Financial Supports

Details of available Financial Supports

Here, we have gathered all the information on financial supports available to our students.

Student Grant Scheme  - "SUSI"

The student grant is the main source of financial help available from the Irish State for students in full-time higher education undergraduate courses.

Support is available to eligible students in most colleges in Ireland as well as eligible Irish students in many colleges in Northern Ireland, the UK and other EU States.

For details on the Student Grant Scheme and other important information see the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) website.

Other sources of information on student finance include:

www.studentfinance.ie

www.citizensinformation.ie

Back to Education allowance

If you are unemployed, parenting alone or have a disability and are getting certain payments from the Department of Social Protection, you may take part in a second or third level education course and get a Back to Education Allowance (BTEA).

It is important to note that you cannot get the BTEA and the maintenance component of a student grant together.

In order to get the BTEA when going to college, you must accept your place on a full-time course, and then notify the Department of Social Protection by filling out the BTEA application form. Further information can be found at Citizens Information

UK Student Loan Grant Scheme

The financial help available to a UK undergraduate student depends on:

  • Which devolved authority they apply to for financial support
  • Their course
  • Where they live while studying
  • Their individual circumstances

Types of help for new full-time undergraduate higher education students include:

  • Tuition Fee Loans to cover the full cost of tuition fees
  • Maintenance Loans to cover living costs
  • Grants to cover living costs
  • Bursaries and scholarships from universities and colleges
  • Students can also get extra support if they have children or adult dependents, or a disability or a specific learning difficulty

For more information see www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

Other Financial Assistance

There are two funds available to help students who find themselves in financial difficulty:

The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is a Government fund intended to provide financial support to disadvantaged full or part-time students who require additional financial support to enable them to fully benefit from their third-level studies.  This funding can be put towards the costs of accommodation, transport, books and class materials, food and utilities, medical expenses and childcare but cannot be used to cover college fees. The SAF application form is available on the Student Hub.

The Student Support Fund (SSF) is a limited emergency fund available to students who experience unexpected financial difficulties during their time at GMIT.  Such support is often offered in the form of a short-term loan. Contact SAF@gmit.ie to request an application form.

international Protection Student Scheme (For FE/HE Students) provides financial grants for students who have been continuously resident in the State for a continuous period of 3 years or more and is a protection applicant or a person at leave to remain stage for a continuous period of 3 years or more as at the day before the date of commencement of the course and who has not had a deportation order issued against them.

Click here for information on scholarships and bursaries offered by GMIT