Online diplomas in Ireland, QQI Level 5 and 6.
Accredited UK diplomas from Online Business School, studied online around your job. Foundation diplomas at QQI Level 5 for anyone without a Leaving Certificate, and QQI Level 6 diplomas for anyone with one or with work experience. €220 a month, no exams.
- Level
- QQI Level 5 (foundation) and QQI Level 6 (diploma)
- Entry
- Junior Cert for a foundation, Leaving Cert for a diploma, or work experience
- Time
- 10 to 15 months
- Price
- €220 a month
Every diploma you can study from Ireland.
Grouped by subject. Foundation diplomas are QQI Level 5. Diplomas are QQI Level 6.
Business Management2 courses
- FoundationFoundation Diploma in Business ManagementHow a business runs: people, money, customers, communication. For anyone starting without a Leaving Certificate.€220 a monthQQI 5 · About 10 months
- DiplomaDiploma in Business ManagementOperations, finance, people, strategy, marketing and law. Twelve assignments, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 monthsAlso as a 60-credit diploma, about 6 months →
Accounting & Finance2 courses
- FoundationFoundation Diploma in AccountingBookkeeping, costing and the basics of financial statements. For anyone starting without a Leaving Certificate.€220 a monthQQI 5 · About 10 months
- DiplomaDiploma in Accounting and FinanceFinancial and management accounting, tax, audit and business finance. Twelve assignments, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 monthsAlso as a 60-credit diploma, about 6 months →
Human Resources2 courses
- FoundationFoundation Diploma in HRRecruitment, records, rights and the first steps in people management. For anyone starting without a Leaving Certificate.€220 a monthQQI 5 · About 10 months
- DiplomaDiploma in Human Resource ManagementRecruitment, employment law, performance, reward and development. Sixteen assignments, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 monthsAlso as a 60-credit diploma, about 6 months →
Marketing1 course
IT & Computing6 courses
- FoundationFoundation Diploma in ITHardware, networks, software and the basics of programming. For anyone starting without a Leaving Certificate.€220 a monthQQI 5 · About 10 months
- DiplomaDiploma in Cyber SecurityNetwork security, ethical hacking, forensics and risk. Two OTHM diplomas, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 months
- DiplomaDiploma in IT and ComputingProgramming, databases, networks, security and systems analysis. Twelve assignments, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 monthsAlso as a 60-credit diploma, about 6 months →
- DiplomaDiploma in IT and E-commerceOnline business systems, digital payments and web platforms, on top of the IT core. Qualifi, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 months
- DiplomaDiploma in IT and NetworkingNetwork design, administration and security, on top of the IT core. Qualifi, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 monthsAlso as a 60-credit diploma, about 6 months →
- DiplomaDiploma in IT and Web DesignFront-end development, UX and web technologies, on top of the IT core. Qualifi, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 months
Health & Social Care2 courses
- FoundationFoundation Diploma in Health and Social CareCare values, safeguarding, communication and the basics of the sector. For anyone starting without a Leaving Certificate.€220 a monthQQI 5 · About 10 months
- DiplomaDiploma in Health and Social CareCare management, safeguarding, health promotion, research and leadership in care. Twelve assignments, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 monthsAlso as a 60-credit diploma, about 6 months →
Hospitality & Tourism1 course
More diplomas5 courses
- FoundationFoundation Diploma in Employability and Workplace SkillsCommunication, teamwork, IT and the habits employers look for. A first qualification for anyone returning to study.€220 a monthQQI 5 · About 10 months
- FoundationFoundation Diploma in EngineeringMaths, mechanics, electrical principles and engineering practice. For anyone starting without a Leaving Certificate.€220 a monthQQI 5 · About 10 months
- DiplomaDiploma in Entrepreneurship and ManagementStarting and growing a business: planning, finance, marketing and management. Twelve assignments, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 months
- DiplomaDiploma in Leadership and TeamworkLeading teams, coaching, performance and change, for supervisors and new managers. No exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 monthsAlso as a 60-credit diploma, about 6 months →
- DiplomaDiploma in Logistics and Supply Chain ManagementProcurement, warehousing, transport and supply chain planning. Twelve assignments, no exams.€220 a monthQQI 6 · 10 to 15 months
No exams on any diploma. Every course is assessed by written assignments you submit online. Once you hold a QQI Level 6 diploma you can join the final year of a degree. Degrees in Ireland →
What a diploma does.
Plainly: what you hold at the end, what it gets you into, and what it changes at work.
What you hold at the end
A QQI Level 6 diploma is a 120-credit UK qualification awarded by OTHM or Qualifi and regulated by Ofqual. It sits at the level of the second year of a UK bachelor’s degree. On Ireland’s framework it is the equivalent of QQI Level 6.
