Question
I have heard that there were some changes made to student funding as part of the recent budget.
I would like to know more about what funding is available to support me if I secure a place in university.
Answer
Susi (Student Universal Support Ireland) maintenance grants and fee grants are available to eligible undergraduate students. As part of Budget 2026, the non-adjacent maintenance grant rates will increase from September 2026. There will be a pro-rata increase in the non-adjacent maintenance grant rates from January 2026 for students attending further or higher education in the current academic year. Non-adjacent maintenance grants are paid to eligible students whose normal residence is 30km or more from their college.
Fee grants pay tuition fees for students who do not qualify for the Free Fees Scheme and can also pay the student contribution fee. Fees are paid directly to the college on behalf of the student.
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To be eligible for funding from Susi, a student must meet the following eligibility criteria:
Nationality Criteria: The student must be an Irish, EU, EEA (which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), UK or Swiss national or have specific immigration or leave to remain status.
Residency Criteria: The student must have been resident in the Irish State, the EU, EEA, UK or Swiss Federation for three of the last five years.
Previous Education and Progression Criteria: The student must be progressing in their education, which means they must be attending a course that leads to a higher level of qualification than they hold, is a higher level than any course they previously attended, and they are progressing from one year to the next and not repeating a year, except in exceptional circumstances.
Approved Course in an Approved Institution Criteria: The student must be attending an approved course in an approved institution.
Income Criteria: The total household income must fall under specified thresholds. The income calculated for grant assessment purposes depends on whether a student is classed as a dependent, mature dependent or independent student.
If a student is under 23 on January 1st of the year of their first point of entry to further or higher education, they are a dependent student. If a student is over 23 on January 1st of the year of their first point of entry/re-entry to further or higher education and reside with their parents or legal guardians, they are a mature dependent student. The income of the student plus the income of their parents/legal guardians is included in the income calculation for dependent and mature dependent students.
If a student is over 23 on January 1st of the year of their first point of entry to further or higher education and resides independently from October of the year prior, they are an independent student and their income along with the income of their spouse, civil partner, co-habitant as applicable is included in the income calculation.
For academic year 2026/27, applications will be assessed on the gross income from all sources for the period January 1st, 2025 to December 31st, 2025. Gross income includes all income before any deductions such as income tax or PRSI.
In Budget 2026, it was announced that the income threshold for the €500 student contribution grant will increase for academic year 2026/27. This means that for eligible undergraduate students, grants will be available for total household incomes under €120,000. The income limits increase to take account of the number of dependent children in the household and can be adjusted to take account of other people within the household who are attending a full-time course in further or higher education.
Applications for academic year 2026/27 open next spring.
- email: askbrian@irishtimes.com
