Financing college can be difficult. Students have to pay up to €3,000 college fees annually, finance accommodation, transport and living expenses. Thankfully, there is an abundance of academic scholarships available throughout Ireland’s third-level institutions. Applying can be a daunting task. Here are some tips to help you through the process.
- Research: Investigate what scholarships are available in different institutions. Examine the criteria to see if can qualify. Some criteria can be quite specific so research fully all the options available to you.
- Entrance scholarships: Certain institutes offer entrance scholarships for students achieving high Leaving Certificate points. Maynooth University automatically awards €1,000 to students obtaining over 550 points in their Leaving Certificate. Mary Immaculate College awards 50 undergraduate scholarships of €2,000 in order of merit based on Leaving Certificate results. There are several other entrance scholarships available throughout the country. Keep this in mind when applying to institutions.
- Subject Scholarships: Some colleges offer scholarships based on performance in specific subjects or on certain courses. For example, the University of Limerick offers several prizes for high achieving students within the college, like the Arthur Cox Participation Prize for Law and Accounting students. If you are a current third-level student, check with your department what funding and prizes might be available.
- Plan: If you are aware of a particular scholarship you would like to apply for, prepare in advance. You may need to achieve certain grades to qualify. This might be something you need to work towards. Sometimes things like volunteering experience or participation in certain activities are required. If you are aware of these stipulations in advance, you may be able to work towards fulfilling these criteria before applying.
- Look into other options: It can be difficult to obtain an academic scholarship and competition is tough. Explore other options, like sports and performing arts scholarships. You also might qualify for a student grant from SUSI.