Transition Year (TY) Explained: Projects, Placements and Trips

What is Transition Year in Ireland and what do students do in it?

Transition Year (TY) is an optional year that sits between Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. It’s not part of the two-year Leaving Certificate programme, rather it’s a full year designed to give students space to develop in ways that do not always fit neatly inside exam preparation.

So what do TY students actually do?

In a well-run TY, students usually have a structured timetable that blends:

• project work and presentations

• personal development and life skills

• enterprise and creativity

• community involvement

• and often, work experience placements and trips (as part of the programme, not instead of it)

  
  

That combination is exactly why TY can be a strong fit for high school study abroad Ireland, especially for students who learn best by doing.

Read the detailed NCCA Transition Year Guide for Schools

Why TY can feel lighter than 5th Year (without being “easy”)

This distinction matters, because a year abroad is a serious investment in a young person’s education and wellbeing. Families need a clear picture of what TY involves, and what it offers, in order to judge whether it genuinely suits their child.

TY has no end-of-year state exam, and assessment is usually school-based, consisting of projects, portfolios, participation and presentations.

5th Year is different. It is the first year of a two-year Leaving Certificate programme, and while the big state exams are at the end of 6th Year, 5th Year typically involves regular tests and internal exams, often Christmas and summer, because students have started the Leaving Certificate syllabus.

So in the blog we’ll keep the honest version:

• TY usually feels more flexible than 5th Year

• but it will still have intellectual challenge and structure

  
  

Real TY activities in HSI partner schools

Families often hear that “TY is about projects and trips” but still struggle to picture what that actually looks like in day-to-day school life. In reality, TY programmes vary from school to school, but across HSI partner schools there are clear patterns in the types of activities students take part in.

Below are real examples of TY activities offered within HSI partner schools, giving parents and students a more concrete sense of how the year is structured and what students typically experience.

Enterprise and Mini-Company

Enterprise is a core part of Transition Year in many Irish schools because it develops practical, transferable skills that are hard to teach through textbooks alone. Students work in teams to plan an idea, manage a budget, pitch to an audience and communicate clearly, often under time pressure and with real consequences.

Across HSI partner schools, this frequently takes the form of Mini-Company, where students create and run a small business over a defined period of time.

For example:

• At Bandon Grammar School, Mini-Company forms part of the TY co-curricular programme, giving students structured exposure to teamwork, initiative and basic business planning. Read more.

  
  

• At Sutton Park School, TY is designed as a bridge between Junior and Senior Cycle, and enterprise-style modules such as Mini-Company sit alongside work experience to help students adjust to new expectations and systems. Read more.

  
  

• At Rockwell College, TY Mini-Company activity is supported through external enterprise networks, with students taking part in sales events and practical market-style experiences. Read more.

What this means for exchange students is very practical. They are not just “learning English” in a classroom setting. They are using it to negotiate ideas in a group, explain decisions, solve problems and present to people who are not paid to be patient. For many students, this is where confidence starts to feel real rather than theoretical.

Creativity and big-ticket projects

One of the strengths of Transition Year is that it allows space for creativity and collaboration alongside more practical learning. Many TY programmes deliberately include larger projects that bring students together over a shared idea, whether that’s performance, design, or another creative challenge.

At Alexandra College, TY students are involved in substantial creative projects as part of the programme, including school productions and design-led initiatives that require planning, teamwork and commitment over time. These projects tend to run alongside other TY modules, rather than being one-off events, so students experience what it’s like to work towards a collective outcome over several weeks.

For international students, this kind of project can be especially valuable. The social side is built in. Working towards a shared goal gives students a natural way to connect with classmates, contribute their strengths and feel part of the school community early on, without having to force conversations or rely purely on classroom interaction.

Gaisce (The President’s Award)

Gaisce is Ireland’s national youth award, and it fits naturally into Transition Year because it provides a clear, balanced structure for personal development alongside school-based learning. Read More.

Across HSI partner schools, Gaisce is often embedded into TY as a way of helping students set goals, build routine and take responsibility for their own progress.

At St Conleth’s College, for example, TY students work towards Gaisce through a combination of school-supported activities and independent commitment, including preparation for the Adventure Journey element and ongoing involvement in physical and community-based activities.

In practice, Gaisce is built around four areas:

• Personal skill: developing a skill over time, such as music, cooking, coding or another practical interest

• Physical activity: committing to regular movement or training, often outside of timetabled PE

• Community involvement : volunteering or contributing to a local club, charity or school initiative

• Adventure journey: a planned outdoor challenge that requires preparation, teamwork and reflection

  
  

Even when students do not complete the full award during their time in Ireland, the Gaisce framework itself is valuable. It encourages consistency, reflection and follow-through, all qualities that tend to strengthen confidence and independence, particularly for students adjusting to a new country and school system.

Work experience in TY: what’s normal, what’s realistic, and how HSI supports it

Work experience is one of the main reasons families consider Transition Year, particularly within high school study abroad Ireland programmes. It is also the part that can feel most uncertain at first, especially for international students. That uncertainty usually comes from one simple fact: there is no single national model.

Across HSI partner schools, work experience is treated as a core learning element of TY, not a break from school. What varies is how and when it happens.

How work experience is structured in practice

Most TY programmes follow one of a few clear formats:

• Block placements, where students spend one or two full weeks in a workplace at set points during the year

• Multiple placement blocks, allowing students to experience more than one setting

• Integrated experiential learning, where work experience sits alongside community involvement or other hands-on TY modules

  
  

At Bandon Grammar School, TY students typically complete several work experience blocks across the year. This staged approach allows students to reflect on one placement before moving into the next, building confidence gradually rather than all at once. Read more.

At Portmarnock Community School, work experience is clearly structured within the TY programme, with preparation deadlines and assessment linked to the placement. This reinforces the idea that work experience is part of learning, not time away from it. Read more.

What kinds of placements do TY students usually have?

Parents sometimes imagine a formal office internship. In reality, TY placements are designed to be age-appropriate, supervised and confidence-building.

Across HSI partner schools, placements commonly include:

• Primary schools or sports clubs, assisting with coaching or supervision

• Retail or hospitality roles, which develop communication, responsibility and routine

• Local businesses, where students observe daily operations and support basic tasks

• Community organisations or care settings, subject to safeguarding and age guidelines

  
  

The value lies less in the job title and more in what students learn along the way: punctuality, communication, initiative and self-belief.

A reassurance for international students and parents

Some Irish schools encourage TY students to be actively involved in identifying a suitable placement. For international students, that can sound intimidating on paper.

In practice, students are not expected to manage this alone. Many HSI partner schools have experience supporting TY students with placements and can suggest appropriate options. HSI’s student advisor support also plays a key role, helping students understand expectations, navigate logistics and adjust plans if a placement needs to change.

The aim is not to find a “perfect” placement. It is to ensure the student feels safe, supported and appropriately challenged, and comes away with a stronger sense of independence and confidence, both academically and personally.

TY projects: how to do well without burning out

Most Transition Year programmes include one or more TY projects, which are longer-term pieces of work students complete alongside their regular classes. These projects are designed to help students plan independently, work towards a goal over time and reflect on what they’ve learned, rather than memorise content for an exam.

A good TY project is not the one that looks impressive on social media. It’s the one a student can actually finish, reflect on and explain clearly, both to teachers and to themselves.

That focus matters because Transition Year is deliberately designed to be different from exam-focused years. TY projects are meant to build skills such as planning, follow-through and self-reflection, without turning the year into an early start on Leaving Certificate study. When projects are well chosen, they stretch students without overwhelming them.

