Funding for Mature Students

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for the (opens in a new window)Free Fees Initiative. We have two quick and free online tools to help you find out:

• UCD Free Fees Eligibility Reckoner
• UCD Free Fees Flowchart

Students who have accepted a place at UCD can also apply for a Free Fees Assessment online.

If you have previously completed an undergraduate degree, you are unlikely to be eligible for Free Fees. However, if you studied at third level previously but did not complete your degree, you may be eligible as a “Second Chance Student”, if it has been three years or more since you left the course. 

Yes, for all courses you will need to budget for textbooks, stationery, and living expenses such as accommodation and food. Depending on your course, you may also have to pay for health screening, lab coats or other equipment.

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 (applications for new students usually open around April; current students should receive an email from SUSI in March/April in relation to the following academic year). 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.

Important: Mature students should pay particular attention to their (opens in a new window)applicant status (especially if you live with a parent/guardian) and any (opens in a new window)previous study that has been funded by Susi. You should also note that your income will be assessed based on household earnings from the tax year prior to starting at UCD. 

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.

A number of scholarships are available to support mature students. The scholarships listed here are open to incoming first-year students only. It is not possible to apply in second or subsequent years, however if you are successful in your application, you will usually receive funding for all years of your degree programme, without having to reapply. Therefore it is important to apply for all scholarships that you may be eligible for before starting your course.

It is also worth noting that application processes will usually not be complete by the start of your first term at university, so you will need to plan your finances accordingly as you may not have a guarantee of scholarship income until after September.

• UCD provides a range of 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 these scholarships are available here. Applications usually open in the summer or September.
• The Uversity scholarship for mature students usually opens for applications in February. There are two levels of financial support available depending on whether or not the successful candidate has dependent children: €5,000 (no dependent children) €7,000 (dependent children). (opens in a new window)Further details 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.

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.