Applicants must meet financial, college entry and target group criteria in order to be deemed eligible for consideration for a bursary.  

A)     Financial Criteria 

• Applicants must demonstrate that they would qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant under the Student Grant Scheme (SUSI)  
  
  and/or 
  
  are in receipt of a Department of Social Protection (DSP) long-term means-tested social welfare payment.  
  
  AND 

B)     College Entry Criteria: 

• Applicants must be first-time new entrants to higher education to undergraduate study.  
• Applicants must also have been resident in the State (Republic of Ireland) for three of the past five years on the date on which their first year of study commences. 
• Applicants must be pursuing an approved full-time or approved part-time undergraduate course in one of the approved institutions in the regional clusters of HEIs.  

AND 

C)     Target Group Criteria: 

Applicants must be from one or more of the following target groups:  

• students from communities that are socio-economically disadvantaged or that have low levels of participation in higher education;  
• first-time mature students (23 or older on 1 January of their year of entry to higher education);  
• students with a disability (particularly those with a physical or mobility impairment, those who are deaf or hard of hearing and those who are blind or have a visual impairment);  
• members of Irish Traveller community;  
• further education and training award holders progressing to higher education;  
• lone parents (confirmed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) as holding a long-term means-tested social welfare payment) – at least 20% of Tier 1 bursaries will be targeted at lone parents;  
• students from ethnic minorities who are lawfully present in the State and are:  
  - a national of an EU Member State, a state which is a contracting state to the EEA agreement, the UK or the Swiss Confederation,  
  - or person whose current immigration status or leave to remain under the Department of Justice, is one of the following:  

Refugee, Programme Refugee, Family Reunification:  

• A refugee or other person entitled for the time being to the rights and privileges specified in section 3 of the Refugee Act 1996, including a person granted:  
• Leave to enter and remain in the State as a programme refugee under section 24 of that Act, or 
•  permission to enter and reside in the State as a family member of a refugee pursuant to section 18 of that Act;  
• A person who is, pursuant to the International Protection Act 2015:  
• given a refugee declaration under section 47(1) of that Act, or  
• a programme refugee under section 59 of that Act.  
  
  Subsidiary Protection:  

• A person, pursuant to the European Communities (Eligibility for Protection) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 518 of 2006)  
• 1. who the Minister for Justice and Law Reform has determined is eligible for the time being for subsidiary protection pursuant to Regulation 4 of those Regulations, or  
• 2. to whom the Minister for Justice and Law Reform has granted permission for the time being in writing to enter and reside in the State pursuant to Regulation 16 of those Regulation.  
• A person, pursuant to the European Union (Subsidiary Protection) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 426 of 2013):  
• who is a person eligible for subsidiary protection and in relation to whom a subsidiary protection declaration is in force and to whom a permission to reside within the State has been granted pursuant to those Regulations; or  
• to whom the Minister for Justice and Equality has granted permission to enter and reside in the State pursuant to Regulation 25 of those Regulations; or  
• to whom the Minister for Justice and Equality has granted permission to reside in the State pursuant to Regulation 26 of those Regulations.  
• A person who is given a subsidiary protection declaration under section 47(4) of the International Protection Act 2015.  
  
  European Communities (Free Movement of Persons Regulations) 2006 and 2008  
• A person who is a family member of a person who is a national of –  
• an EU Member State,  
• a state which is a contracting state to the EEA Agreement,  
• the Swiss Confederation, and  
• has permission to remain in the State as a family member of such person under the provisions of the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons Regulations) 2006 and 2008 and Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004.  
  
  Spouse, civil partner or dependent child of Irish national residing in the State  

• A person who has permission to remain in the State  
• by virtue of marriage to, or a civil partnership with, an Irish national residing in the state, or 
• as a dependent child of a person coming with clause(i)  
  
  Dependent child of naturalized Irish citizen residing in the State  

• A person who has permission to remain in the State as a dependent child of a person who has acquired Irish Citizenship by naturalization, residing in the State.  
  
