The 1916 Bursary Fund

There are two different types of bursaries: 

Tier 1 Bursaries: Awardees will receive €5,000 per year for the normal duration of an undergraduate programme and up to a maximum of six years for a part-time programme. The bursary will also be paid as the awardee progresses to postgraduate study. 

Tier 2 Bursaries: Awardees will receive €2,000 per year for the normal duration of an undergraduate programme and up to a maximum of six years for a part-time programme. The bursary will also be paid as the awardee progresses to postgraduate study. 

Tier 1 and Tier 2 bursaries will be paid each year of the course once the recipient complies with the bursary guidelines and progresses to the next academic year of their course. 

To be eligible for a 1916 Bursary, all applicants must meet the college entry, priority group and financial criteria outlined below.  

College Entry Criteria 

• Students must be registered on a full-time or part-time undergraduate course in a publicly funded institution that: 
   
  • (a) Takes not less than two years to complete, 
    And 
  • (b) On the successful completion of which a student is awarded a major higher  education and training award at level 6 or above on the National Framework of  Qualifications. 
    
    There is no restriction on the programme of study. 
     
• Student must be a First-time new entrant to Higher Education. The only exception to this is students who are Second Chance Mature Students.  
   
• Students must be in Year 1 of an undergraduate programme in this academic year (2026/27) or have entered through advanced entry into the second year of their studies. 

Priority Group Criteria 

Students who are experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage and are from one or more of the socioeconomic groups that have low participation in higher education, as listed below: 

• Students from communities, groups or areas that are socioeconomically disadvantaged or have low levels of participation in higher education, including those who have experienced homelessness, the care system, survivors of domestic violence, and those who have experience of the criminal justice system. 
   
• Socioeconomically disadvantaged mature students (23 or older on 1 January of their year of entry to higher education – and having never previously accessed higher education). 
   
• Second-chance socioeconomically disadvantaged mature students. Such students may be considered for a bursary where they have: 
  • previously attended but not completed a course 
  • had a three-year break in studies since leaving the course, and 
  • are returning to attend an approved course. 
     
• Students with a disability. 
   
• Members of the Irish Traveller Community. 
   
• Members of the Roma Community. 
   
• Further education and training award holders progressing to higher education. 
   
• Students who are carers (confirmed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) as holding a long-term means-tested carer’s allowance). 
   
• Lone parents or teen parents (confirmed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) as holding a long-term means-tested social welfare payment). 
  • At least 20% of Tier 1 bursaries will be targeted at lone parents. 
     
• Students who are migrants, refugees or who are from ethnic minorities who are lawfully present in the State. 

Students who qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant under the Student Grant Scheme (SUSI) and/or are in receipt of a Department of Social Protection (DSP) payment are also considered to be socio-economically disadvantaged. 

Students must provide evidence of socioeconomic disadvantage regardless of the  target group. 

Financial Criteria 

• Students must be able to demonstrate that they would qualify for the highest level of SUSI grant.  

Applicants must show that their household income meets the criteria for the SUSI Special Rate of Maintenance Grant in the year ending 31 December 2025. The SUSI Special Rate of Maintenance Grant has three thresholds based on the number of dependent children in the household. 

Less than 4 = €28,600; 4 to 7 = €€31,350; 8 or more = €33,980. The income threshold increases by €4,950 per additional person in college. 

Students on Back to Education Allowance or other DSP social welfare payments can hold a 1916 Bursary without impacting their Back to Education Allowance entitlement or other social welfare payment. 

What do I need to do before I start my application form? 

Please make sure you have all documents required before you begin your application. 

1. You must agree to the data sharing policy in order to proceed with the application   
         
2. Locate your CAO number. 
    
3. Locate your student email address 
    
4. Provide your phone number. 
    
5. Find your Eircode.   
    
6. Locate the documents required to support the information provided in your application form. Save these to your device as you will need to upload them to complete your application. 
    
7. You must have your PPS number.  It is very important that you insert the correct number. 
    
8. If you have applied to SUSI you will need the W number or your application number.  
    

Please have all documents ready to upload with your application.   

If you are a Tier 1 or Tier 2 1916 Bursary scholarship student and you're progressing to a postgraduate programme in the 2026/27 academic year, please email [email protected]   

Please include the following information in your email: 

• HEI you have registered with for Postgrad Study 
• Course Name and duration of study 
• Course code, if known 

If you are a final year Tier 1 or Tier 2 1916 Bursary scholarship student and you plan to apply for a postgraduate programme in 2027, either in DkIT or another institution, please email [email protected] with any questions you have. 

Once awarded a 1916 Bursary, you will receive it for the duration of your studies, as long as you continue to progress in your studies. You do not need to apply again each academic year.  

For any queries related to your 1916 Bursary payment, please email [email protected]