The foundation diploma is QQI Level 5, 30 credits, and exists for one reason: to get someone without a Leaving Certificate ready for the QQI Level 6. It leads straight into the diploma in the same subject.
What it gets you into
The final year of a UK degree. Each QQI Level 6 diploma on this page is the entry qualification for one of the Arden University top-ups, so you can hold a full BA or BSc (Hons) about a year after the diploma, without doing the first two years of university.
What it changes at work
Job adverts that ask for “a diploma or degree” stop screening you out. The QQI Level 6 is the qualification asked for at supervisor, team leader, coordinator and junior management level, and it shows you can study at degree standard while holding a job.
What you learn is applied: each module ends in a written assignment, marked by a tutor with feedback, so most of it is usable before the course is over.
How you study it
Online, with recorded lectures you watch when it suits, a tutor you can message, and written assignments instead of exams. There are no timetabled classes and no deadlines set by us. Ten to fifteen months is the average alongside a full-time job; faster if you push, slower if life happens.
Entry requirements.
Two routes in. The school confirms your place when you apply; we check it with you on the first call, before you pay anything.
- A Junior Certificate, a QQI Level 4 award, or the equivalent
- Or: strong professional work experience, which can earn an exemption from the education requirement
- Age 16 or over by the start date
- English: the course is taught and assessed in English, so you need to read and write it well. No language certificate is among the entry requirements.
- A Leaving Certificate, a QQI Level 5 award, a QQI Level 5 foundation diploma, or the equivalent
- Or: strong professional work experience. Exemptions are granted case by case.
- Age 16 or over by the start date
- English as above
How you study.
Every course here is online, in English, and built for people with a job. This is what that means day to day.
You watch when it suits you: before work, on a lunch break, on Sunday morning. Nothing is live, so nothing is missed.
Each module ends with a written assignment, marked by a tutor with feedback. You submit online. There are no exams on any diploma.
Unlimited one-to-one sessions with a tutor, for any module, as often as you need. A course advisor at Elephant & Cross stays with you from the first call to your certificate.
You set the pace. The average is ten to fifteen months, and course access lasts up to five years, so if a busy quarter gets in the way, the course waits.
What you pay.
Monthly, interest free
Every diploma is €220 a month. The QQI Level 6 is eighteen payments, €3,960 in total; the foundation is twelve, €2,640. There is no sign-up fee and no interest, whichever way you pay.
Changing your mind, or stopping
A full refund, no questions asked, for seven days after your start date. After that you can stop whenever you want: you owe nothing further, and payments already made are not refunded. The payment policy in full: Payment policy →
Employer funding
Many employers fund study that relates to the job. Ask us for a course outline and an invoice for your employer.
Where diploma holders work.
The kinds of roles people take a QQI Level 6 diploma for in Ireland, by subject. Adverts for these often ask for a diploma or a degree.
What QQI Level 5 and 6 means in Ireland.
Ireland uses the National Framework of Qualifications, run by QQI. It numbers levels differently from the European EQF: a QQI Level 6 is the same level as an EQF Level 5, and a QQI Level 9 is an EQF Level 7.
The courses here are UK qualifications regulated by Ofqual. The QQI level shown is the equivalent level on Ireland’s framework. QQI levels against the EQF, the table →
Diplomas in Ireland: the questions we get.
Is an online diploma recognised in Ireland?
The diplomas are awarded by OTHM and Qualifi, regulated by Ofqual in the UK, and sit at QQI Level 6 equivalent on Ireland’s National Framework of Qualifications. They are the entry qualification for the Arden University top-up degrees.
Do I need a Leaving Certificate?
For the QQI Level 6 diploma, a Leaving Certificate, a QQI Level 5 award or the equivalent, or strong professional work experience, which can earn an exemption. Without any of those, start with the foundation diploma. Entry is confirmed by the school when you apply.
How long does a diploma take alongside a full-time job?
Ten to fifteen months on average for the QQI Level 6 diploma, about ten months for a foundation. No timetabled lectures, no deadlines set by us, and course access lasts up to five years.
What comes after the diploma?
The diploma is the entry qualification for the final year of a UK degree: the Arden University top-ups on our degrees page, about a year each.
What is the difference between the 120-credit and 60-credit diploma?
The 120-credit diploma is two OTHM diplomas together, twelve assignments, and is what the degree top-ups accept. The 60-credit version is the higher diploma on its own: six assignments, six to eight months, for people who want the qualification for work and are not planning the degree.
Do I pay in euro?
Yes. Every diploma is €220 a month, billed in euro. Only the Arden University degrees are billed in pounds.
More from Ireland.
The other levels, and the subject pages.
Studying from Malta? In Malta the same courses carry MQF levels, and Maltese residents can claim up to 70% back. Diplomas in Malta →