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About the KickStart Scholarship | Eligibility — Who can apply? | Applying for KickStart at DkIT Application
About the KickStart Scholarship
The KickStart Scholarship Fund is a scholarship established by the Irish Probation Service, and supported by the Irish Prison Service, to support persons with a criminal justice history who are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage to access Higher Education (HE). These scholarships meet a strategic objective of the Working to Change Social Enterprise and Employment Strategy 2021-2023 (www.workingtochange.ie).
Maynooth University is the lead institution for the KickStart Scholarship Fund scheme in partnership with Dublin City University, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Technological University of the Shannon Midlands Midwest, Athlone Campus (MEND Cluster[1]). The scheme is open to new undergraduates commencing third level education for the first time in one of these four MEND HEIs.
It is intended that the scholarship will fund the entire duration of an applicant's programme of study. There are two scholarships available in each MEND HEI.
- One scholarship of €5000 per year of undergraduate study to a maximum of €20,000 over 4 years of a full-time course or 6 years of a part-time course.
- One scholarship of €1250 for each year of undergraduate study to a maximum of €5000 over 4 years of a full-time course or 6 years of a part-time course.
Scholarship awardees must comply with the fund guidelines and progress to the next academic year of their course to retain the scholarship.
The KickStart Scholarship team will only communicate with the applicant throughout the application, screening and outcomes process. Any unsolicited correspondence from a third party will not be taken into account.
Eligibility criteria for KickStart Scholarship
Who can apply?
The priority group for the KickStart Scholarship Fund are applicants who: (i) have a criminal conviction, (ii) are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, and (iii) are commencing undergraduate third level education.
- Applicants must be new undergraduates commencing third level education for the first time in one of these four MEND HEIs to apply to the scheme.
- Applicants must be first-time new entrants enrolled on a full-time or part-time undergraduate course in one of the MEND publicly funded institutions that takes not less than two years to complete and on the successful completion of which an applicant 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 programme of study.
- Applicants should be aware that information on criminal convictions may be required for Garda vetted programmes in accordance with the Convictions Policy of the relevant MEND HEI.
- Applicants must be able to show that they have been convicted of a crime which resulted in them currently having a criminal record and have either served time in prison and/or received a community-based Probation sanction which resulted in a criminal record. As the impact of a criminal record is felt for many years after an individual has completed their court ordered sanction, there is no time limit on how recent their convictions were.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they would qualify for the Student Grant Scheme (SUSI) maintenance grant at the cut-off set for the Kickstart Scholarship Scheme eligibility in that particular year or would qualify for full fees from SUSI with a Department of Social Protection (DSP) long-term means-tested social welfare payment such as Back to Education Allowance i.e. applicants must be able to provide evidence that shows they are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage equivalent to the SUSI maintenance rate limit set by the Scholarship Scheme in that particular year (details to be published each year). All applications will be assessed in line with SUSI assessment process.
- Applicants must also have been resident in the State (Republic of Ireland) for three of the past five years prior to the date their first year of study commences (evidenced by HEI Fee Status).
Additional Prioritisation Criteria
- Applications are assessed on the basis of all information provided in the application process to weight the scholarships in favour of those applicants who meet additional prioritisation criteria. Priority will be given to applicants who meet one or more of the following criteria as this demonstrates the intersectionality of an applicant's criminal justice history and socioeconomic disadvantage.
- Applicant who qualifies for the special rate of maintenance grant or with an equivalent reckonable income at the same level (details to be published each year).
- First-time mature student (23 or older on 1 January of their year of entry to higher education)
- Further education and training award holder (FETAC/QQI) progressing to higher education
- Applicant with disabilities
- Member of Irish Traveller community
- Member of the Roma community
- Lone parent
- Applicant is or was in the Care of the State / TUSLA
- Direct Provision residents who have been granted either refugee status, subsidiary protection status or leave to remain, and are transitioning out of direct provision (within previous 3 years) per section 14 of the Applicant Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 the Applicant Support Regulations 2021 (Statutory Instrument No. 132 of 2021)
- Applicant who is/was previously homeless (within previous 3 years)
- Applicant who is/was living in supported accommodation (within previous 3 years)
Applying for the KickStart Scholarship at DkIT
Please contact access@dkit.ie for further information including details on how to apply.
