Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Cothrom na Féinne - Undergraduate

UCD Cothrom na Féinne Scholarships
Undergraduate Students

Applications for 2024 are now closed.

UCD recognises that the associated costs of attending third-level may present a barrier for some applicants in pursuing a degree. UCD Access and Lifelong Learning, with generous support from UCD Foundation, offers a range of scholarships for students who are underrepresented at UCD. 

The Cothrom na Féinne Undergraduate Scholarships are open to new entrants to UCD (First Years) who have accepted an offer to study in UCD. Applicants must be entering a full-time undergraduate programme of study. The scholarships are awarded to prospective students who demonstrate clear motivation to pursue higher education despite educational challenges faced and demonstrate leadership to others experiencing similar challenges to pursue third-level education. Applicants from low-income households are invited, and priority will be given to:

  • HEAR students
  • DARE students
  • Students with a disability
  • First-time mature students
  • Members of the Travelling community
  • Further education award holders
  • Lone parents who are in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment
  • Ethnic minorities
  • Refugees, those with leave to remain, and international protection
  • Students who have successfully completed a UCD Access Programme

Applicants will be assessed based on:

  • Financial Need - Low household income (less than €50,840 a year).
  • Entered UCD through an Access Admissions Pathway.
  • Member of (opens in a new window)HEA Priority Group.
  • Motivation to Study at higher education.

The Cothrom na Féinne Scholarship cannot be awarded to students who receive any other Scholarship or bursary, 
if you are in receipt of another Scholarship or bursary you will be offered the scholarship of the greatest value

There are over 145 Cothrom Na Féinne Scholarships with some specific sponsored Cothrom Na Féinne Scholarships:

  • Cothrom na Féinne Champion Scholarship - To the value of €1,500/ €2,000 per year of study, this scholarship is for students  who meet the above criteria, they do not need to be studying any specific course for this Scholarship.
  • (opens in a new window)Cothrom na Féinne Think Again Scholarship. This scholarship is specifically for mature women who are distant from education The Think Again Scholarship is worth €7,000 per annum and provides funding for living costs, as well as a range of other vital supports such as career and personal development.  Find out more about the Think Again and  find out how to apply here.   
  • Muckross Park - Bugatto Scholarship - Low income student who have attended Muckross Park school. 
  • Brigid Dolan in English Literature - for a access student studying any of the following programmes:  BA Humanities - English Literature, BA Humanities - English with Creative Writing, BA Humanities – English, Drama and Film, BA Arts English and Drama, BA Arts English and Film, or BA Arts English with another subject combination. Note: Student needs to keep English as a major to Degree. 

All scholars will be invited to the UCD Entrance Awards to receive their scholarship.

Undergraduate Students: How to Apply 

Watch our webinar on scholarships and on writing a strong application:

How do I apply?

Make an online application through your UCD Connect Account

Go to UCD Connect > SISweb > Applications > Scholarship Applications > UCD Cothrom na Féinne Scholarship Applications > UCD Cothrom na Féinne - Undergraduate Students

Applicants to the UCD Cothrom na Féinne Undergraduate Scholarship 2024 must complete an online application form.

Scholarships are valued at €1,500 per annum for the normal duration of the scholar’s programme of study. Scholarships will be paid in two instalments each year at the end of September/early October and at the end of January. The scholarship package also includes:

  • Dedicated Welcome Programme
  • Programme of academic workshops and seminars
  • Dedicated personal support offered by a team of experts
  • The support of a peer mentoring network
  • Leadership training programmes, networking and development opportunities.

Application Deadline:

The application will close on Thursday the 10th October 2024, at 5pm. Late or incomplete applications will be deemed ineligible.

Information on completing the Income Declaration Form 2024-25 CNF

Please note that you will need to use Microsoft Office to complete the Income Declaration Form.

Microsoft 365 is available to download for all UCD students.

➢Where? UCD Connect> Software Download> Student> Navigate to Microsoft Office and click icon to download.

Our Digital Ambassadors have created helpful videos on topics such as saving and attaching files, Microsoft Word and Email.

