Students enrolling in a postgraduate course at University of Limerick may be eligible for financial assistance in the government’s student grant scheme.

Depending on the level of a student’s reckonable income, a postgraduate fee contribution of €4,000 or a postgraduate fee grant, up to a maximum of €6,270, towards the cost of fees plus a maintenance grant is available to postgraduate students pursuing an approved course.

To receive the postgraduate fee grant plus a maintenance grant, students must meet the criteria for the Special Rate of grant

As a once-off measure the postgraduate fee contribution has been increased to €5,000 for the 2023/24 academic year. (Postgraduate students who receive the special rate of grant and a fee contribution of up to €6,270 are not included in this measure.)

The total amount of the grant will depend on the level of a student’s reckonable income. 

Click here to read more about Postgraduate Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates | SUSI

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Learn more about postgraduate fees and funding at our Open Day events or monthly webinars.

Income limits for the fee contribution

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.

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 reckonable income limits (the proportion of gross income that SUSI considers when doing its calculations) may be increased by €4,950 for each additional family member who is also doing a full-time course of at least a year.

The bracket you fall into will determine how much (if any) funding you’ll be able to get.

If you’re an independent applicant, your income will count, as well as the income of your spouse/civil partner/or cohabitant (this doesn’t include housemates).

To learn more about the income limits and deductions, etc., head over to the SUSI website.

What are the special rates for disadvantaged students?

Some applicants may be applicable for special rates, which covers tuition fees and essential field trips up to €6,270.

The conditions are:

  • You must meet the same conditions as the standard maintenance grant under the Student Grant Scheme for the academic year. You can read more about that here: grants for student in further and higher education.
  • Your total reckonable income in the tax year prior must not be more than €25,000.
  • You must be getting certain social welfare payments or participating in a designated programme at the end of the year prior, i.e. long-term social welfare payments; Family Income Supplement; Designated programmes (for example a Community Employment Scheme).

How do you apply for postgraduate grants?

SUSI is the go-to single grant-awarding authority in Ireland.

If you’re a new applicant, you’ll need to go to the SUSI website, sign up, and fill out the application form. Thankfully, the process is relatively straightforward and SUSI explains some of the trickier bits in its guide, which you can follow here.

The application form follows six sections:

  • Section A: Your personal details.
  • Section B: Nationality and residency.
  • Section C: Course details, previous education, and info about any financial support you’ve received.
  • Section D: Personal details of your parents/guardians/partner, etc.
  • Section E: Info on any dependent children or relevant people in your household.
  • Section F: Income information.

Before you start filling out your application form, you should know:

  • PPSN numbers for yourself, your parents/guardians, your partner etc.
  • Income details for yourself, your parents/guardians, your partner etc.