Akmarley:
Congrats .. was there any changes on your ups page when tracking?

Thanks @Akmarley. UPS updated on August 27th . It was stamped August 26th. I received it August 29th morning.

Greetings everyone.
Applied from Lagos July 17th
Visa issued August 29th.

Quick question: I have paid 6000 euros to my school and used 7000 Edubond to apply. My school fees still has balance on it to be paid. Do I need to fully pay the school fees before showing up at Ireland customs or I should be fine to go through and pay the balance there?
I appreciate response.

PartnerusIsBack:
Congrats to all those who have secured their visas and I say a warm welcome to the Republic of Ireland. Someone prior before now has already stated the procedures to settling down here on arrival and so there won’t be need for me to repeat same. I am only going to give my advise based on personal experience. Please let it be noted here that whatsoever I state here is entirely my personal opinion and remains that way.
First, I will start with the positive sides. Ireland is a nice place to study and work with lots of opportunities. If you are the hardworking type and not extravagant, be rest assured that you will be able to meet your personal needs and still have a sizeable amount as savings too. The country is to a gross extent highly secured, good infrastructure and lots of other features associated with first world countries. No doubt, you will find it worthwhile studying and working here in Ireland.
To the other side of the coin, Ireland like everywhere else won’t give you what you deserve but that which you fight for. What do I mean? There is nothing like empathy here. No one gives a damn about you. You are entirely responsible for everything concerning you. Imagine your landlord or landlady wave at you as she drives pass you just as you stand at the bus top waiting for the Dublin bus even though she heading same direction as you. Please don’t misunderstand it all. It’s just their communal principle I guess. It’s same thing we call OYO. No one fucking cares if you exist. So please do not come here thinking empathy will get you anywhere. Nope it won’t. You will only get what you truly fought for and rightfully deserve. .
Secondly, racism here is taking a whole new dimension. Here in Ireland they don’t exhibit it openly but rather do so in what I would tag a polite way. What would you call a situation where it’s rare to see them sit next to you inside the bus except mostly in scenario where the bus is filled up and there isn’t any space left? My brother, please don’t feel bad when you experience this cause you are most obviously going to witness such from time to time. It’s just a norm for them here with the elderly ones exempted. The older ones can easily identify with you but same isn’t the situation with the younger folks. So please brace up and start developing thick skin cause you are obviously going to need that here.
For those of you that will be retiring home from work at odd hours of the night, please turn deaf ears to junkies if you ever come across them. This problem is not peculiar to Ireland only. Is everywhere but my advise is that you turn deaf ears to their rantings if you ever come across them for your personal safety.
Lastly, please carry yourselves as ambassadors of Nigeria. Keep the flag flying here and refrain from acts capable of denting our already battered image as a country. I once scolded a fellow able bodied Nigerian fellow who has made it a habit of begging at odd hours of the night at the city center. On the pretense of been stranded and needed financial assistance to get home. I first fell for it only for him to come again another night unknowing it was me. But for the fact that we are same national I would have called the Garda officials who were close proximity from where I was to effect his arrest. Please for the newbies, if you ever come across him at odd hours of the night, don’t fall for that gimmick as he only approaches black guys.
Ireland is a land of opportunities. Lots of both blue and white collar jobs. Work hard and be proud of your humble beginning. It’s never ever going to be easy. I repeat, it won’t be easy at first but with time as time passes by, things will begin to work for your good IF and ONLY IF you are steadfast and hardworking. Please avoid toxic friends here. Trust me they are much here. I know many who started very focused at first and then as time passes by they lost it and it’s now jamboree. Always remember your family And where you come from. Don’t ever be carried away with staying in Ireland cause that’s not achievement.
Making it in Ireland and coming back home to assist your family and folks in whatever possible is the real achievement.
One last comment, for the guys, if you have a serious relationship back home, please do not jettison it cause here, their young white girls mostly prefer their white guys. Ireland isn’t fully ripe like the UK and America when it comes to inter racial relationships and marriage.
For my newbies sisters, as funny as it may sound, 99% percent of the time these white folks will accost you is just for paid bedroom pleasure and nothing more. Sadly enough, this has turned few of our female folks here into something else. But notwithstanding, sizeable proportion of them still hold sway in high esteem and seriously committed in exhibiting high levels of morality imbibe in our African culture. So please don’t leave that poor guy back home with the hope that you will catch one sweet clean white dude here..lol
Congratulations to all those that have been granted their visas and my wish and prayer is for those awaiting theirs will be granted too. One love!

I have been following Ireland study visa forum on Nairaland for several months and enjoyed the contribution that many people have made including those timelines of those that got visas ( and those that are awaiting theirs).
Regarding PartnerUsIsBack post, I would like to mention an alternative point. While such admonition sound enviable, it also sounded like double standard and paternalistic. One can argue that the same separationsism being preached against is also being suggested by this post. Every country around the world has a lot of bad egg and Nigeria is no exception. If Naija is perfect, we would not be leaving for better opportunities. There are junkies in naija, there are people who cheats in their relationship in naija, there are families that prefer that you "date" someone from same tribe in naija.
I would also say that sending 'money home" should not be viewed as the main purpose of travelling abroad. You are abroad to make YOUR live better and not someone else's. Of course, if you are not that callous, common sense would tell you to support others as you deemed fit and able. The concept of being "serious " all the time has not made us rich or most comfortable as nigerians compared to other nations.
Regarding the guy that's begging for money on the street, I am sure there were thousands on the street of lagos that would beg for money ame way to a point of damaging your car windshield. No one and no country is a teacher of manners. Home is where you make it.
I would say that enjoy your time abroad, work hard, live life to the fullest. When you make mistakes/misjudgement, learn from it and move on.
There is growth through adversity.