TY project formats that tend to work well for exchange students

Across HSI partner schools, certain types of TY projects consistently work well for international students, particularly those adjusting to a new school system:

• A mini-company pitch and sales day: combining enterprise, teamwork and presentation skills

• A community involvement project: volunteering linked to reflection and personal learning

• A creative portfolio: film, photography, design or performance developed over time

• A skills-based project linked to Gaisce goals: tracking progress and commitment across several weeks

  
  

The most successful projects are usually the ones with clear structure and achievable milestones, rather than the most ambitious ideas on paper.

HSI resource note: The TY Project Planner is available as a downloadable PDF to help students choose a realistic project, break it into steps and stay organised throughout the year.

Costs and kit (without overcomplicating it)

Yes, TY can bring additional costs because of trips, materials and modules. This varies by school, and it’s one reason families like clarity up front.

In addition to the HSI programme fees, TY deposits are:

• €300 for public school students

• €600 for private day school students (depending on school)

• €1,000 to €2,000 for boarding school students

  
  

This deposit is paid in advance and used only for relevant school-related expenses that cannot be predicted. If it is not used, it is refunded once final school accounts are received.

Kit you’ll be glad you packed

• A proper rain jacket and shoes you can walk in daily

• Comfortable trainers you don’t mind getting wet or muddy

• A folder system for handouts and project notes

• One smart outfit for presentations or placement days

  
  

For a more thorough packing checklist, check out this blog.

Questions parents can discuss with HSI before choosing TY

Choosing Transition Year as part of a high school programme abroad is a big decision, and parents understandably have a lot of questions. HSI’s placements team, working closely with your local HSI agency partner, are there to guide families through these conversations and help them understand what TY looks like in practice for their child.

During your consultation, it can be helpful to explore questions such as:

• What does Transition Year typically involve in the partner schools being considered?

• How is work experience organised for international students in those schools?

• What kinds of projects and activities are common in that TY programme?

• How are TY-related costs handled, and what is covered by the TY deposit?

• If my child is returning home after the programme, how will academic continuity and subject validation be supported?

  
  

These conversations are an important part of the planning process. They help ensure that TY is not just an appealing idea, but the right academic and personal fit for your child at this stage of their education.

How HSI supports TY placements and planning

Transition Year works best when it is chosen for the right reasons. It is not a year to “switch off”, but a year that suits students who benefit from structure combined with variety, and from learning that extends beyond exam preparation.

HSI’s role is to help families judge whether TY is the right fit and, if it is, to place students in an environment where they can genuinely thrive. This starts with understanding the individual student and continues through careful school matching and ongoing support.

HSI’s placements team focuses on aligning students with TY programmes that suit:

• Learning style, whether a student is more hands-on, academic, creative or sporty

• Confidence level, including how much structure or independence a student needs

• Plans after Ireland, particularly for students returning home who need academic continuity or subject validation

  
  

Because TY varies widely between schools, this matching process matters. The same year can feel very different depending on how it is structured and supported. HSI’s experience with partner schools allows families to move beyond general descriptions and understand what TY looks like in practice for their child.

For further reading: https://www.hsinet.org/transition-year

Main points to remember

1. Transition Year is an optional year between Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle, and it does not involve a state exam at the end. Its purpose is to support students’ personal, academic and social development before they enter the more exam-focused phase of their education.
   

2. By contrast, 5th Year marks the beginning of the two-year Leaving Certificate programme and is typically more structured around syllabus content, testing and exam preparation.

   
   

3. Across HSI partner schools, TY includes real, purposeful components such as enterprise projects, structured work experience and community involvement. In schools like Bandon Grammar School, Portmarnock Community School and Sutton Park School, these elements are embedded into the year rather than treated as extras.

   
   

4. Work experience, in particular, can feel daunting at first, especially for international students. With the right school environment and HSI’s guidance, it often becomes one of the most confidence-building parts of the year, helping students grow in independence, communication and self-belief.

   
   

5. For families considering high school study abroad Ireland, TY can be a valuable option when it is chosen thoughtfully and supported well. The key is not whether TY sounds appealing on paper, but whether it aligns with the student’s needs, maturity and next steps.