Student Financial Support
Recognising that affordability can be a barrier to a obtaining a Degree, the Tertiary Degree pathway helps to remove some of those funding barriers. To assist, we have highlighted some of the support and help to students who are taking a Tertiary Degree.
One benefit of studying for a degree through the Tertiary Degree pathway, is that there are no college fees for first 1-2 years while studying in an ETB. The Free Fees Initiative and student contribution arrangements will typically apply to the duration of tuition delivered by the Higher Education Institutions on the Tertiary Degree. Students will have to meet eligibility criteria of the Free Fees Initiative while undertaking the higher education part of programme, otherwise the institutions standard tuition fee arrangements will apply.
Tertiary students are eligible to apply for SUSI grants for the duration of the education delivered by both the Education and Training Board and Higher Education Institution subject to the normal eligibility criteria. There is also various funding available for those returning to full time education: including funding for students with disabilities, student assistance funding and back to education allowances. The HEA website has further detail on this.
Tertiary applicants may be eligible for the 1916 Bursary fund. This fund aims to encourage participation and success by students who are most socio-economically disadvantaged and from groups most under-represented in higher education. More information including a list of eligibility criteria can be found on their website.
Students registered on tertiary programmes and who have a valid Higher Education Institutions student number are eligible to apply for the SAF through the partner Higher Education Institutions, subject to meeting the criteria outlined.
Students registered on tertiary programmes and who have a valid Higher Education Institutions student number are eligible for supports under the FSD subject to the criteria set out elsewhere in these guidelines. To ensure a seamless transition from further education to higher education, eligible students on tertiary programmes should be supported by the higher education FSD funding operated by the partner Higher Education Institutions.
University of Sanctuary Ireland (UoSI) is an Irish initiative to encourage and celebrate the good practice of universities, colleges and other education institutes in welcoming refugees and protection applicants / people seeking asylum into their university communities and fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion for all those seeking sanctuary.
A full list of Higher Education Institutions that offer sanctuary scholarships can be found at on their website. There are a limited number of scholarships available for each Higher Education Institutions.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science advises all stakeholders of the following the delivery of supports to students who have been granted permission to remain from the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration under Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015 i.e. Displaced Ukrainian Students who are Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP). These measures will take effect from the start of academic year 2026/2027.
The supports vary depending on whether the student is a new entrant or an existing registered student in tertiary education, as well as the duration of BOTP status.
The Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme applies in relation to the provision of EU tuition fee supports for eligible students attending approved higher education full-time courses in 2026/27.
The scheme offers targeted supports to students progressing to the next year of their 2025/26 undergraduate course where they were eligible for the ‘Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2025/2026’.
Note: The scheme is not open to new entrants to a course of study.
To be eligible under this scheme, students must meet the criteria set out hereunder, and to any further criteria or amendments which may be advised to the eligible institutions.
Eligible Student Cohorts
In order to be considered for eligibility under this scheme and subject to compliance with the other conditions of the temporary scheme, a student must be:
a) An undergraduate student that was eligible for funding support through the ‘Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2025/2026
And
b) be progressing to the next academic year of their 2025/26 approved course of study in 2026/27
For more information on this you can check gov.ie
Students that availed of the BOTP Stipend in 2025/26:
The Beneficiary of Temporary Protection Stipend will be in place for the 2026/2027 academic year for eligible undergraduate students progressing in their course. Adjacency criteria will be applied. In the case of students in this cohort whose primary address is less than 30kms to their college, the stipend will amount to €3,230 per annum. For those living 30kms or more from their college, it will amount to €7,586 per annum.
What students should do:
At the time of re-registration, students will be required to present both their original and renewal Section 60 protection letters and their proof of address to the relevant office of their institute.
Students that availed of the BoTP Stipend in 2025/26:
The BOTP Stipend will cease. Students can check eligibility for maintenance supports via the Student Grant Scheme as administered by SUSI.
What students should do:
- Discuss with the Fees Office of the institution they plan to attend to establish whether they will meet eligibility criteria for the Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme, and/or,
- Apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) to check eligibility for financial supports.
For the most up to date information on Ukraine Student Fees and Financial Support Update visit gov.ie