Susi is Ireland’s single awarding authority for all further and higher education grants.
It provides two types of grants: student contribution or maintenance grants.
Applications usually open about five months before the start of college year, around April, with priority closing dates around July.
CAO applicants can simply tick a box within their CAO application which allows CAO to automatically share all their details with Susi.
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Eligibility
Eligibility for grants can be checked online (susi.ie) and it includes several criteria: you must have lived in Ireland, the UK, or any EU and EEA (European Economic Area) country including Switzerland for at least three of the last five years.
People under refugee or similar status with a permit to stay in one of these countries are included. The course you want a grant for must be of a higher level than your current qualifications.
It’s okay if you already have a Level 7 qualification and you’d like to be funded to gain a Level 8 qualification, but not in reverse.
Approved courses
You must prove to be enrolling in one of the Susi-approved courses delivered in an education institution (there’s a list on the Susu website).
Lastly, eligibility is based on income threshold: students can either qualify as “independent” – that is, 23 years old or over and living independently since October of the previous year – or “dependent” / “mature dependent” – that is, below 23 years of age or over 23, but still living with their parents or guardians.
In the first case, your income plus the income of potential civil partners/cohabitants will be assessed, while as a dependent or mature dependent student your income plus your parents’ or guardians’ income will matter.
Application
After having checked out eligibility, students can create an account on the same website and fill the application form. They won’t need Leaving Certificate results nor to have accepted a course offer already.
Application progress can be tracked through this account.
Video recorded in 2021
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