Students wishing to apply for a higher education grant should contact SUSI at (opens in a new window)www.susi.ie. Do this as early as possible, and pick up the phone if you have any questions about your application. You can also appeal SUSI’s decision on your application: you can (opens in a new window)read more about SUSI appeals here. It is vital that you respond promptly and within the stated timeframes to any correspondence you receive from SUSI and keep copies of all correspondence for your records.
Most undergraduate students attending publicly funded third-level courses do not have to pay tuition fees. Under the terms of the (opens in a new window)Free Fees Initiative, the Department of Further and Higher Education pays your tuition fees to the colleges for each year of your studies, as long as you are progressing.
A separate annual charge covers the costs of student services and examinations. This is known as the Student Contribution. You may be eligible for funding from (opens in a new window)SUSI to help with the cost of all or some of this charge
- All students are also liable for the Student Centre Levy − see UCD fees.
- To find out more about fees, payments and deadlines − see UCD Fees.
If you are unemployed, parenting alone or have a disability and are getting certain payments from the Department of Social Protection, you may be eligible for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). You should note that students in receipt of the fee element of the SUSI grant can receive BTEA, but not the maintenance element of the SUSI grant. You should consider your options carefully to decide which makes the most sense in your circumstances. (opens in a new window)You can find out more here about the Back to Education Allowance.
UCD rewards excellence by awarding scholarships across a range of categories. Further details about these scholarships are available here.
UCD also awards scholarships based on financial need, which aim to provide equal access to university to groups in society who have traditionally faced unfair barriers to education. These are managed by the UCD Access & Lifelong Learning Centre. Further details about UCD scholarships are available here.
A number of schemes funded by the Irish Government and the HEA are available to provide financial support to students. It should be noted that these funds cannot normally be used to pay for tuition fees, the Student Contribution or the Student Centre Levy. If you are unsure whether or not you may be eligible for financial assistance from either the Student Support Fund or the Student Emergency Fund, please contact your Student Adviser before you make an application.
Please be advised that the information contained below relates to the current academic year only. Funding details and requirements may change from year to year.
Student Support Fund
The Student Support Fund is a means-tested fund intended to help students who are experiencing financial challenges in college as a result of ongoing low income. Supporting documentation from the previous tax year will be required to prove your annual income meets the fund’s threshold. Payments vary from year to year. Click here to find out more.
Part-time students
Assistance with the day-to-day costs of participating in higher education is also available for part-time students who meet the low-income household threshold. All applications must be made through the UCD Access and Lifelong Centre. You can find out more about the Part-time Student Fund here or at ucd.ie/all.
Parents on low income
Additional financial support is available for students who are parenting and on low income. In order to successfully apply for this fund, students must first be approved for funding by the Student Support Fund (see above) in the current academic year.
Full-time AND part-time students who meet the low-income household threshold and who are parenting (either alone or as part of a partnership) are eligible for a top-up payment, in addition to the standard Student Support Fund payment.
All applications must be made through the UCD Access and Lifelong Centre. You can find out more about the Parenting Top-up here or at ucd.ie/all.
Student Emergency Fund
The purpose of this discretionary fund is to offer financial assistance to students who encounter acute and unexpected difficulties during their time of study in UCD, and who cannot meet these additional costs from other sources. Illnesses, bereavement and sudden unemployment are some of the issues which may make you eligible for support from the Student Emergency Fund.
To make an application to the Emergency Fund, you must clearly demonstrate the acute and unexpected nature of your circumstances. Ongoing low income does not, in and of itself, qualify you for Emergency Fund assistance. Click here to find out more.