3 practical days
Hands-on at 71 Dame Street, Dublin 2 — 9am to 5pm, and sessions often run past five when the group needs the time. Nobody watches the clock.
Price guide · Dublin nail courses · Checked July 2026
How much does a nail course really cost in Dublin?
A beginner gel course in Dublin costs €500–€660 in 2026; full multi-system programmes run to €999. The headline fee is only half the story — here is every published price, side by side, with sources.
★★★★★ 5.0 · 75+ Google reviewsABT accredited — insurable71 Dame Street, Dublin 2
The quick answer
What you should expect to pay.
€500–€660A three-day beginner gel course — the most common starting point in Dublin.
€600 totalPatricia Nails Academy — starter kit worth over €200 included, €100 deposit counts towards the total.
€920–€999Full multi-system nail technician programmes covering several systems.
You will also see acrylic courses advertised from around €350 — a different system to gel, and not one we teach, so this comparison stays gel-to-gel. Selected PNA intakes carry seasonal offers, so the dates page always shows each intake’s current price. If you specifically want the gel-course maths, see how much a gel nail course costs in Dublin.
Side by side
Every published price. With sources.
All prices were taken from each academy’s own website on 10 July 2026. Prices change — always confirm the current fee before booking anywhere.
Crystal Nails Ireland
Gel Nail Beginners Course · Phibsborough
€500Listed as reduced from €600
- Kit incl. LED lamp (supplied without warranty)
- 3 Sundays — approx. 21 scheduled hours
- No model needed
- AIT accreditation
crystalnails.ie · checked 10 Jul 2026
Young Nails Ireland
Gel Beginner 3 Day Course · Blanchardstown
€599€199 deposit + €400 on day 1
- Kit valued at €430 incl. LED lamp
- Approx. 16.5 scheduled hours
- Two free follow-up classes
- AIT accreditation
youngnails.ie · checked 10 Jul 2026
Our course · Dublin 2
Patricia Nails Academy
Gel Beginner Course · 71 Dame Street
€600 total€100 deposit counts towards the total · seasonal offers on selected intakes
- Starter kit worth over €200 — yours to keep
- 3 days hands-on, 9am–5pm — 21+ hours, sessions often run longer
- Small groups with 1:1 live correction
- ABT accreditation — the insurable route
NSI Ireland
NSI Beginner Gel Course · Dublin
€660
- Small classes
- NSI certificate awarded on passing the exam
- AIT accreditation
nailandbeauty.ie · checked 10 Jul 2026
NSI Ireland
Nail Technician / 10-in-1 Masterclass · Dublin
€920–€999Listed as reduced from €1,550
- Multi-system training
- AIT accreditation
nailandbeauty.ie · checked 10 Jul 2026
Aspen Beauty & Holistic College
Gel and nail courses · Dublin
On enquiryPrices not published
- Small groups
- Accreditation not stated on the course page
aspensbeautycollege.ie · checked 10 Jul 2026
≈ €28 per supervised hour
Scheduled hours vary widely — from around 16 to over 21 for courses that all say “beginner” — so the fairest comparison is cost per supervised hour, not the headline fee. At 21+ hours, €600 at Patricia Nails Academy works out around €28 per hour. Two of the prices above were displayed as limited-time reductions when checked, so confirm what applies to your dates.
Scheduled hours vary widely — from around 16 to over 21 for courses that all say “beginner” — so the fairest comparison is cost per supervised hour, not the headline fee. At 21+ hours, €600 at Patricia Nails Academy works out around €28 per hour. Two of the prices above were displayed as limited-time reductions when checked, so confirm what applies to your dates.
Read the small print
What’s usually not included.
Wherever you train, the advertised fee doesn’t always cover everything you’ll spend. Before booking any course, check these:
- The lamp — or its warrantySome kits include an LED lamp, some include one without warranty, some none at all. If yours fails in week two, that’s a real cost.
- The full kit list“Kit included” can mean anything from a few files to a professional set worth several hundred euro. Ask for the itemised list in writing, and check the products are a brand you can rebuy.
- Certification conditionsAt some academies the certificate depends on passing an exam or submitting practice sets. A fair standard — just know the conditions, and whether a re-sit costs extra.
- ModelsSome courses require you to bring your own model on training days. If you can’t, you may lose practice time.
- Refresher or retake daysIf you need a second run at a technique, is that free, discounted, or full price? Credit where due: Young Nails includes two free follow-up classes.
- Post-course supportWho answers your questions three weeks later, when a client’s gel lifts and you don’t know why?
- InsuranceNo course fee includes professional insurance — you arrange that after qualifying. What the academy controls is whether insurers accept its certificate: in Ireland, look for ABT or AIT accreditation. An unaccredited certificate can leave you uninsurable.
Our numbers, plainly
Our €600, broken down.
We publish our full price because we think you should be able to compare before you ever fill in a form. The Gel Beginner Course is €600, total. That covers:
Kit worth €200+
A full starter kit, yours to keep — prep tools, the core gel system, application tools and finishing products you train with in class.
Small groups, 1:1 correction
Mistakes get fixed at the desk by your educator — not discovered after the course.
ABT certification
The insurable route, covered in detail on the ABT accredited nail course page.
The €100 deposit is part of the €600 — not an extra charge on top. It holds your seat in one complete three-day intake, and the balance is simply what remains. Full details and payment terms are on the price & deposit page.
Already qualified and looking to sharpen one system rather than start from zero? Our private upskill training day is a flat €450. Weighing up the longer career route instead? Start with the nail technician course overview.
Price questions
Before you compare further.
Why do nail course prices in Dublin vary so much?
Because the fee buys different things. Courses at very different prices can differ in system taught (acrylic vs gel), scheduled hours (from around 16 to over 21 in the examples above), kit value, group size and accreditation. Compare cost per supervised hour and the kit list, not just the headline number.
Do beginner nail courses in Dublin include a kit?
Most do, but a kit can mean anything from basic tools to a professional set worth several hundred euro. Ask for the itemised list before paying, and check whether a lamp with warranty is included.
Does the booking deposit count towards the course fee?
It varies by academy, so read the terms. At Patricia Nails Academy the €100 deposit is deducted from the €600 total — it is never an extra charge. Also check the refund and transfer policy in case your dates change.
What accreditation should a nail course in Ireland have?
Look for a recognised accrediting body. In Dublin you will meet ABT and AIT most often. It matters for one practical reason: insurers accept those certificates, and you need insurance to work on the public. If no accrediting body is named, ask before booking.
Next step
Compared. Now pick your dates.
Our full 2026 schedule is on the course dates page. A €100 deposit holds your seat — and comes straight off your total. Rather ask a human first? Message us on WhatsApp at 085 214 2951, or call in to 71 Dame Street, Dublin 2. Small groups fill quickly — the dates page shows what is still open.