S.I. No. 70/2026 - Student Grant Scheme 2026

1. Blind Pension

2. Carer’s Allowance

3. One Parent Family Payment

4. Jobseeker’s Allowance Transition

5. Deserted Wife’s Allowance

6. Disability Allowance

7. Farm Assist

8. Jobseeker’s Allowance (in respect of a period of 65 consecutive weeks of unemployment during which an applicant was in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance)*

9. State Pension (Non-Contributory)

10. Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)

11. Pre-retirement allowance

12. Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension/Bereaved Partners (Non-Contributory) Pension

13. Supplementary Welfare Allowance (where held for 12 consecutive calendar months)

14. Disablement Benefit

Social Insurance Payments

15. Benefit Payment for 65 year olds

16. Carer’s Benefit

17. Deserted Wife’s Benefit

18. Invalidity Pension

19. Orphan’s Pension (Under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme)

20. Occupational Injuries Benefit — Death Benefit (Widow or Widower’s Pension)/Bereaved Partners Pension (Under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme)

21. State Pension (Contributory)

22. Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)

23. Jobseeker’s Benefit/Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit (in respect of a combined period of 65 consecutive weeks of unemployment during which an applicant was in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit and/or Jobseekers Pay-Related Benefit)*

24. Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension/Bereaved Partners (Contributory) Pension

Designated Programmes

25. Back to Education Allowance (Second Level and Third Level Options)

26. Short-Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA)

27. Back to Work Enterprise Allowance

28. Community Employment Scheme

29. Rural Social Scheme

30. Tús Initiative

31. Gateway Scheme

32. Further Education and Training (FET) Courses, including Apprenticeships

33. Part-time job incentive scheme

34. Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)

Others

35. Foster Care and Aftercare Allowances or Adoption Maintenance Allowance where paid in respect of the applicant

36. Independent Living Allowance for Young People in Residential Care

37. Working Family Payment / Family Income Supplement (FIS)

38. In receipt of payments under the FIT (Fastrack to IT) initiative equivalent to a social welfare payment

39. Partial Capacity Benefit where the recipient has an underlying entitlement to Invalidity Pension

40. Participants on a training course approved by a Government Department, State Agency or Area Partnership and who were in receipt of an eligible payment prior to progressing to the programme

41. Grant aided employees in Community Services Programmes (formerly social economy enterprises)

*Combined periods of Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit and other eligible payments for purposes of meeting the prescribed period of 65 consecutive weeks of unemployment during which an applicant was in receipt of either Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit.

The Department of Social Protection Illness Benefit or COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit or COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment or Maternity Benefit can also be used to combine periods of Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseeker’s Benefit or Job Seeker’s Pay-Related Benefit provided a period of Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit or Job Seeker’s Pay-Related Benefit comes directly before and directly after the period of Illness Benefit or COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit or COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment or Maternity Benefit.

Periods on the Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS), JobBridge, National Internship Scheme or the Work Placement Experience Programme can also be combined with periods on other listed eligible payments provided a period on an eligible payment comes directly before and directly after the period on the Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS), JobBridge, National Internship Scheme or the Work Placement Experience Programme.

SCHEDULE 3

Annual rates of maintenance grant for the 2026/27 academic year

Non-Adjacent Rate

Adjacent Rate

Special rate of maintenance

€7,936

€3,230

Standard rate—Full Maintenance Band 1

€4,722

€1,774

Standard rate—Part Maintenance Band 2

€3,532

€1,343

Standard rate—Part Maintenance Band 3

€2,702

€975

Standard rate—Part Maintenance Band 4

€1,866

€612

SCHEDULE 4

Maximum overall limits for a fee grant for the 2026/27 academic year

Table 1

Undergraduate Tuition Fee Element

In respect of the following courses

Maximum fee limit Full (100%) grant in respect of tuition fees

Maximum fee limit Part (50%) grant in respect of tuition fees

Approved undergraduate courses to which the Free Fees Schemes applies.

100% of the EU rate of fee

50% of the EU rate of fee

Approved undergraduate courses provided in the State to which the Free Fees Schemes does not apply.

€6,270

€3,135

Table 2

Student Contribution Element

Rate

Full (100%) grant in respect of the student contribution charge

€2,500

Part (50%) grant in respect of the student contribution charge

€1,250

Part (€500) grant in respect of the student contribution charge

€500

Table 3

Field Trip Element

[Calculation of value available towards compulsory costs]

A student or tuition student who would have qualified for 100% tuition fee element of a fee grant but for the Free Fees Schemes and was awarded a grant towards the student contribution charge.

