Grants

Source: https://www.ucd.ie/students/fees/grants/

Go to:

• SUSI Grant Information for UCD Students
• Other Funding Available to Graduate Research Students
• Ukraine Student Fees and Financial Support Update

SUSI Grant Information for UCD Students

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How to apply to SUSI

The Student Grant Scheme is the main financial support available for eligible students attending full-time programmes at UCD. It is overseen by the Department of Education and Skills and is administered by SUSI. All new applicants to the Scheme apply to SUSI only.

For further information about entitlement to a SUSI Grant, Rates of Grants and Grants Means Testing, please visit the SUSI website at www.susi.ie

• How to renew an application.
• How to make a new application.

\ If you have any queries regarding these application dates please contact SUSI directly.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your grant application, whether renewal or first time, is complete and fully submitted to SUSI within the deadline.

Further details on the Student Grant Scheme, including how to check eligibility and how to apply, are available on the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) website at www.susi.ie

How We Receive SUSI Grant Details

If your SUSI grant application is approved, SUSI will notify UCD.

UCD receives weekly files from SUSI with information about student grant awards.

• Files arrive on Monday
• UCD sends updates back to SUSI by Thursday

Please note:

• If you have been offered a place in UCD and have applied to SUSI for a grant you will be asked to input your SUSI number in the Personal details section of the registration process when you go online to register

When Will My Grant Be Applied?

To allow for any changes announced in the 2026 Budget, grants will be applied to student fee accounts after the Budget in October 2025.

Maintenance Payments

UCD’s role is limited to confirming your registration. We do not manage maintenance payments. \ We confirm registrations as quickly as possible.

Common reasons for delayed maintenance payments

• Changed University/other Institution but didn’t update SUSI about this change
• Missing or incorrect bank account details
• Application still inactive or pending
• Grant rate has changed

Before contacting the Student Desk:

• Ensure your SUSI letter lists UCD as your University
• Confirm that your grant includes maintenance payments
• Check your bank details on the SUSI website

Free Fees Initiative (Undergraduates Only)

Before we can apply your SUSI grant, your Free Fees Initiative (FFI) eligibility must be confirmed.

You’re automatically eligible if:

• You came to UCD straight from secondary school

You must apply for Free Fees if:

• There’s been a break between school and university/third-level
• You’ve previously studied at another third-level institution
• You are not eligible for Free Fees (e.g. due to immigration status or previous attendance)

If you studied elsewhere, you’ll need to get a UCD form stamped by your previous third-level institution. 

Even if you're not eligible for Free Fees, you still need to apply so we can record why.

Important note regarding students not-eligible for FFI:

If your grant rate is: F3 (50% Student Contribution) or F6 (€500) and you’re not eligible for Free Fees, then you are not eligible for SUSI support this academic year.

Find out more about the Free Fees Initiative in UCD.

Paying the Rest of Your Fees

All students are responsible for paying:

• The Student Centre Levy
• Any course-specific charges (e.g. Healthcare Screening Fee)

If your grant covers all fees

• No need to pay tuition fees in advance
• Only the Student Centre Levy and other charges need to be paid

If your grant covers some fees

• Treat the SUSI amount as part of your final payment.

Check the UCD Fee Payment Deadlines

Further information can be found on our Student Contribution Charge and Student Centre Levyweb page.

Contact the Student Desk with any queries.

Grant Rate Changes

Your grant rate can change at any time, even retroactively.

• SUSI will send you a new letter if your rate changes
• UCD receives these updates weekly

UCD will apply changes but will not notify you (SUSI already has)

Refunds

If you are entitled to a refund of fees paid, due to your grant approval, it will be automatically processed after UCD has received the fee payment from SUSI.

Programme Progression and SUSI Eligibility

If You Haven’t Progressed

If you haven’t moved on to the next stage of your Programme, UCD must inform SUSI. In most cases, this means you won’t receive further SUSI support until you progress.

If You Progress After Autumn Trimester Exams

Let the Student Desk know as soon as you progress. We’ll notify SUSI, and you’ll become eligible for support again.

Need help?

• Visit the UCD Student Desk or read the Student Desk FAQs
• Learn more at the SUSI Website

Other Funding Available to Graduate Research Students

On academic merit:

• Irish Research Council
• Remission of tuition fees for holders of IRC Awards - please note that you must pay the student levy and any additional costs not covered by the grant.

Ukraine Student Fees and Financial Support Update

Academic Year 2025/26

The government has announced changes to the Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) for the academic year 2025/2026.

1. The scheme provides support to:

A) students progressing to the next year of their 2024/25 course where they were eligible for the ‘Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2024/2025’, and

B) new entrant undergraduate students whose Temporary Protection Permission was granted less than 3 years before the start of the 2025/2026 Academic Year.

1. If you are starting a new course and your Temporary Protection was granted more than three years before the 2025/26 academic year begins, you can get support through the usual schemes, like the Free Fees Scheme or the SUSI Student Grant. You need to take two important steps:

A)  Apply through the Student Grant Scheme (SUSI) - www.susi.ie

B)  Apply for Free Fees Initiative - https://www.ucd.ie/students/studentdesk/contact/applicationforfreefeesassessment/

External Links

• County Council contact details
• Irish Research Council
• Higher Education Authority
• National University of Ireland
• Department of Education & Skills
• Student Finance
• Department of Social Protection Notice on Fraud Controls (PDF)
• Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2025/2026

Contact the Student Desk

Ground Floor, Tierney Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. T: +353 1 716 1555 | Location Map

www.ucd.ie/askus