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Grants and Funding

There are a number of different ways you can get support with the costs of going to college. There are grants available to help people with course fees and there are funding supports, which provide people with weekly or monthly payments.

You can also check out what is available in your area. Some community groups or organisations support students by helping them get laptops or other equipment they may need. Please see below for a description of some of the funding supports available.

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SUSI

Student Universal Support Ireland, (SUSI) is the student grant scheme available to Irish student applicants who are applying for college. SUSI is a support for all types of students, from Leaving Cert students, through to students who are going to college through the mature student entry route.

Eligibility will depend on a number of criteria such as;

  •  You must have been living in Ireland for three of the last five years.
  •  You must apply to an approved course at an approved college. . https://susi.ie/eligibility/
  •  You must be progressing in your education. Progression means, moving up the levels on the National Framework for Qualifications
  •  Your income must fall below specified thresholds.
  •  You must be studying full time.

In addition, you can get financial help through SUSI if you are doing:

  •  A Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course – in this situation you will get a maintenance grant but not fees.
  •  An undergraduate course – in this instance you will get maintenance and fees. (An undergraduate is someone who is studying at college for the first time.)
  •  A postgraduate course – in this instance you will get a maintenance grant – and fees in some cases. (A postgraduate is someone who has finished a degree and may be going on to further study.)

For more information on SUSI and to check your eligibility for SUSI supports check out https://susi.ie/

Back To Education Allowance (BTEA)

The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is an educational opportunities scheme for people who receive certain social welfare payments. It is for those who hope to go on to college.

You can check with your social welfare office to see if you are eligible for this payment. A good source of information is studentfinance.ie

If you do qualify for the payment you should also apply for the SUSI grant.

One Parent Family Payment (OFP)

The One Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a social welfare payment for people who are bringing up children without the support of a partner. You can get all the information about the OFP on the Citizens Information and the HEA website. This is just a brief outline of what to do if you are receiving the OFP and want to go to college to study full-time.

The rules around the OFP can change each year, so we recommend you ask in your local social welfare office for the most up-to-date information.

Once you receive an offer of a place on a full-time course in college, you must tell your local social welfare office that you intend to return to education. You will be offered the option of remaining on the OFP or going on to the Back to Education Allowance (see above).

The benefits of remaining on the OFP mean that you will continue to receive your weekly support, but you can also apply to SUSI to receive your monthly payment as well. This payment can vary depending on a number of things, for example how far you have to travel to the college. So, some people can receive €140 a month, while others get €250 and some may even get more than that.

Remember: if you switch from the OFP payment to the Back to Education Allowance you will not get the maintenance grant part of SUSI, as you will be receiving the Back to Education Allowance instead. People on the BTEA can apply to SUSI to have their fees covered but they won’t receive the monthly payment of the maintenance grant.

We encourage you to talk to the staff in Citizens Information, the local social welfare office or the staff in your local Education Training Board (ETB map).

Student Assistance Fund (SAF)

The Student Assistance Fund provides financial support to full or part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college. Students can apply for the Student Assistance Fund to help with either temporary or ongoing financial difficulties.

For information and FAQ’s about the TUS Student Assistance Fund (SAF), visit our Student Assistance Fund information page.

1916 Bursary

The 1916 Bursary provides financial support to encourage participation and success by students who are most socio-economically disadvantaged and who are from groups most under-represented in higher education. There are three levels of bursary support awarded to eligible applicants for the duration of their studies up to and including postgraduate study.

For information and FAQ’s about the 1916 Bursary, visit our 1916 Bursary information page.

Laptop on Loan Scheme

The Laptop on Loan Scheme is a means tested programme which provides long and short-term loans of laptops to students who may be struggling financially and cannot afford a laptop or computer to participate in college life.

The scheme is funded by the Department of Education and Skills to support implementation of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education and aims to address the digital divide experienced by disadvantaged students (initially, as a result of the Pandemic). The National Access Plan is working to increase the numbers of students who are currently underrepresented in higher education

For FAQ’s and the application form for the TUS Laptop on Loan Scheme, visit our Laptop on Loan information page.

Student Accommodation Assistance for Traveller, Roma & Care Experienced Students – Athlone

For the 2024/2025 academic year, funding is being provided by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science through the Dormant Account Funds to assist students who are Traveller, Roma or Care Experienced with the cost of accommodation, when living independently while attending third level education.  The fund closes for applications on Tuesday 4th February 2025. 

For FAQ’s and the application form for the TUS Student Accommodation Assistance Fund, visit our Student Accommodation Assistance information page.