Undergraduate Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates

Undergraduate Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates

Income Threshold Tables and Grant Award Rates for Undergraduate Students

To be eligible for funding, your total household reckonable income must fall below specific income thresholds. If you are eligible for funding, your reckonable income is a factor in determining what type of funding you may receive.

Academic Year 2024/25

The income calculation is based on gross income from all sources for the previous calendar year. For example, for academic year 2024/25, applications are assessed on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

The tables below outlines the income thresholds in bold and the associated maintenance grant rates for Undergraduate students.

Income thresholds may increase based on Dependent Children and/or Relevant Persons in further and higher education.

Maintenance grant and fee grant funding is available to Undergraduate students pursuing approved courses within the State.

Tuition students and students in receipt of a Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) are not eligible to receive a maintenance grant.

The maintenance grant is a contribution towards day-to-day living costs which is paid directly to eligible students through nine monthly installments over the course of the academic year. 

Maintenance grants are paid at adjacent and non-adjacent rates. The adjacent rate is paid when a student’s college is less than 30km from their normal residence. The non-adjacent rate is paid when a student’s college is 30km or more from their normal residence.

The fee grant is made up of the following three elements:

  • Tuition Fee
  • Student Contribution Charge
  • Compulsory Field Trip Expenses

Following registration, the college will determine whether the student is eligible for free fees under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). They will also determine if the course is covered under the FFI.

SUSI will pay the college the Student Contribution Charge or Tuition Fees as follows:

  1. If both the student and the course are covered under the FFI, SUSI will pay the college all or part of the Student Contribution Charge.
  2. If the student is covered under the FFI but the course is not, SUSI will pay the college Tuition Fees to maximum of €6,270.
  3. If the student is not covered under the FFI but their course is, SUSI will pay the college up to the full amount of 100% of the EU rate of fee for the course.

In some cases, a student will be eligible for Compulsory Field Trip Expenses if it applies to their course and if there is sufficient funding remaining from the total grant awarded.

 

Students whose course of study includes a compulsory period of study abroad, and those registered in participating higher education institutions who take part in compulsory periods of study or work on Erasmus, will continue to receive their maintenance grant payments, where applicable.

The table below sets out the income thresholds in bold and the associated maintenance grant rates for Undergraduate Students. 

To be eligible for the Special Rate of maintenance grant, you:

  • Must be eligible for the ordinary rate of grant;
  • Your total reckonable household income must not exceed the special rate thresholds; and
  • On 31 December of the previous year to your application, the reckonable household income must include an eligible long-term Department of Social Protection payment as prescribed in the Student Grant Scheme for the relevant year or its equivalence from an EU Member State.



 

Award


Less than 4 dependent children


Between 4 and 7 dependent children


8 or more dependent children

Income Threshold Increase per additional person in college

         

Special rate* of maintenance + Field trip element + 100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€26,200

Reckonable income must be under

€28,715

Reckonable income must be under

€31,128

 

+€4,950

Special Rate* Adj. (Under 30km) 

Rate of maintenance grant available 

 

€3,230

 

€3,230

 

€3,230

 

Special Rate* Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Rate of maintenance grant available

 

€7,586

 

€7,586

 

€7,586

 
         

Band 1 Full Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€40,875

Reckonable income must be under

€44,810

Reckonable income must be under

€48,575

 

+€4,950

Band 1 Full Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Rate of maintenance grant available 

 

€1,774

 

 

€1,774

 

€1,774

 

Band 1 Full Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Rate of maintenance grant available 

 

€4,292

 

€4,292

 

€4,292

 
         

Band 2 Part Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€41,970

Reckonable income must be under

€46,025

Reckonable income must be under

€49,890




+€4,785

Band 2 Part Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Rate of maintenance grant available 

 

€1,343

 

€1,343

 

€1,343

 

Band 2 Part Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Rate of maintenance grant available

 

€3,332

 

€3,332

 

€3,332

 
         

Band 3 Part Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€44,380

Reckonable income must be under

€48,670

Reckonable income must be under

€52,760

 

