What is the 1916 Bursary?
The 1916 Bursary Fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). It was first announced by the Minister for Education and Skills on 30 December 2017 with the purpose of encouraging participation and success by students from sections of society that are significantly under-represented in higher education.
1916 Bursaries – 2022/2023
Applications must be made online through participating colleges.
As part of the implementation of the 1916 Bursary Fund for the 2021/22 academic year, three tiers of bursaries will be available for awarding to students:
Tier 1 – €5,000 per annum
More information: Bursaries for the duration of studies awarded to a total of 252 new entrant undergraduate students. Tier 1 bursaries will also be paid as a student progresses into postgraduate study. This means that students already in receipt of a 1916 Bursary and who are completing their undergraduate studies in 2020/21 will be entitled to continue to receive a bursary for postgraduate study.
Tier 2 – €2,000 per annum
More information: Bursaries for the duration of studies to a total of 121 new entrant undergraduate students who met the criteria for the 1916 Bursary but who did not ultimately qualify on the cluster’s order of merit for a Tier 1 bursary. Tier 2 bursaries will also be paid as a student progresses into postgraduate study which means that a recipient starting their undergraduate course in 2021/22 will later be entitled to continue to receive a bursary for postgraduate study.
Tier 3 – Once-off bursary of €1,500 payable for the 2021/22 academic year only
More information: This once-off bursary will be awarded to students who met the criteria for the 1916 Bursary but who did not ultimately qualify on the cluster’s order of merit for a Tier 1 or Tier 2 bursary. The provision of this once-off bursary is in recognition of the exceptional circumstances that incoming students will experience when starting college in 2021/22 and the impact of Covid-19 on family incomes of students from target groups.
Who is the 1916 Bursary for?
The 1916 Bursary is for first time entrants to Higher Education who are from one or more of the following priority groups:
- Socio-economically disadvantaged communities
- Socio-economic groups that have low participation rates in higher education
- Students with a disability
- Students who are carers
- Students entering on the basis of a QQI Further Education award
- Lone and/or teen parents in receipt of a long-term means-tested social welfare payment
- Members of the Irish Traveller Community
- Members of the Roma Community
- First time, mature student entrants and 2nd chance mature students
- Persons from ethnic minorities who are lawfully present in the State
Dr Declan Reilly is the National Coordinator of the 1916 Bursary.