  Humanitarian leave to remain  

• A person in respect of whom the Minister for Justice and Equality has granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State under any enactment for the time being in force.  
• A person granted permission to reside in the State under section 49 of the International Protection Act 2015  
  
  Decision not to deport under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999  

• A person in respect of whom the Minister for Justice and Equality has granted permission to remain following a determination not to make a deportation order under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999.  
• For further clarification, see section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 the Student Support Regulations 2021 (Statutory Instrument No. 132 of 2021). 

• Students who are not first-time entrants to higher education in the 2021-2022 academic year. 
• Students who have already received a qualification at the same level. 
• Students on a full-time or part-time undergraduate course in a publicly funded institution that takes less than two years to complete or on the successful completion of which a student is awarded a major higher education and training award at level 5 or below on the National Framework of Qualifications.
• Student who is paying non-EU fees

Applicants are required to submit relevant supporting financial and target group documentary evidence. This supporting documentation can only be submitted online in Application (Part II). Please refer to the  1916 Bursary Fund South Cluster SOAR Project Supporting Documentation Presentation 2021.2022, which you will find on the SOAR Project website at the following link: https://www.soarforaccess.ie/1916-bursary-fund/

Your application will be assessed on the basis of information provided on the online application and the supporting documentation uploaded with the application. Applicants must meet the college entry, financial and target group eligibility criteria set out in the 1916 Bursary Fund Guidelines in order to be considered for the bursary. The following additional indicators of socio-economic disadvantage will also be considered: 

• Attended at a DEIS second level school for a minimum of 5 years. 
• Is or was in the Care of the State / TUSLA. 
• Is or was previously homeless. 
• Is or was previously living in supported accommodation. 
• Was previously living in Direct Provision or currently transitioning out of Direct Provision.  

It is expected that the number of applications will exceed the number of bursaries available. The SOAR Project will prioritise those deemed in greatest need; who are socio-economically disadvantaged and can provide evidence of membership of the target group(s); the institutions will give due regard to ensuring that the benefit of the bursaries is maximised. 

Applicants must clearly demonstrate the significance and impact of the socio-economic disadvantage and barriers experienced. In accordance with the guidelines 20% of all Tier 1 bursaries must be awarded to lone parents.  

How many Bursaries will be awarded in the South Cluster SOAR Project? 
Tier 1 Bursaries: 35 
Tier 2 Bursaries: 29 
Tier 3 Bursaries: To Be Confirmed 

I am a Postgraduate Student and was not awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund previously, can I apply for it now? 
No. The 1916 Bursary Fund is only open to first time, new entrants pursuing an undergraduate course and progressing to higher education for the first time in the 2021-2022 academic year. 

I am already in college. Can I apply for the 1916 Bursary Fund? 
No.  The 1916 Bursary Fund is only open to first time, new entrants pursuing an undergraduate course and progressing to higher education for the first time in the 2021-2022 academic year. 

I am a part-time student.  Can I apply for the 1916 Bursary Fund? 
Yes, but only if you are pursuing an approved part time undergraduate course leading to a major higher education and training award at Level 6 (Higher Certificate), Level 7 (Ordinary Bachelor Degree), Level 8 (Honours Bachelor Degree) on the national framework of qualifications or equivalent awards that take not less than two years to complete in one of the SOAR Project South Cluster Higher Education Institutions. 

I am repeating first year. Can I apply? 
Applications from those currently repeating Year 1 of their undergraduate programme will only be considered in cases where evidence is supplied that a significant life event was the reason for poor performance in the last academic year. Examples of such life events include serious ill health which was certified at the time, pregnancy, bereavement in the immediate family. 

When will I be told the outcome of my application? 
It expected that applicants will be informed of the outcome within six weeks of the online application closing date.  

If my application is unsuccessful, can I make an appeal? 
Yes the South Cluster SOAR Project is committed to ensuring the all applications are assessed fairly, accurately and according to the PATH 2 1916 Bursary Fund guidelines. All appeals will be considered by an Independent Appeals Panel. The grounds for appeal are: 
That you believe there was an “administrative error in assessment” i.e. that you think a mistake was made when your application was being reviewed that led to you not being awarded the Bursary. 

