NCI September 2026 Intake — Programme Status & 75th Anniversary Scholarship Deadline

What changed

NCI has issued a partner-only programme status update for the September 2026 intake. The headlines:

• Two programmes are now closed for new applications and fee payments — MSc in Open Data Practice and MSc in Management.
• Five programmes are nearing capacity and operating on a first-come, first-served basis — MSc Artificial Intelligence, MSc Cloud Computing, MSc Cybersecurity, MSc Finance, and MSc Accounting.
• To secure a place on a nearing-capacity programme, students must complete a €7,500 threshold fee payment. Payments received after a course closes will not be accommodated.
• The 75th Anniversary Scholarship application window closes 15 May 2026. Eligible students must have paid the €7,500 deposit before submitting the scholarship form.

Programmes now closed for September 2026

Applicants who had already initiated a fee payment for these courses should confirm with NCI immediately to verify whether the payment was processed before closure. Students who miss out can either defer to the next available intake or apply to an alternative NCI programme that meets the entry requirements.

Programmes nearing capacity (first come, first served)

To secure a seat on any of the above, students should complete the €7,500 threshold fee payment as soon as possible. NCI processes payments on a first-come, first-served basis and will confirm with partners when each course reaches 100% capacity.

Full programme status — September 2026

For students still finalising their shortlist, here is the complete picture across NCI postgraduate programmes:

NCI 75th Anniversary Scholarship — deadline 15 May 2026

NCI is marking its 75th anniversary with a scholarship programme open to international applicants joining the September 2026 intake. Two requirements must be met to be considered:

• The €7,500 deposit must be paid to confirm the seat on the chosen programme.
• The scholarship application form must be submitted to NCI by 15 May 2026.

The scholarship is awarded on academic merit and the strength of the personal statement. Late applications will not be considered.

What this means if you are still applying

If your shortlist included MSc Open Data Practice or MSc Management at NCI, those routes are no longer available for September 2026. Comparable open programmes worth considering:

• MSc International Business or MSc Business Analytics for Decision Makers at NCI — closest matches for Management applicants
• MSc Data Analytics or MSc Fintech at NCI — closest matches for Open Data Practice applicants
• Equivalent Master\'s in Management or Data Practice at DCU Business School, Maynooth University, TU Dublin, or UCC

For the five nearing-capacity programmes, the practical advice is straightforward: if you have an offer letter and intend to take it up, complete the €7,500 deposit promptly. NCI cannot reserve seats; only paid deposits secure a place.

How we get these updates

The Mentors Circle is an Enterprise Ireland endorsed agent and a long-standing partner of NCI India. Programme status updates like this one are sent directly to our team and are turned into public posts here within hours so families have the same information our internal counsellors do.

To receive a notification when the next intake-status email lands, see our events & updates list.