Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)

Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) is Ireland’s national awarding authority for further and higher education grants. SUSI offers funding to eligible students in approved courses at PLC, undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Ireland and in some cases, to students studying in the UK or EU. All types of students, from school leavers to mature students returning to education can apply for funding.

Eligibility

Nationality: To be eligible you must be an Irish, EU, EEA, UK or Swiss National, or have specific leave to remain in the State as granted by the Department of Justice.

Residency: You must also be ordinarily resident in Ireland, the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland for three of the last five years.

Approved College & Course: You must be attending an approved course in an approved institution. You must be progressing in your education and increasing your National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) level.

Progression In Education: You must be progressing to a higher level of education than you already hold.

Household Income: Your gross household income, calculated for grant purposes, must fall under specific thresholds. Applications are assessed with regard to gross household income from the previous year. There is a SUSI Eligibility Calculator that you can use to see if you might be eligible from the point of view of Income.

SUSI Grants

SUSI offers two types of grants:

• Maintenance Grants – to assist with living costs

• Fee Grants – for tuition fees and all or part of the student contribution; costs of essential field trips (paid directly to the college)

Fee Grants are not payable for courses taking place outside the State (the exception being 4 approved institutions in Northern Ireland)

The maintenance grant is a contribution towards day-to-day living costs which is paid directly to eligible students through nine monthly instalments over the course of the academic year.

Funding is available for several options:

• PLC courses (Maintenance Grant)

• Full Time Undergraduate Courses (Maintenance Grant, Student Conbtribution and/or Fees)

• Part Time Undergraduate Courses (Student Contribution and/or Fees)

• Postgraduate Courses (Maintenance Grant, Postgraduate Fees)

How Does Income Affect Funding?

To be eligible for funding, your total household reckonable income (this is a proportion of your gross income) must fall below specific income thresholds. If you are eligible for funding, your reckonable income is a factor in determining what type of funding you may receive.

The following income is included in ‘Reckonable Income’:

Income from employment including benefit-in-kind and directorships

• Social welfare payments including the social welfare state pension

• Payments from other government departments or state agencies

• Self-employment or farming

• Rental or other income from land and property

• Income from pensions

• Income from savings, deposit accounts and investments

• Income from maintenance arrangements

• Lump sum payments from retirement and redundancy

• Income from the disposal of assets or rights

• Gifts and inheritances

• Income from other sources not mentioned above

The following are Disregarded Income:

• Housing Assistance Payment

• Rent Supplement

• Working Family Payment

The full list is in the SUSI site.

Holiday earnings are also disregarded from income (as long as they are outside term time) up to the value of E7925.

There are no deductions for outgoings such as mortgage payment etc.

The income calculation is based on gross income from all sources for the previous calendar year. For example, for academic year 2024/25, applications are assessed on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

If you are a ‘Dependent Student’, your income and the income of your parents/legal guardians are considered for assessment.

If you are an ‘Independent Student’ your income and the income of your spouse/civil partner/co-habitant are considered for assessment.

‘Dependent children’ refers to the number of other children in the household dependent on the applicant and/or their parent(s)/legal guardian, spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. The reckonable income thresholds increase based on the number of dependent children.

Adjacency

Maintenance grants are paid at Adjacent and Non-Adjacent rates. The adjacent rate is paid when a student’s college is less than 30km from their normal residence. The non-adjacent rate is paid when a student’s college is 30km or more from their normal residence.

For PLC Courses, there is a table on susi.ie that outlines the income thresholds (in bold) and the associated annual maintenance grant rates. Income thresholds may increase based on the number of Dependent Children and Relevant Persons.

For Undergraduate Courses, there is a table on susi.ie that outlines the income thresholds (in bold) and the associated annual maintenance grant rates. Income thresholds may increase based on the number of Dependent Children and Relevant Persons.

For Undergraduate Courses, there is the potential to access a Fee Grant. The fee grant is made up of the following three elements:

· Tuition Fee

· Student Contribution Charge

· Compulsory Field Trip Expenses

Following registration, the college will determine whether the student is eligible for free fees under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). They will also determine if the course is covered under the FFI.

SUSI will pay the college the Student Contribution Charge or Tuition Fees as follows:

1. If both the student and the course are covered under the FFI, SUSI will pay the college all or part of the Student Contribution Charge.

2. If the student is covered under the FFI but the course is not, SUSI will pay the college Tuition Fees to maximum of €6,270.

3. If the student is not covered under the FFI but their course is, SUSI will pay the college up to the full amount of 100% of the EU rate of fee for the course.

There is a Special Rate of maintenance grant. There are a number of conditions:

· you must be eligible for the ordinary rate of grant;

· the reckonable income must not exceed the special rate thresholds;

· and on 31 December of the previous year to your application, the reckonable income must include one of the long-term Department of Social Protection eligible payments as prescribed in the Student Grant Scheme for the relevant year or its equivalence from an EU Member State.

Award Levels can vary according to

· The number of dependent children in the household

· The number of other relevant persons in the household who are attending full time thrd level education

Changes In Circumstances

This could be something like:

· Retirement

· Redundancy

They might have happened recently and as a result the income is significantly lower. It is worth bringing this up on the application form. There is a question relating to this in the application form (F16).

When Do You Apply

Usually the process usually opens in April of each year.

You need:

· Your PPSN and the PPSN of your spouse or parents as applicable

· Income details from the last year

· CAO Registration Number

· Course details

· Your Eircode (to see if you live within 30km of the college)

How Do You Apply?

· Register your account

· Complete the application

· Submit the application

What Happens Next?

· The application will be assessed

· You will then get a letter detailing the outcome of the application or a checklist letter requesting documents

Important Tips

· Tick the SUSI option on the CAO form

· Apply early

· There is a Priority Closing Date of early July

· Include relevant persons (other people attending college to you – e.g. parents, siblings)

· Visit the Application Tracker to track your application’s progress

· Return the requested documentation from the checklist request as promptly as possible

Students Getting The Back To Education Allowance

These students are not eligible for a Maintenance Grant but may be eligible for a Fees Grant.

Students Attending Study Outside of Republic of Ireland

These students are not eligible for a Fees Grant except for approved courses in four institutions in Northern Ireland.

The Application Form

The Application Form has several Sections:

A – Personal Details

B – Nationality/Immigration Status/Residency Details

C – Academic Hot=story and Course Details

D - Person al Details of Parents/Legal Guardians/Spouse/Partner/Cohabitants

E – Details of Dependent Children and/or Relevant People

F – Reckonable Income

Make sure that you click on the Submit button

Refused An Award

You may get a letter stating that you have been refused your award. It will explain why you have been refused and your Review and Appeal options.

You must renew your application every year