Category of Student:
  • A student dependent on parent(s)/legal guardian
  • Mature student dependent on parent(s)/legal guardian
  • Independent student
As an Independent Student you must be:

23 years of age or over on January 1st  2024.

You must have been living independently from your parents/legal guardians from October 2022 and will be required to provide evidence of this.

The required documentation accepted as evidence of independent residency must be 

  • dated from 2023, no later than October 2023

As an Independent Student, you will be assessed under your own and, if applicable, your spouse, civil partner or co-habitant’s income.

The documentation accepted as evidence of living independently is any of the following;

  • A letter confirming that the address is registered with Residential Tenancies Board (RTB);
  • A Local Authority lease agreement or a letter confirming your rental under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or any Government housing scheme/arrangement. Private housing lease agreements will not be accepted;
  • A letter on headed paper from a Rental Agency confirming your tenancy;
  • A letter confirming the receipt and period of Rent Allowance, Mortgage Interest Supplement or Housing Assistance Payment (HAP);
  • A utility bill in your own name, for example; landline telephone, fixed broadband, gas, electricity, cable/satellite television bill, home heating bills, waste bills, mortgage statements and/or property tax letters. We do not accept mobile telephone bills. If the utility bills in the household are in your spouse’s name, please provide your marriage certificate with the utility bill. If you are co-habiting, we will accept utility bills in your partner’s name covering the relevant period together with correspondence e.g. bank statement/Statement of Liability issued to the applicant at the same address and covering the relevant period; and/or
  • Official documentation posted to you at this address and relating to your residence there. For example, a letter from the Department of Social Protection confirming Rent Allowance at this address. Please Note: we do not accept bank statements alone for this purpose.

Documentation relating to an address that is merely a correspondence address is not sufficient. Documentation must be connected with your residence at that address.

If you cannot supply any of the above documents to confirm independent residency, you can, if you wish, cancel your application and apply as a dependent student.  

As a  Student dependent on parent(s)/legal guardian you may fall into either one of two categories;
  • Mature Dependent
    • Over 23 on January 1st 2024
  • Dependent
    • Under 23 on January 1st 2024

If you were over 23 on the 1st of January 2024, and still residing with your parents (or cannot supply any of the documentary evidence listed above to support independent residency) you will be classed as a Mature Dependent Student. You must supply your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) information as well as your own when filling out your application and  your own income (if applicable) and the income of your parents/legal guardian(s) will be used when assessing you for grant funding.

If you were under 23 on the 1st of January 2024, you are automatically classed as a Dependent Student. This means you must supply your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) information as well as your own when filling out your application and  your own income (if applicable) and the income of your parents/legal guardian(s) will be used when assessing you for grant funding. 

To apply you will need to:

  1. Watch our (opens in a new window)information webinar on our scholarships and on writing a strong application.  
  2. Complete an online application - Go to SisWeb > Applications > Cothrom na Féinne Applications or Go to SisWeb > My Applications if you have opened the application prior. 
  3. Complete and submit an Income Declaration Form 2024-25 CNF, as well as the required supporting documentation outlined below.

You will need to use Microsoft Office to complete the Income Declaration Form. Microsoft 365 is available to download for all UCD students. ➢Where? UCD Connect> Software Download> Student> Navigate to Microsoft Office and click icon to download.

Please note: You must hold Irish / EU Citizenship status, and have been living in Ireland for 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible for this scholarship.

Indicator of Financial Need  Required Document
In receipt of SUSI Letter from SUSI confirming eligibility for current academic year
Entered UCD via HEAR pathway Letter/Email confirming HEAR eligibility
Other students

If you do not have a letter from SUSI or HEAR confirming your eligibility you must submit financial documentation for 2023 (full year). 

Appropriate documents are 

  • P21/Statement of Liability for 2023 or Chapter 4 Notice of Assessment for 2023 and/or
  • Statement from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection noting payments for 2023

For further information please contact us:

  • 01 716 7123
  • all@ucd.ie

(opens in a new window)Privacy Statement