Maximum Fee Limit

Less

the tuition fee claimed from the State by the institution under the Free Fees Schemes

Less

Student Contribution

€6,270

-€x,xxx

€2,500

Equals

maximum amount if any available towards field trip element

€y,yyy

Student or tuition student who qualifies for 100% undergraduate tuition fees or postgraduate tuition fees under the scheme of grants.

Max Fee Limit Amount

Less

EU rate of fee applicable to the course/invoiced to the student

€6,270

-€x,xxx

Equals

the maximum amount if any available towards field trip element

€y,yyy

Table 4

Postgraduate Grants

In respect of the following courses

Maximum fee limit for grant in respect of tuition fees

Postgraduate Fee Contribution

Approved postgraduate courses provided in the State or Northern Ireland.

€6,270

€4,500

The Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation consents to the making of the foregoing Scheme.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.,

2 March, 2026.

JACK CHAMBERS,

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

2 March, 2026.

JAMES LAWLESS,

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(

This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.

)

This Scheme of Grant is made pursuant to powers conferred on the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science under the

Student Support Act 2011

.

This Scheme may be cited as the Student Grant Scheme 2026.

42. Where an applicant is aggrieved by a determination of an appeals officer under section 20(5) of the Act, he or she may, pursuant to section 21 of the Act, appeal against that determination to the Appeals Board.

SCHEDULE 1

Reckonable Income Limits for the 2026/27 academic year

1.

Reckonable income limits

The period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025 is the reference period for the academic year 2026/27.

A tuition student does not qualify for any maintenance grants. The income limits that apply to tuition students are outlined in Tables C, D, E & G of this Schedule.

PLC students

Table A

Income limits for maintenance grants (as specified in Schedule 3)

To qualify for

Special Rate*

Standard rate Full maintenance Band 1

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 2

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 3

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 4

No. of dependent children

Less than 4

€28,600

€47,010

€48,270

€51,040

€58,470

4 to 7

€31,350

€51,520

€52,900

€55,940

€64,080

8 or more

€33,980

€55,850

€57,345

€60,635

€69,465

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table A for Maintenance Grants**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

+ € 4,950

+ €4,950

+ €4,785

+ €4,785

+ €4,785

* To be eligible for the special rate of maintenance grant the reckonable income on 31 December 2025 must include an eligible payment listed in Schedule 2.

** Increments which may be added to the relevant income limits.

Undergraduate students

Table B

: Income limits for maintenance grants (as specified in Schedule 3)

To qualify for

Special Rate*

Standard rate Full maintenance Band 1

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 2

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 3

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 4

No. of dependent children

Less than 4

€28,600

€47,010

€48,270

€51,040

€58,470

4 to 7

€31,350

€51,520

€52,900

€55,940

€64,080

8 or more

€33,980

€55,850

€57,345

€60,635

€69,465

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table B for Maintenance Grants**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

+ €4,950

+ € 4,950

+ €4,785

+€4,785

+€4,785

* To be eligible for the special rate of maintenance grant the reckonable income on 31 December 2025 must include an eligible payment listed in Schedule 2.

** Increments which may be added to the relevant income limits.

Any maintenance grant awarded under the income limits in Table B will also include an award for the full student contribution grant, where the student contribution is chargeable.

Table C

Income limits for the student contribution grant (as specified in Schedule 4)

To qualify for

Student Contribution 100%

Student Contribution 50%

Student Contribution €500

No. of dependent children

Less than 4

€64,315

€71,300

€120,000

4 to 7

€70,490

€78,145

€131,520

8 or more

€76,410

€84,710

€142,570

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table C for Student Contribution Grants**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

+ €4,950

+ €4,950

+ €4,950

** Increments which may be added to the relevant income limits.

Table D

Income limits for tuition fees (as specified in Schedule 4)

To qualify for

(i) 100% tuition fees

(ii) Field trip expenses

50% tuition fees

No. of dependent children

Less than 4

€58,470

€64,315

4 to 7

€64,080

€70,490

8 or more

€69,465

€76,410

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table D for tuition fee grants**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

+€4,785

+€4,950

** Increments which may be added to the relevant income limits.

Postgraduate students

Table E

Income limits for tuition fees (as specified in Schedule 4)

To qualify for

(i) Tuition fees *

(ii) Field trip expenses

No. of dependent children

Less than 4

€28,600

4 to 7

€31,350

8 or more

€33,980

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table E for tuition fees **

+ increment for each additional relevant persons

+ € 4,950

* To be eligible for tuition fees the conditions for the special rate of maintenance grant must be satisfied.

