From wherever you call home,
welcome to Galway.

• Use ATU Studentpad: choose the relevant campus, check the rental arrangement and compare the actual commute. A listing is not a guarantee that the property or landlord has been inspected.
• Ask the ATU support team: the Student Hub and ATU Global Galway’s resource page point to accommodation guidance. Some internal information requires your ATU login.
• Glasán Student Village: a privately managed student residence affiliated with ATU Galway, across the road from the Dublin Road campus. Contact the operator for current eligibility, application dates, prices and availability.
• Compare private rooms too: Daft.ie, local room-share groups and digs can offer alternatives. Check seven-day access, bills, deposit terms and whether the room suits your study timetable.

Do not confuse University of Galway campus residences with ATU accommodation. Check the institution and campus on every application.

Checked 13 October 2026. Offers, availability and programmes change; confirm with the provider.

University of Galway was formerly NUI Galway/NUIG, so older adverts may use those names. Check the year on application pages. Festivals and major events can affect short-stay availability: book against your actual dates rather than relying on last summer’s prices.

Checked 13 October 2026. Offers, availability and programmes change; confirm with the provider.

1. Prepare valid photo ID and address evidence. Providers set their own document rules. Ask whether they accept your rental agreement, a college accommodation letter or existing bank correspondence; do not assume a student card is enough.
2. If your Irish address is not established yet, ask about non-resident onboarding. Some providers offer it. Explain your situation and request the exact list of acceptable documents rather than submitting the same rejected document again.
3. Compare the account you will actually use. Check monthly fees, ATM and foreign-exchange charges, cash-deposit access, eligibility for student accounts and what happens when student pricing ends. App-based services also have identification checks.
4. Keep a working backup for the first weeks. Check your existing card’s euro fees, keep enough accessible money for essentials and avoid depending on a new account being approved immediately.

Use your real address and your own account. Ask the college’s international office for help obtaining address evidence. If refused, ask for the reason and the provider’s complaints process.

1. Gather the three essentials: proof of identity, proof of address and evidence of why you need a PPS Number, such as an employment-related need. Follow the official application guidance for your circumstances.
2. Apply through MyWelfare. Use the route linked from the government’s PPS page. If staying with friends or relatives, the guidance allows a household bill plus a note from the bill holder confirming you live there. Check the document-date requirements.
3. Register for Revenue myAccount once you have your PPS Number. Keep access to the email, phone and postal address used for registration.
4. Register your first Irish job. In PAYE Services, select “Add Job or Pension Details”. Ask payroll for the employer’s Tax Registration Number and have your start date ready. Revenue says subsequent jobs are registered by employers.
5. Check the first payslip. Confirm your hours and hourly rate. Gross pay is before deductions; net pay is what reaches your account. Income Tax/PAYE, USC and PRSI are different deductions.

Emergency tax? Check your PPS Number and job registration with payroll and Revenue. Refund arrangements depend on your tax basis and circumstances; do not assume the next payslip will automatically fix everything. At year-end, review your return and eligible credits, including the Rent Tax Credit below.

Checked 14 October 2026. Always check the device’s input rating and the adapter manufacturer’s instructions.

• Start locally: Galway Simon’s furniture and charity shop on Sean Mulvoy Road, its Sea Road shop, Vincent’s and COPE Galway’s charity shops are useful places to check. Stock changes; phone before travelling for a specific large item.
• Look online: Adverts.ie, DoneDeal and local marketplace listings can help with desks, lamps and kitchenware. Confirm dimensions, condition and transport costs before agreeing to collect.
• Inspect before paying: check drawers, joints, stains, musty smells and upholstered furniture for signs of pests. Ask permission before adding large furniture to a rental.
• Electricals need extra care: inspect the cable and plug, ask to see the item working, and check recalls. A cheap damaged heater or overloaded extension lead is not a saving.
• Borrow occasionally used items: ask housemates, a campus club, residence staff or someone you know before buying a drill, toolbox or printer. Confirm when and how it will be returned; use a tool only if you know how to do so safely.

Arrange a safe collection, bring help for lifting and never pay an unexpected “courier” or “insurance” fee. Charity shops do not accept every item: ask before dropping off donations.

