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Think Again

Think Again Scholarship

If you never thought you’d go to university, think again. If you’ve spent your life thinking about everyone but yourself, think again. If you thought you couldn’t afford college fees or be able to support yourself, think again. Now is the time for you to think about – and for – yourself. It’s time for you to think again.

To be considered for the UCD Think Again Scholarship and applying for a full-time course you must be:
  • A woman aged 23 years or over.
  • You must be in receipt of a Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Maintenance Grant, or can show that you are from from a low-Income household (below €50,840 earned income, excluding means-tested Social Protection payments)
  • Be in receipt of a long-term means-tested Social Protection payment or its equivalent from an EU Member State. Your payment is “long-term” if you received the Christmas Bonus.
  • A first-time entrant to Higher Education at NFQ Level 6 or above; OR An entrant who has previously attended but did not complete a course at NFQ Level 6 or above and has had a 3-year break in study since leaving that course; OR An entrant who has completed a NFQ Level 6 or above as part of a progression pathway to a UCD undergraduate degree.
To be considered for the UCD Think Again Scholarship and applying for a part-time course you must be:
  • A woman aged 23 years or over.
  • Within the household income threshold outlined below:
    • Fewer than 4 dependent children - €50,840
    • Between 4 and 8  dependent children - €55,768
    • More than  8  dependent children - €60,445
    • Income thresholds increase per additional person in college - €4,785
  • In receipt of a long-term means-tested Social Protection payment or its equivalent from an EU Member State. Your payment is “long-term” if you received the Christmas Bonus.
  • A first-time entrant to Higher Education at NFQ Level 6 or above; 
    OR An entrant who has previously attended but did not complete a course at NFQ Level 6 or above and has had a 3-year break in study since leaving that course; 
    OR An entrant who has completed a NFQ Level 6 or above diploma as part of a progression pathway to a UCD undergraduate degree.
  • An Irish, EU, EEA, UK or Swiss national or have a specific immigration status. Your nationality must be supported by documentation which may include; a passport or your full civil birth certificate, copy of your Public Services Card or an original government issued photo identification document; OR leave to remain permission from the Department of Justice which must be supported by a letter from the International Protection Office.   
  • Resident in the Irish State, EU, EEA, UK, or Swiss Federation for three of the last five years. Residency must be supported by documentation which may include, Social Protection Statements, GP letters, letters from schools, your P60 for years up to 2018 or Employment Detail Summary from 2019 onwards.

Applications for the 2024/25 academic year

It is important that you read and understand the UCD Think Again 2024 - Privacy Statement before you send us any information. If you have any questions about this, you can contact (opens in a new window)thinkagain@ucd.ie before you apply.

Step 1: The application form

Use either the online or the Word document version to apply for the scholarship.

Full-time students

Online application, click on the link below
(opens in a new window)Full-time online application form for the Think Again Scholarship   

For a word document application form, please email "I request a Think Again scholarship application form" to (opens in a new window)thinkagain@ucd.ie.

Part-time students

Online application, click on the link below
(opens in a new window)Part-time online application form for the Think Again Scholarship   

For a word document application form, please email "I request a Think Again scholarship application form" to (opens in a new window)thinkagain@ucd.ie.

Email the completed word document application Form, along with the required documents (see below), to (opens in a new window)thinkagain@ucd.ie  or post to:

Think Again

Access and Lifelong Learning

1st Floor, James Joyce Library Building

UCD

Belfield

Dublin 4

Step 2: The supporting documents

Send us the required supporting documents. 

For full-time Think Again Scholarship applications:

  1. Statement of Social Protection Payments for 2023 available at (opens in a new window)MyGovid.ie.
  2. SUSI letter confirming your SUSI grant rate, including the Assessed Reckonable Income page (Three Pages altogether). If you do not have a SUSI grant, please contact (opens in a new window)thinkagain@ucd.ie and we will advise you on what you can submit instead. 

 For part-time Think Again Scholarship applications:

  1. Statement of Social Protection Payments for 2023 available at (opens in a new window)MyGovid.ie.
  2. The Revenue document called The Statement of Liability (formerly a P21 form) - available at (opens in a new window)MyGovid.ie.
Step 3:  Why are you applying to Think Again?

Here you are asked about why you are applying for Think Again. We will use what you write to understand why you want to study in UCD and what it will mean to you. Your answers will help us decide if you would be a good fit for the Think Again programme after you have been deemed eligible in all other areas, like low income and age group.

Your answers will only be read by members of staff directly working on Think Again application assessment.

  • What would being chosen for the Think Again programme mean for you?
  • What would being chosen for the Think Again programme mean for your family/ the people closest to you?
  • How are you planning to use what you learn in UCD in the future?
Deadlines

The deadline for applications beginning full-time study is Monday 29 July 2024.

The deadline for applications beginning part-time study is Monday 26 August 2024.

Help is available

Please contact thinkagain@ucd.ie if you want help completing the application form or in uploading/ sending us your documents.

Watch this video!

Get help with your application by watching the recording of the (opens in a new window)How do I apply for Think Again? Online Information session. Password is 0=@53kEH

The video is split into three parts:

1. The experience of two Think Again scholars as they finish their second year in UCD (starts at 1:00 and ends at 11:30)

2. What is a Mature Student, Pathways to UCD and the 3 Ms (Motivation, Map and Means) (starts at 12:30 and ends at 33:30)

3. What is Think Again and how do I apply? (starts at 33:30 and ends at 50:00)

Full-time: Any full-time UCD undergraduate degree programmes 

Part-time: Any part-time UCD undergraduate programmes, including:

  • Undergraduate full-time degree students may secure up to €7,000 per student per year of study.
  • The one-year part-time University Access Course students may avail of €1,000 per student.
  • Other part-time students may avail of €1,000 per student per year of study.

You may spend the scholarship as you wish. 

If you are successful in your Think Again Scholarship application, full-time students are paid in regular instalments during the academic year. Part-time students are paid pro-rata depending on how many modules are taken.

Scholarship payments are subject to compliance with the Think Again Scholarship Agreement and dependent on continued registration and progression on your programme.

Think Again also has a separate fund available to provide a supplementary allowance for additional costs such as internships, field trips, study abroad and specific costs associated with caring responsibilities. These funds are allocated on a case-by-case basis to existing Think Again scholars.

All scholarships are awarded based on online written application, demonstrated financial need and meeting the criteria. There may be competition if the number of applications is greater than the number of scholarship available. In this case, successful applicants will be those who meet the eligibility criteria most closely.

It is up to individual applicants to assess the implications of any scholarship funds on their payment from the Department of Social Protection.

The Think Again Scholarship is not included as reckonable income for SUSI or Social Protection.

Non CAO Pathways
CAO Pathways

A Mature Student can apply to study at UCD through the CAO Application process as a Mature Student or for specific courses as a candidate with a full QQI Level 5 or Level 6 major award. Learn more about applying as a Mature Student  - click here!

Please contact thinkagain@ucd.ie for assistance in completing the Application Form and uploading documents.

You may also view the recording of the (opens in a new window)Information video here to assist you in the application process. Password is w#9fBJ4E

The video is split into three parts:

1. The experience of two Think Again scholars as they finish their first year in UCD (starts at 3:00 and ends at 10:30)

2. What is a Mature Student, Pathways to UCD and the 3 Ms (Motivation, Map and Means) (starts at 11:00 and ends at 32:00)

3. What is Think Again and how do I apply? (starts at 33:00 and ends at 51:30)