Galway school search
Coláiste Iognáid and The Bish offer the Irish secondary curriculum without tuition fees. The main differences are coeducation, school ethos and admissions priorities. For entry in 2027–28, both have an October 2026 application window, but their acceptance deadlines differ.
Coláiste Iognáid, usually called the Jes, is a coeducational Jesuit secondary school on Sea Road. St Joseph’s Patrician College, or The Bish, is a boys’ Catholic secondary school on Nun’s Island. Compare them if your son needs a city-centre day school. For a daughter, the Jes is the relevant option of these two.
Both are non-fee-paying voluntary secondary schools. Here, “voluntary” describes a state-funded school under non-state patronage. It does not mean a private international school with optional tuition payments. Their programmes lead through Junior Cycle towards the Irish Leaving Certificate, not the International Baccalaureate.
The Jes has a particular Irish-language tradition. If Irish-medium teaching interests you, ask which classes and subjects currently use it and how pupils enter that provision. A family arriving from abroad should discuss the child’s Irish and English separately with either school. Speaking English does not necessarily mean a child can transfer into every subject without additional support.
Both schools have published first-year admissions notices for children starting in autumn 2027. These dates were checked on 4 September 2026:
| Stage | Coláiste Iognáid | The Bish |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | 1–22 October 2026 | 1–22 October 2026 |
| Decisions notified by | 12 November 2026 | 12 November 2026 |
| Accept an offer | Within 14 days of receiving it | By 3 December 2026 |
| First-year places advertised | 104 | 125 |
Read the Jes notice alongside its admissions policy. Do the same with the Bish notice. A timely application is not a guaranteed place: oversubscription priorities determine how applications are ranked.
The Bish’s previous intake of 150 places belongs to 2026–27, not the forthcoming intake. Historic application and waiting-list totals also describe earlier cohorts. They cannot establish your child’s chance of admission.
Families seeking an autism-class place need a separate conversation about provision and eligibility. The Jes notice advertises one such place for 2027–28; The Bish advertises no new places across its two autism classes. Neither number describes all learning support available in mainstream classes.
These are day-school choices, so test the journey to Sea Road or Nun’s Island from the actual home address. Ask when lessons finish and when the activities your child would join end. A convenient morning journey is not enough if the afternoon arrangement does not work.
For an older transfer, ask about vacancies and subject continuity first. The Leaving Certificate subject combination matters more immediately than a general promise of a broad curriculum. Ask whether Transition Year is available and how a newcomer would join it.
Request current costs for uniform, trips and other activities. Non-fee-paying education does not mean that every family expense disappears. Keep other Galway schools in your search until you have a confirmed place.
The Galway school list links to the detailed profiles. The Ireland guide explains the wider secondary-school system.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
Coláiste Iognáid is a non-fee-paying, co-educational Jesuit secondary school on Sea Road. Applications for First Year 2027–28 run from 1 to 22 October 2026. The annual notice lists 104 First Year places and one place in the autism class.
GalwaySt Joseph’s Patrician College, known as the Bish, is a Catholic all-boys voluntary secondary school on Nun’s Island. Applications for First Year 2027–28 run from 1 to 22 October 2026. The annual notice lists 125 First Year places and no new places in its two autism classes.
DublinAlexandra College is a fee-paying girls' day and boarding school in Milltown, Dublin. Day places run from Preschool to Sixth Year; five-day and seven-day boarding begins in J5. The Senior School follows Junior Cycle, compulsory Transition Year and the Leaving Certificate.
DublinBelvedere College SJ is a Catholic Jesuit day school for boys in central Dublin. It follows Ireland's Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate route, with a compulsory Transition Year. For 2027 entry, it has published 168 First Year places and a defined October application window.
Start with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.
7 minA useful visit should help you picture your child’s school day and resolve the questions that matter to your family. Ask for concrete examples, then separate what you observed from what you were told.