glass pot with coins and leaves

The Student Assistance Fund provides financial support to full- or part-time students in undergraduate or postgraduate courses who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college.

The Student Assistance Fund supports students who are experiencing difficulty in meeting the day-to-day expenses associated with attending college, or who encounter unforeseen circumstances resulting in short or longer-term financial difficulties, (e.g. family difficulties, bereavement, accidents or health problems).

The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). The Student Assistance Fund is allocated to higher education institutions (HEIs) as part of the National Access Plan: A Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success in Higher Education 2022-2028.

The application for the Academic year 2024/25 is open from 12 noon on the 1st of October 2024 and close for new applications at 12 noon on the 28th of November 2024.

Student Assistance Fund Application Link. 

This is an online-only application.

Please remember that your username and password are identical to your email and bright space.

Note: You can only apply once per Academic year. 

  • Full-time and Part-time registered students for the academic year 24/25 on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. 
  • The course must lead to an NFQ Level 6 –10. 
  • PhD Students and UL students who are on Erasmus are eligible to apply. 

Who is not eligible:

  • Students who link into a semester
  • Students on courses that do not lead to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification, such as Foundation or Access courses
  • International students are not eligible for the Student Assistance Fund and are advised to contact the International Office if in need of financial support.
  • Non-University of Limerick Erasmus students are not eligible for the Student Assistance Fund and are advised to contact their own institution if in need of financial support

Please Note: Only one application per academic year is accepted

Applicants can take many weeks to process due to our rigorous assessment process. Assessment outcomes may very depending on the application. You will receive an update on your application from workflow@ul.ie once it has been assessed.

Please see below for the possible outcomes:

  • Incomplete: Applications that are deemed incomplete are missing vital information for assessment. You will be asked to use the specific link in the email to submit the requested documentation. This will make the assessment time longer than estimated average above. 
  • Awaiting for form of Undertaking confirmation: The Applicant has been deemed eligible. You must follow the link attached to the email and confirm the form of undertaking in order for the payment process to be triggered. It can take up to 4 weeks for the funding to be transferred. 
  • Declined: The Applicant has been deemed ineligible and will no longer be assessed for the fund. 

Note: emails from workflow@ul.ie might go into your spam/junk E-mail inbox, please check these regularly. 

Financial Documentation:

If you are in receipt of the SUSI grant:

  • SUSI: If you are in receipt of a SUSI grant for the Academic year in which you are applying, you only need to attach the eligibility letter on page 1 and the Reckonable income page from the letter on page 3.

You must include all the relevant financial documentation for those who contributed to your family income for the full 52 weeks of 2023

  • Statement of Liability (formerly P21) for 2023 (other documentation will NOT be accepted e.g. Employment Summary detail, form 11, pay slips, etc.).
  • A Self Assessment - Chapter 4 from the Inspector of Taxes for the year ended 31st December 2022 or 2023.
  • A statement from the Department of Social Protection outlining details of all social welfare income for the year ended 31st December 2023.
  • A statement from the relevant Pension Provider for 2023.

Other Documentation 

You are required to write a personal statement indicating why you are applying for the Student Assistance Fund.

The SAF is available to assist students who are unable to meet costs associated with day - day participation in higher education, including:

  • books and other class material that are required to enable students to continue and participate in teaching and learning and/or complete examinations
  • rent, heating and lighting bills and other utility bills e.g., mobile phone data plans, that are required to enable students to continue and participate in teaching and learning and/or complete examinations
  • food
  • essential travel
  • childcare costs
  • medical costs
  • family difficulties e.g., bereavement
  • Utility Bills e.g. mobile phone bill, internet bill etc. 

Ineligible costs
Funding is not available to assist students with the costs of tuition fees, registration fees, student loans or any costs that are borne by the HEI.