** Increments which may be added to the relevant income limits.

Table F

: Income Limits for Maintenance Grants (as specified in Schedule 3)

To qualify for

Special Rate*

Standard rate Full maintenance Band 1

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 2

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 3

Standard rate Part maintenance Band 4

No. of dependent children

Less than 4

€28,600

€47,010

€48,270

€51,040

€58,470

4 to 7

€31,350

€51,520

€52,900

€55,940

€64,080

8 or more

€33,980

€55,850

€57,345

€60,635

€69,465

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table F for Maintenance Grants**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

+ €4,950

+ € 4,950

+ €4,785

+€4,785

+€4,785

* To be eligible for the special rate of maintenance grant the reckonable income on 31 December 2025 must include an eligible payment listed in Schedule 2.

** Increments which may be added to the relevant income limits.

Table G

Income limits for postgraduate fee contribution (as specified in Schedule 4)

To qualify for

Postgraduate Fee Contribution

No. of dependent children

Less than 4

€64,315

4 to 7

€70,490

8 or more

€76,410

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table G for postgraduate fee contribution**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

+ €4,950

** Increments which may be applied to the relevant income limits.

In the 2026/27 academic year, where the applicant plus one or more relevant persons are attending an approved full-time course for the purposes of this Scheme, an approved part-time course or a full-time course of at least one year’s duration in further or higher education and training in the State, any other Member State or a relevant specified jurisdiction leading to a major award at Levels 5 to 10, of the framework of qualifications or to an equivalent qualification made by a designated awarding body in the State, another Member State or a relevant specified jurisdiction the reckonable income limits for each of the rates of grant in Tables A, B, C, D, E, F & G may be increased by an additional increment as identified.

2.

Holiday Earnings

A deduction of up to a maximum amount of €8,830 may be applied to student earnings outside of term time but within the reference period.

SCHEDULE 2

Eligible Long-term payments for the special rate of maintenance grant for the 2026/27 academic year

As at 31 December 2025, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible payments listed in this Schedule, or its equivalent from a Member State or a relevant specified jurisdiction, net of—

(a) income disregards (as set out in article 22(4) of this Scheme); and

(b) Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC), where paid by the Department of Social Protection.

Social Assistance Payments

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

6

th March,

2026.

ARRANGEMENT OF SCHEME

Contents

Part 1

Preliminary and general

1.

Citation

2.

Commencement and application

3.

Interpretation

Part 2

Scheme of grants

4.

Persons to whom the Scheme applies

5.

Awarding authority

6.

Classes of grant

7.

Maintenance grant

8.

Fee grant

9.

Tuition fee element of fee grant

10.

Student contribution element of fee grant

11.

Field trip element of fee grant

12.

Postgraduate fee contribution

13.

Classes of applicant

14.

Eligibility exclusions

15.

Period of eligibility and progression

16.

Post leaving certificate courses — progression

17.

Undergraduate courses — progression

18.

Postgraduate courses — progression

Part 3

Reckonable income

19.

Reckonable income limits and eligible payments

20.

Reference period

21.

Persons whose income is considered

22.

Determination of reckonable income — general

23.

Determination of reckonable income — self-employment and farming, including rental and other income from land and property

24.

Determination of reckonable income — secondary income

25.

Treatment of losses

Part 4

Award of grants

26.

Offer and award of grant and transfer of status

27.

Rates and value — maintenance grants

28.

Rates and value — fee grant, tuition fee element

29.

Rates and value — fee grant, student contribution element

30.

Rates and value — fee grant, field trip element

31.

Rates and value — postgraduate fee contribution

32.

Review of eligibility during academic year

Part 5

Application, provision of information and payment

33.

Appropriate awarding authority

34.

Application time limits

35.

Applications generally

36.

Submission of information

37.

Payment of maintenance grants

38.

Payment of fee grants

39.

Payment of postgraduate fee contribution

40.

Overpayments

Part 6

Appeals

41.

Appeals to appeals officers

42.

Appeals to Appeals Board

SCHEDULE 1

Reckonable income limits for maintenance and fee grants for the 2026/27 academic year.

SCHEDULE 2

Eligible payments for the special rate of maintenance grant for the 2026/27 academic year.

SCHEDULE 3

Annual rates of maintenance grant for the 2026/27 academic year.

SCHEDULE 4

Maximum overall limits for a fee grant for the 2026/27 academic year.

I, JAMES LAWLESS Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by

section 16

of the

Student Support Act 2011

(No. 4 of 2011) (as adapted by the Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (

S.I. No. 451 of 2020

), with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, hereby make the following scheme of grants:-

Part 1

PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

Citation