How do I make an appeal? 
An appeal can be made by unsuccessful applicants via an online appeals form only. The link to the online appeal form will be communicated to all unsuccessful applicants in the application outcome email. The information submitted and the supporting documentation uploaded to the online application will be used in the consideration of the appeal. No additional information or supporting documentation can be submitted with the appeal. The decision of the Independent Appeals Panel is final. The outcome of the appeal will be communicated to all appellants within one week of the appeals closing date. 

Will the 1916 Bursary Fund affect my SUSI Grant? 
Students will be entitled to hold the 1916 Bursary and the student grant simultaneously, where they meet the eligibility conditions of the student grant scheme. The 1916 Bursary will be an income disregard for the purposes of ‘reckonable income’ in the student grant scheme. 

Will the Bursary affect my Social Welfare payment? 
No – the 1916 Bursary Fund does not affect your means-tested or other payments from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 

Can I keep my Rent Allowance and Medical Card with the 1916 Bursary Fund? 
The Bursary should not be counted as income when you are being assessed for any means tested payments. 

Can I hold the 1916 Bursary Fund if I have been awarded other Scholarships?  
No students are not permitted to hold a 1916 Bursary (Tier 1, 2 or 3) in conjunction with any other bursary, scholarship or award, irrespective of value.  

Can I hold the 1916 Bursary Fund if I have been awarded other Scholarships?  
No students are not permitted to hold a 1916 Bursary (Tier 1, 2 or 3) in conjunction with any other bursary, scholarship or award, irrespective of value.  

I wish to study abroad as part of my programme, can I avail of additional financial support to facilitate this if I have been awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund?  
Where relevant, a bursary recipient is permitted to avail of any additional financial supports available to them where they are benefitting from the opportunity to study abroad as part of their course e.g. Erasmus+.

Can I avail of the supports of the Fund for Students with Disabilities if I have been awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund? Yes. The ESF Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) provides funding directly to higher and further education institutions to provide supports and services to ensure that eligible learners with disabilities can participate on an equal basis with their peers (www.studentfinance.ie). Individual HEI’s make applications to the fund on behalf of eligible students following an assessment of needs. Students cannot make applications directly to the fund. 

Can I participate in the Tusla NTRIS Employment Support Scheme for Traveller and Roma Communities if I have been awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund? Yes. 

Can I avail of the supports of financial supports through Dormant Accounts Funding that supports members of the Irish Traveller community in higher education if I have been awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund? Yes.  

Are there any other financial supports available in college? 
Yes.  Each Higher Education Institution has a Student Assistance Fund to support qualifying students experiencing financial hardship. Please contact the Access Service of the college to find out more about the Student Assistance Fund and other financial supports that may be available.    

If I am awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund, how will I be paid? 
You will be paid by electronic payment to your bank account.  

What is expected of me if I am awarded a 1916 Bursary Fund? 
1916 Bursary Fund Recipients are expected to: 

• keep within the rules and regulations of your institution. 
• agree to any assessment set out by your institution for your course. 
• engage and co-operate with the department managing the 1916 Bursary Fund in your institution.  
• awardees may be asked to attend or be part of events organised by the institution to increase awareness of the 1916 Bursary Fund. 

If I am awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund, can I repeat a year of study? 
The 1916 Bursary Fund cannot be paid for a repeat year unless the institution agrees that there were “exceptional circumstances” i.e. medical or personal reasons why you could not complete the year. You would be expected to provide written evidence of your illness or personal situation from a professional outside your family group. You would also be expected to work with the student supports within your institution during your difficulty and at a minimum have advised someone in your college that you have an issue ongoing. 

Data Sharing 
Data sharing arrangements are in place with participating South Cluster Higher Education Institutions, CAO and SUSI subject to data protection considerations.

Please email all queries regarding the 1916 Bursary Fund - South Cluster SOAR Project to:1916BursaryQueries@soarforaccess.ie

The PATH 2 1916 Bursary Fund Implementation Guidelines 2021/2022 are available at

https://hea.ie/funding-governance-performance/funding/student-finance/1916-bursary-fund/