Student Universal Support Ireland supports students pursuing higher education in Ireland. The centralized system is operated under the Student Support Act 2011 offers funding to the eligible students in approved full-time education and also, in some cases, to students staying in another country.
There are only two months’ grants for the academic year 2024-25 left now. SUSI processes the student’s grants – (a) Maintenance and (b) fee grant each month on Thursday. The payment dates for the higher education students and PLC students are different.
SUSI has opened the new application window for the academic year 2025-26, which will close on 05 June 2025 for renewal grant applications and 10 July 2025 for New grant applications. The students who wish to get the grant can apply now, but first they should check the new changes in the threshold and other details.
| Who qualifies? | Students from Ireland, the EU, EEA, Switzerland, or the UK, who meet the income threshold, and enroll in approved courses in an approved institute for progressing education. |
| Academic Year | 2025-26 |
| Application Open Date | 03 April 2025 |
| Closing date for renewal application | 05 June 2025 |
| Closing date for the New grant application | 10 July 2025 |
| Income Threshold boost | 15% for Maintenance and contribution(PLC, UG, and PG) |
| Holiday Earning boost | From €7,925 to €8,424 |
| Upcoming Payout date for 2024-25 | Higher Education Students: 10 April 2025PLC students: 17 April 2024 |
| Official Website | https://www.susi.ie/ |
Payment Dates for 2024-25
According to the SUSI, only the April and May 2025 student grants are left now for the 2024-25 academic year. The higher education students and PLC students can check their upcoming payout date below:
- Higher Education Students:
- April 2025: 10 April 2025 (Thursday)
- May 2025: 08 May 2025 (Thursday)
- PLC Students:
- April 2025: 17 April 2025 (Thursday)
- May 2025: 15 May 2025 (Thursday)
- June 2025: 12 June 2025 (Thursday)
Important Note:
- The authority will soon release the payment schedule for the academic year on the official website.
- The students must remember that they must confirm their attendance/ registration in the enrolled college each month at least one week before the scheduled payout date.
Who will receive it?
According to the SUSI guidelines, the students who meet the following eligibility criteria qualify for the grant:
- Nationality:
- You should be an Irish, EEA, EU, Swiss, or UK national, or you hold the specific immigration status you are eligible for the grant, or Department of Justice leave to remain authorization.
- Residency:
- You must be a resident of the Irish state, the EEA, the EU, or Swiss, or the UK for three of the last five years.
- Income:
- Your total household income must fall under the specific income threshold, your income determines what type of funding you are eligible to receive. Every year, the income threshold may change depending on the prior year’s economic conditions.
- Approved course in an approved institute:
- Students applying for the grant must be pursuing the approved course from the approved institution. The students can check the approved courses and the approved institution list on the SUSI official website.
- Previous Education
- Students can get the grant for courses that lead to higher education qualification from their previous qualification, or you have previously attended.
- The grant is available for progressive education, it does not allow repeating any courses except in certain circumstances.
Grants Available
Under the SUSI initiative, the authority divided the student grant into two grants: (a) Maintenance Grants and (b) Fee Grants. The maintenance grants will offer support to the students with their cost of living, which will be paid directly to the student’s bank account, whereas the fee grants help the students with their tuition fees.
The tuition fee will be directly paid to the educational institute, which will also include the student contribution and essential field trips. The student grants under SUSI are available for students studying or looking to study at UG, PLC, and PG education levels.
The following table will tell you the type of grant available for the courses you pursue:
| Course Type | Student Tuition/ Contribution fees | Maintenance Grant | PG fees |
| PLC course | – | Yes | |
| Full-time UG courses | Yes | Yes | |
| Part-time UG courses | Yes | ||
| UG courses in the UK or the EU | – | Yes | |
| PG course | Yes | Yes |
Under the PG courses, the SUSI also allows a special rate of grant up to €6,270 + maintenance grant. The contribution/ fee grant for the PG course is up to €4,000 + maintenance grant.
New changes for 2025-26
SUSI has opened the application window for the academic year 2025-26 and introduced the following changes in the scheme:
- The authority has increased the holiday earnings (earnings outside the term) from €7,925 to €8,424.
- The income threshold for the maintenance grant is increased by 15% for the PLC, PG, and full-time UG students. The income threshold for the Special rate of Maintenance grant for a household with less than four children to €27,400.
- The income threshold for the full-time UG student contribution. Fee grants are also increased by 15%, whereas for the part-time UG contribution and PG fee contribution, the income threshold is increased by €64,315.
- The students who receive the scholarships from the public funds may now be eligible for the grants if their fees are not fully covered through scholarships.
How to apply?
Students who wish to apply for the 2025-26 academic year SUSI student grants complete the application process in the following steps:
- You should go to the SUSI official website and create your account on the SUSI Student portal.
- Next, enter all the required details and get your login credentials to access the application form.
- Next, fill out the application form with accurate information and submit it.
- Next, send the requested documents as per the received letter.
- Once the authority reviews and approves your application, an award letter will be issued with the grant and further steps to accept the grant.
SUSI student grants are a brilliant opportunity for students who wish to pursue higher education but are struggling with finances, so if you need the support, apply now.