+€4,785

Band 3 Part Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Rate of maintenance grant available

 

€975

 

€975

 

€975

 

Band 3 Part Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Rate of maintenance grant available

 

€2,502

 

€2,502

 

€2,502

 
         

Band 4 Part Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€50,840

Reckonable income must be under

€55,768

Reckonable income must be under

€60,445

 

+€4,785

Band 4 Part Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Rate of maintenance grant available

 

€612

 

€612

 

€612

 

Band 4 Part Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Rate of maintenance grant available

 

€1,666

 

€1,666

 

€1,666

 
         

No maintenance

50% tuition fees or 100% student contribution

Reckonable income must be under

€55,924

Reckonable income must be under

€61,342

Reckonable income must be under

€66,501

 

+€4,950

         

No maintenance

50% student contribution

Reckonable income must be under

€62,000

Reckonable income must be under

€68,014

Reckonable income must be under

€73,727

 

+€4,950

No maintenance

€500 Student Contribution

Reckonable income must be under

€100,000

 

Reckonable income must be under

€109,600

 

Reckonable income must be under

€118,806

 

 

+€4,950

 

 

Academic Year 2023/24

Due to measures announced in Budget 2024, from January 2024 the non-adjacent maintenance grant rates will increase by €615 and the adjacent maintenance grant rates will increase by 10%.

When these measures come into effect, eligible students will see their maintenance grant payments increase proportionately from January to May 2024.

The below table reflects these changes and shows the total value of maintenance grant available for the 2023/24 academic year.

Award


Less than 4 dependent children


Between 4 and 7 dependent children


8 or more dependent children

Income Threshold Increase per additional person in college

         

Special rate* of maintenance + Field trip element + 100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€25,000

Reckonable income must be under

€27,400

Reckonable income must be under

€29,702

 

+€4,950

Special Rate* Adj. (Under 30km) 

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€3,099.33

 

€3,099.33

 

€3,099.33

 

Special Rate* Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€7,312.69

 

 

€7,312.69

 

€7,312.69

 
         

Band 1 Full Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€40,875

Reckonable income must be under

€44,810

Reckonable income must be under

€48,575

 

+€4,950

Band 1 Full Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€1,702.43

 

 

 

€1,702.43

 

€1,702.43

 

Band 1 Full Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€4,018.69

 

€4,018.69

 

€4,018.69

 
         

Band 2 Part Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€41,970

Reckonable income must be under

€46,025

Reckonable income must be under

€49,890




+€4,785

Band 2 Part Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€1,288.78

 

€1,288.78

 

€1,288.78

 

Band 2 Part Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€3,058.66

 

€3,058.66

 

€3,058.66

 
         

Band 3 Part Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€44,380

Reckonable income must be under

€48,670

Reckonable income must be under

€52,760

 

+€4,785

Band 3 Part Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€935.41

 

€935.41

 

€935.41

 

Band 3 Part Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€2,228.68

 

€2,228.68

 

€2,228.68

 
         

Band 4 Part Maintenance + Field trip element +100% tuition fees or 100% student contribution Threshold

Reckonable income must be under

€46,790

Reckonable income must be under

€51,325

Reckonable income must be under

€55,630

 

+€4,785

Band 4 Part Maintenance Adj. (Under 30km) 

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€587.12

 

€587.12

 

€587.12

 

Band 4 Part Maintenance Non Adj. (30km or Over)

Total value of maintenance grant available for AY 2023/24

 

€1,392.67

 

€1,392.67

 

€1,392.67

 
         

No maintenance

50% tuition fees or 100% student contribution

Reckonable income must be under

€50,840

Reckonable income must be under

€55,765

Reckonable income must be under

€60,455

 

+€4,950

         

No maintenance

50% student contribution

Reckonable income must be under

€62,000

Reckonable income must be under

€68,014

Reckonable income must be under

€73,727

 

+€4,950

No maintenance

€500 Student Contribution

Reckonable income must be under

€100,000

 

Reckonable income must be under

€109,600

 

Reckonable income must be under

€118,806

 

 

+€4,950