transparency.
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