• Money: agree who pays each bill, when others reimburse them and how shared purchases are approved. Keep receipts and a simple shared record. Agree how costs are split if someone is away.
• Cleaning: decide how often the kitchen, bathroom and bins need attention. “Clean up after yourself” works better when you agree what it means.
• Food: label personal shelves, decide what is shared and ask before borrowing. Discuss allergies and avoid cross-contamination with shared utensils.
• Guests and noise: agree overnight guests, advance notice, quiet hours and parties. Check the rental agreement, especially in digs or student residences.
• Shared appliances: agree laundry timing, heating and hot-water use. Return shared spaces to a usable state.
• Small problems: describe the behaviour and the practical change you need. Talk privately before starting a group-chat argument. Arrange a short household check-in if a pattern keeps returning.

Keep passwords, cards and identity documents private. If someone is threatening you, prioritise your safety and ask your college or appropriate services for help. For rental disputes, use the housing advice rather than assuming every roommate arrangement has the same legal protections.

Keep collection details and the household payment agreement in writing. Overfilled or contaminated bins can be refused or incur charges under the collector’s terms. Use authorised collection arrangements; public street bins are not for household rubbish.

• Fake parcel or toll messages: do not follow payment links in unexpected texts. Open the operator’s genuine website or app yourself.
• “Your bank account is in danger”: hang up and contact the bank through its app or the number on your card. Never move money to a supposed safe account, disclose one-time codes or approve an unexpected app request.
• Fake jobs: verify the employer and role independently. Be wary of paying to unlock work, buying gift cards or equipment through a recruiter’s link, or being asked to forward parcels.
• Easy money for using your account: never receive and forward money for someone else. Gardaí warn students about money-mule recruitment; it can involve criminal proceeds even when described as a job or favour.
• Identity documents: send sensitive details only through a verified process when needed. Avoid sharing passport or PPS details in public groups.

If you have paid or shared details: contact your bank immediately, secure affected accounts and save messages, receipts and screenshots. Report suspected fraud to Gardaí. Be cautious of anyone charging to “recover” stolen funds.

Your students’ union can help you navigate an unfamiliar process and raise concerns. Counselling and support appointments have their own availability and confidentiality arrangements—ask how the service works.

• Ask cafés, shops and gyms whether there is a current student rate; verify it rather than assuming one.
• Check ID requirements, exclusions, delivery charges and whether codes combine with a sale.
• Student ID, Student Leap, UNiDAYS and Student Beans are different forms of verification; each business decides what it accepts.

Checked 13 October 2026. Offers, availability and programmes change; confirm with the provider.

Looking for upcoming events? This guide does not maintain live event listings. Use the museum, arts-centre and campus calendars below for current events, and check the date, admission fee, booking requirement and location directly with the organiser.

A simple free route: the museum and Spanish Arch, a walk through the Claddagh, then Salthill Prom if the weather suits. For a shorter wet-weather plan, try the museum and a gallery.

Checked 13 October 2026. Offers, availability and programmes change; confirm with the provider.

1. Check your rental exit requirements. Ask Threshold if unsure about notice, a fixed term or leaving early. Get agreements in writing; do not assume the deposit pays the last month’s rent.
2. Document the handover. Clean the room, photograph its condition, compare the inventory, return keys and record the agreed departure. Ask for the deposit return and an explanation of any proposed deductions.
3. Close or transfer accounts. Take final meter photos, contact suppliers, return broadband equipment and agree house-share bill balances. Keep final statements and proof of payments.
4. Cancel the things that renew. Check phone, gym, streaming and other subscriptions, including notice periods. Cancelling a direct debit alone may not end the contract.
5. Sell, donate or dispose of belongings early. Agree collections, confirm what charity shops accept and use proper waste facilities for the remainder.
6. Finish employment and review tax. Confirm payroll records your leaving date. A refund may be due if you worked for only part of the year; follow Revenue’s departure guidance and keep myAccount access.
7. Keep important access working. Update contact details and retain a way to receive verification codes. Keep banking available until refunds and final bills are settled. If returning to Ireland, check your immigration permission and re-entry requirements before travelling.