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Budgeting Advice

Going to college is an exciting time whether you are staying at home or moving away but it can be tough financially if you don’t have a regular income and you are on a tight budget. With so many new costs and financial products to consider it can be hard to manage your cash. Below we have listed some useful sites and resources to help you manage your budget.

DkIT Students Union: Information on managing your money sensibly can be obtained from the DkIT Student Union website.
Competition & Consumer Protection Commission: The Competition & Consumer Protection Commission provides free and expert information on personal finance and managing money. Check out Going to College on their website and other useful links prior to starting college. Their budget planner will help you to work out what you are spending your money on and compare this with your income. This will allow you to work out a plan that suits you and help you to keep control of your spending effectively. Their Spending Calculator will help you to understand where you’re spending your money and help you to work out a realistic budget you can stick to. it’s a good idea to work out a budget.
Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS): MABS provides free and expert information on managing your money. The MABS Budgeting Tool will help you work out what you are spending and how to keep it under control while the MABS School Leavers Checklist is full of useful information for your first year after leaving school.
Information on Fees and Grants at DkIT: We have all the information you could need relating to fees, grants and scholarships at DkIT.

Student Assistance Fund

The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial support to students who are experiencing short or long-term financial difficulties and are unable to meet the costs associated with day-to-day participation in Higher Education. SAF is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. Download the flyer for additional information.

Who is eligible to apply?

Full-time students, registered on courses leading to a Higher Education Award (NFQ Level 6-10) in the Universities, Institutes of Technology and other approved colleges. PhD students can only apply within the first four years of study.
Part-time students, registered on courses, of not less than one year’s duration, that lead to a Higher Education Award (NFQ level 6-10) and who belong to one of the following target groups as specified by the HEA’s National Access Plan:
- Mature Students
- Students with a Disability
- Irish Travellers
- Further Education award holders
- Lone Parents
- Ethnic Minorities (including programme refugees)
- People who are or were in the Care of the State
- Students from Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds
Students on Springboard+ courses, or who are on blended/distance learning courses, are also eligible to apply for support through the Student Assistance Fund subject to meeting the criteria outlined above.

Please Note: You are only permitted to make one application for this funding per academic year.

Who is ineligible to apply?

Students on courses that do not lead to a Higher Education Award (NFQ Level 6-10).
International students/non-EU fee paying students.

Eligible Expenses

The Student Assistance Fund is available to assist students who are unable to meet the costs associated with day-to- day participation in higher education, throughout the duration of the academic year, including:

Books and Class Materials
Utility Bills - Rent, Heating, Lighting, Mobile phone data plans.
Food
Essential Travel
Childcare Costs
Medical Expenses
Emergency Support such as Family Difficulties

Ineligible Expenses:

Funding is not available to assist students with the costs of:

Tuition Fees
Registration Fees
Student Loans

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

Complete your course registration.
Read and agree to the DkIT Data Protection Policy for the Student Assistance Fund.
Gather your required supporting documentation eg. SUSI Letter, Bank Statement etc

How to Apply

Once you have completed your course registration, you will receive your DkIT Student ID, which is required in order to make your application. Once you have received these details you can proceed with the following steps:

Step 1: Review the SAF Guidelines before downloading and printing the SAF Application Form.
Step 2: Complete the SAF Application Form in BLOCK CAPITALS and using a blue/black pen.
Step 3: Submit your application form, together with all required supporting documentation by handing it in to the Student Service Information Desk located in the main reception area of the Whitaker Building.

Please Note: Your application cannot be processed unless all required supporting documents are submitted.

Once your application has been assessed, you will receive communication to your student email address from DkIT with the result of your application. Please allow 2-3 weeks for this process to be completed.

Download Student Assistance Fund Guidelines

Download Application Form

DkIT Laptop Loan Initiative

The HEA (Higher Education Authority) has provided funding to individual third level colleges to allow for the purchase of ICT (laptops and other devices) to be given to students on loan.

Students who receive this support must:

1. be able to demonstrate a “verifiable financial need” for this support ( explained in the guidelines)
AND
2. also be a member of one or more of the following target groups, as specified in the HEA’s National Access Plan. i.e., People with Disabilities; Mature Students; Students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds; Students progressing from further education, Part-Time students and students of the Irish Traveller community.

Special consideration will also be given to first years students, however students from all years are invited to apply. DkIT have a limited number of devices available to loan to student under this initiative. We expect demand will exceed supply therefore only those on the lowest level of income are invited to apply.

How to Apply

Step 1: Review DkIT’s Laptop Loan Initiative Guidelines.
Step 2: Complete the online application form using your DkIT student email account, ensuring all required supporting documentation has been uploaded, before submitting.
Step 3: Once the Application has been assessed, you will receive communication to your student email address from DkIT with the result of your application.
Step 4: You receive communication from DkIT with the result of your application

Please Note: Your application cannot be processed unless all required supporting documents are submitted.

Download Guidelines

Visit Online Application Form