FAQs and Student Support

Details of how to apply is available on each individual programme page. Please read the information for the programme and on the required supporting documents before you apply. Applications cannot be made by post and all applications are subject to a €50 Application Fee. Students whose first language is not English must provide evidence that their English language ability meets the required standard for admission.  See the 'How to Apply' page for more details. 

Individual programme pages will detail the documentation required for application. Please check the Support Documents Required section on the 'How to Apply' page for more details.

Transcripts may be obtained from the Student Academic Administration or Registrar's Office at the relevant institution you previously attended.  In general, when you request an exam transcript from your graduating University/Institute of Technology, a complete transcript of your academic record (i.e. all years of study) will be given, including grades for each subject. The complete transcript must be included with your application. 

Graduates of UL need only provide us with their UL Student ID number.

Once you have added all your details and submitted your online application, you will receive acknowledgment of your application via email. The Course Director and selection committee will evaluate your application and applicants will be informed of their decision by email. The selection process may take up to 3 weeks to complete following the application closing date.  Submission of full and complete documentation will ensure more timely processing of your application. If transcripts are not submitted, your application cannot be reviewed by the selection committee.  All correspondence regarding the status of your application will be communicated to you by email and it is your responsibility to ensure that the email address that you provide is up to date and that you check it on a regular basis. 

Details of course fees are available on the individual course pages. All queries relating to fee payments, receipts etc. must be directed to the University of Limerick Student Fees Office, Fees Office FAQ's, or email student.fees.office@ul.ie

Fees are payable at the start of each semester and can be paid through your student portal.  If your company is sponsoring your fees, the invoice will still be issued in the student's name, unless a special arrangement is made with the UL Fees Office.  The amount due each semester is the total Programme Fee divided by the number of semesters.  Once a student has enrolled on a programme they will be liable for that semester's fees. Please see the Fees Office website for full details of fees and regulations.  

To defer your place on a course, you must have accepted the offer of a place and paid the acceptance fee. You will need to request the deferral by emailing gps@ul.ie before enrolling and registering on your programme. 

If you have already enrolled and registered on the programme,  it is possible to withdraw from a course but this is best done within the first 5 weeks of start date. To exit your course, you must complete a Termination of Enrolment form and submit it to the Academic Registry office. Visit Terminating your enrolment (Leaving your course) page on Topdesk for the form and to submit it via the Student Hub Online.

After the first 5 weeks of the course, fees are liable and can only be refunded in exceptional circumstances - it is the student's responsibility to discuss this with UL's Fees Office (student.fees.office@ul.ie). 

Lean is a toolset geared to improve process flow and eliminate waste whilst Six Sigma focuses specifically on process variation, reducing the nmber of errors in a process and the statistical analysis of this. Different tools and processes are used by both disciplines.

The concept of different coloured belts is used in the area of Lean and Six Sigma to distinguish the level, skillset and experience the holder has.  One can achieve yellow, green, black and master black belts. The most basic is the Yellow Belt. where the holder has a strong understanding of the Lean or Six Sigma style and processes. Green Belt holders must have a strong understanding of what Lean/Six Sigma training is all about, but also carry out minor projects and lead small improvement tasks in the workplace.  Those at Black Belt level are in charge of Lean/Six Sigma projects within their respective companies and will work full time on a project until it is implemented. Along with heading the project, they also are expected to coach, develop and advise other managers,  so the entire company can achieve this project goal.  A Master Black Belt will ensure the Lean/Six Sigma practices are implemented throughout the company, and not just on one project.  A Master Black Belt will manage several projects and ensure that company level knowledge and training is kept up to date. 

As well as the 10 level structure, the NFQ includes different classes or categories of awards. These are different because they reflect a mix of standards of knowledge, skill, and competence. This gives the learner the freedom to build their qualifications in ways that suit their needs.

Major awards are the main class of award made at a level e.g. Honours Bachelor Degree. There are 16 major awards in the Framework which can be seen in the Fan Diagram on the National Framework Qualifications website NFQ.ie .

Minor awards provide recognition for learners who achieve a range of learning outcomes but not the specific combination of learning outcomes required for a major award. These awards allow learners to build up units of learning at their own pace to meet their own needs.

More information on NFQ levels can be found on the NFQ.ie website.

You will see the number of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits allocated to each course on the Programme page. The basis of the ECTS system is the workload which the students have to master in order to complete a study programme successfully. The student workload consists of the time required to complete all planned learning activities, i.e. contact hours (lectures, tutorials, etc.) and private study (preparation for exams, assignments, etc.). 
 

Our programmes are designed for those working full time and therefore offer a level of flexibility. Although some courses are taught fully online, most have a blended delivery with a combination of online participation coupled with peer to peer classroom-based learning. For example the lean and six sigma programmes require students to attend three Saturday workshops per semester on campus at UL.

Most tutorials are held in UL, although a small minority may be in other locations.  For the lean and six sigma programmes, students are required to attend three Saturday workshops per semester in UL, and also attend the end of semester exams at the University. Other programmes may require attendence more or less frequently.

If you have a specific disability or learning difficulty, you are encouraged to indicate this on your Application. Disclosure will not adversely affect your application or your legal rights in any way. You are also encouraged to contact the appropriate UL services as soon as possible upon starting and no later than two weeks after the course start date, to ensure that you receive any supports that may be available. Disability Services Office

All information for UL Students is now available in Student Hub Online.  

Students can log into Student Hub Online and use the search bar, or browse the available Student Information & Advice  there to find information on a range of topics as well as useful links to UL forms and supports. Topics include:

• Changing or Leaving Your Course:
• Module Registration
• Exams, Grading & Progression:
• Repeats
• QCA
• Graduation
• PARE Modules & Exit Awards
• Official Letters, Documents & ID Cards:
• Student Status Committee (Module exemption, Leave of Absence, etc.)
• Accessing your student record
• UL Fees Information

The current Academic calendar can be viewed here. This contains key dates for module registration, exam periods, results and graduations.