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 2023/24

The income calculation is based on gross income from all sources for the previous calendar year. For example, for academic year 2023/24, applications are assessed on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.

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 by a student on their chosen course, their college will determine whether the Free Fees Schemes apply to the course being undertaken and whether the student is eligible for free fees under those schemes, further to which it will be determined that the Fee Grant will cover either the Student Contribution Charge or Tuition Fees, as follows:

  • Student Contribution Charge where the Free Fees Schemes apply to the course and the student is eligible for free fees under those schemes, OR
  • Tuition Fees to a maximum limit of either
    • €6,270 where the Free Fees Schemes do not cover the course, or
    • The full amount of 100% of the EU rate of fee for the course where the Free Fees Schemes apply to 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.

 

 

To be eligible for the Special Rate of maintenance grant, your:
        • reckonable income must not exceed €24,500; and
        • the reckonable income must include one of the long-term Department of Social Protection eligible payments as prescribed in the Student Grant Scheme for the relevant year or its equivalence from an EU Member State.

Academic Year 2023/24

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) 

Rate of maintenance grant available 



€2,936



€2,936



€2,936

 

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

Rate of maintenance grant available 

€6,971

€6,971

€6,971

 
         

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 

€1,613

€1,613

€1,613

 

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

Rate of maintenance grant available 

€3,677

€3,677

€3,677

 
         

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 

€1,221

€1,221

€1,221

 

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

Rate of maintenance grant available 

€2,717

€2,717

€2,717

 
         

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 

€886

€886

€886

 

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

Rate of maintenance grant available 

€1,887

€1,887

€1,887

 
         

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) 

Rate of maintenance grant available 

€556

€556

€556

 

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

Rate of maintenance grant available 

€1,051

€1,051

€1,051

 
         

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

Following registration by a student on their chosen course, their college will determine whether the Free Fees Schemes apply to their course.

If the Free Fee Schemes apply to their course the Fee Grant will cover the Student Contribution Charge

If the Free Fee Schemes does not apply to their course the Fee Grant will cover tuition fees to maximum of €6,270.