Your applicant class determines whose income is included in the income calculation for grant assessment purposes.  There are three types of applicant class:    

• Dependent Student
• Mature Dependent Student
• Independent Student

The income calculation is based on gross income from all sources for the previous calendar year, also known as the reference period.

For example, for academic year 2025/26, applications are assessed on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. 

Gross income includes income before any tax deductions and income that is described as tax-free, tax-paid, not liable to tax or exempt from tax.

When calculating your eligibility for funding, SUSI looks at your reckonable income. Reckonable income is a proportion of your gross income and will determine if you are eligible for funding from SUSI and if you are, what type of funding you could receive.

When making your application, you will need to complete all questions in Section F of the online application form. All questions in this section relate to income.

If you are unsure whether any income should be included in your application, you should provide details of this income in the application form.

SUSI may also receive data from Revenue and the Department of Social Protection to assist in the evaluation and processing of your grant application. After the provisional assessment of your application, you may be asked to send SUSI documentary evidence of your declared income.

All income arising from both inside and outside the State including, but not exclusive to, income under the following headings is included in the income calculation:

• Income from employment including benefit-in-kind and directorships
• Social welfare payments including the social welfare state pension
• Payments from other government departments or state agencies
• Self-employment or farming 
• Rental and other income from land and property
• Income from pensions
• Income from savings, deposit accounts and investments
• Income from maintenance arrangements
• Lump sum payments from retirement and redundancy
• Income from the disposal of assets or rights
• Gifts and inheritances
• Income from other sources not mentioned above

• Accommodation Recognition Payment,
• Aftercare Allowance,
• Adelaide Health Foundation Bursary – Mature,
• Adoption Maintenance Allowance,
• All Ireland Scholarship Scheme,
• Back to Work Family Dividend,
• Blind Pension (where paid to the applicant),
• Caranua services support,
• Carer’s Allowance,
• Carer’s Support Grant (where paid to recipients of the Carer’s Allowance and Domiciliary Care Allowance),
• Cessation Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme - income disregard comes into effect in the 25/26 academic year,
• Child Benefit,
• Community Benefit Education Bursary for the New Children’s Hospital,
• Compensation for a personal injury,
• Co-op Housing Scholarship,
• Cost of Education Allowance,
• COVID-19 Once-off Emergency Grant,
• Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Third Level Bursary Schemes,
• Department of Social Protection Temporary Provisions Payment (commonly referred to as the Christmas Bonus payment),
• Department of Social Protection Cost of Living payments,
• Disability Allowance (where paid to the applicant),
• Domestic Water Services Refund,
• Domiciliary Care Allowance,
• Dormant Account Funding for Traveller Participation in Higher Education,
• Exceptional Needs Payments,
• Foster Care Allowance,
• Fuel Allowance,
• Gaeltacht Learning Period Grant,
• Guardian’s Payment,
• Household Benefits Package,
• Housing Assistance Payment,
• Independent Living Allowance for Young People in Residential Care,
• Jobseekers Allowance Transition (where paid to the applicant),
• Kickstart Scholarship Fund,
• Living Alone Allowance,
• Mobility Allowance (where paid to the applicant),
• Mother and Baby Institutions Payments Scheme, 
• Mortgage Interest Supplement,
• One Parent Family Payments (Means Tested) (where paid to the applicant),
• Pandemic Placement Grant for Student Nurses/Midwives,
• Pandemic Special Recognition Payment,
• Protected Raised Bog Restoration Incentive Scheme - income disregard comes into effect in the 25/26 academic year,
• Rental Accommodation Scheme,
• Rent Supplement,
• Stardust ex-gratia payment - income disregard comes into effect in the 25/26 academic year,
• Student Assistance Fund,
• Student Grant,
• The first €5,000 of any eligible scholarship programme or bursary award (excluding stipends) paid to a student or tuition student that is not otherwise disregarded within the Student Grant Scheme - income disregard comes into effect in the 25/26 academic year,
• Tusla - NTRIS Employment Support Scheme,
• Tusla - Educational Support for Children in Care and Aftercare Bursary,
• Tusla - Bursary for Social Care Workers, 
• UCD Cothrom na Féinne Scholarship,
• Uversity - Higher Education Bursary for Adult Learners,
• Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant,
• Working Family Payment /Family Income Supplement.

If your course is full-time and you worked and studied last year, SUSI can deduct a portion of your income earned outside of term time to improve your rate of grant.

• For the 25/26 academic year, the maximum deduction is €8,424.
• Known as Holiday Earnings, this deduction will apply to income earned during the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays. 
• You can declare Holiday Earnings on your SUSI application form and if this improves your rate of grant we will request supporting documents from you.

Holiday Earnings - Full-Time Students

If your course is an approved full-time course and you worked and studied last year, SUSI can deduct a portion of your income earned outside of term time to improve your rate of grant.

• For the 25/26 academic year, the maximum deduction is €8,424.
• Known as Holiday Earnings, this deduction will apply to income earned during the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays. 
• You can declare Holiday Earnings on your SUSI application form and if this improves your rate of grant we will request supporting documents from you.

Student Earnings - Part-Time Students

If your course is an approved part-time undergraduate course and you worked last year, SUSI can deduct a portion of your income if it will result in you being eligible for funding.

• For the 25/26 academic year, the maximum deduction is €8,424.

Dependent Children

• Dependent children refers to the number of other children in the household dependent on the applicant and/or their parent(s)/legal guardian, spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. The reckonable income thresholds increase based on the number of dependent children. 

Relevant Persons in Further or Higher Education

• Relevant person in further and higher education refers to another person, within the household who is attending a full-time course in further or higher education at the same time as the applicant. The reckonable income thresholds can be adjusted to take account of relevant persons.

   

Further deductions can be made, as follows:

• in respect of income from employment, employment-related expenses as approved by Revenue.
• maintenance payments made under a legally enforceable arrangement to a separated spouse, as approved by Revenue.
• contributions to pension schemes and pension or retirement products, paid in the reference period only, within the limits allowed by Revenue.
• overtime payments earned in the reference period that are not recurring payments.
• expenses claimed under the Travel and Accommodation Scheme for student nurses and midwives on mandatory, supernumerary clinical practice placements, as well as the meal allowance of €500 payable to supernumerary nursing and midwifery students in years 1 to 3 of their course.
• income up to a maximum of €14,000 in respect of Rent a Room Relief, earned in the reference period only and declared to the Revenue Commissioner.

SUSI may be able to confirm the amounts of these payments directly with Revenue on your behalf, however we will request documentary evidence from you where necessary, such as payslips or a letter from your employer.

PLC Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates

Full-Time Undergraduate Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates 

Part-Time Undergraduate Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates

Outside the State Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates

Postgraduate Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates