Application to the 1916 Bursary Fund 2023/24 for undergraduates is open now. Apply using this online form which is hosted by Dublin City University (DCU) on behalf of Maynooth University. 

Before you apply, you should read the information below carefully, complete an online eligibility check and see further information at 1916bursary.ie.
Applications close on 25th January 2024 at 5pm. Successful & unsuccessful outcomes will be communicated on 19th March, 2024.

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About the Undergraduate 1916 Bursary Fund 2023-24

The 1916 Bursary Fund is a financial award co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), which aims to encourage participation and success by students who are most socio-economically disadvantaged and from groups most under-represented in higher education. The 1916 Bursary is open to new entrant (first-time) undergraduate students and, if awarded, may be available for the entire duration of a student's programme of study including their postgraduate study. Each college has a limited number of bursaries that will be awarded to the eligible applicants who present the greatest need.

All the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are awarding the 1916 Bursaries as regional clusters. The MEND cluster includes Maynooth University (MU), Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus (TUS), Dublin City University (DCU), and Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). There is a central online application process for the MEND cluster which is administered by DCU on behalf of these four institutions. 

 

Value of the 1916 Bursary

There are three different types of bursaries in 2023/24:

Tier 1 Bursaries: Awardees will receive €5,000 per year for the normal duration of an undergraduate programme or up to a maximum of six years for a part-time programme. The bursary will also be paid as the awardee progresses to postgraduate study.
 
Tier 2 Bursaries: Awardees will receive €2,000 per year for the normal duration of an undergraduate programme or up to a maximum of six years for a part-time programme. The bursary will also be paid as the awardee progresses to postgraduate study.
 
Tier 3 Bursaries: Awardees will receive a once-off bursary of €1,500 for the 2023/24 academic year only i.e. for the first year of their undergraduate course. 
 
Tier 1 and Tier 2 bursaries will be paid each year for the normal duration of an undergraduate course for full time students (usually four years) and six years for part-time students, if the recipient complies with the bursary guidelines and progresses to the next academic year of their course. Where the normal duration of a Level 8 undergraduate course exceeds four years, the bursary will be awarded for the full course duration.

The bursary may also be held for progression at undergraduate level, i.e. from Level 6 to Level 7 and from Level 7 to Level 8.
The payment of bursaries will generally be made directly to the awardee's bank account and will be paid by instalment. To be eligible for a bursary, applicants must meet College Entry, Financial and Priority Group criteria.

 

The 1916 Bursary is for first time entrants to Higher Education who are from one or more of the following priority groups:

  • Students  from communities, groups or areas that are socio-economically disadvantaged or that have low participation rates in higher education, including those who have experienced homelessness, the care system, surviviors of domestic violence, and those who have experience of the criminal justice system.
  • Socio-economically disadvantaged means: students were eligible to qualify for the Special Rate of SUSI grant on 31st Dec of the year previous to year of application (i.e. family income of €25,000 for a family with less than 4 dependents, or €27,400 for a family with 4 to 7 dependent children,  or €29,70 for a family with 8 or more dependent children) and/or who are in receipt of a Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection means-tested payment. See more about the Special Rate SUSI award and please note that each income threshold above may be increased by €4,950 for each additional person in the family in college.
  • Socio-economically disadvantaged mature students (23 or older on 1 January of their year of entry to higher education – and having never previously accessed higher education);
  • Second-chance socio-economically disadvantaged mature students. Such students may be considered for a bursary where they have:
    • previously attended but not completed a course,
    • had a 3-year break in studies since leaving the course, and
    • are returning to attend an approved course
  • Students with a disability.
  • Members of the Irish Traveller community;
  • Members of the Roma community;
  • Further education and training award holders progressing to higher education;
  • Students who are carers (confirmed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) as holding a long-term means-tested carer’s allowance).
  • Students who are lone parents or teen 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 who are migrants, refugees or who are 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 a person whose current immigration status or leave to remain under the Dept of Justice is one of the groups outlined in the FAQs under 'migrants,refugees, ethnic minorities' heading.

Who can apply?

  • Students in year 1 of an undergraduate course for the first time in the 2023/24 academic year. New entrant 1st year includes a full-time student who applied directly to the University and entering year 2 of a programme having not attended third level previously.
  • Students undertaking a full-time or part-time course in a publicly funded higher education insitution which is participating in the 1916 Bursary Fund, that takese not less than 2 years to complete AND on completion of which the student is awarded a major higher education and training award at Level 6 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications. There is no restriction on the programme of study. 
  • Students who are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage as set out above and are from one or more of hte socio-economic groups that have low participation in higher education, as listed above.
  • Students must be able to demonstrate that they would qualify for the special rate of SUSI grant, as set out above. 

Who cannot apply for the 1916 Bursary?

  • Students who are not first-time entrants to higher education.
  • Students who have already received a qualification at the same level on the National Framework of Qualifications as the course they are currently studying.
  • Students on a full-time or part-time undergraduate course in a publich funded higher education institution that takes LESS than 2 years to complete, or on competion of which a student is awarded a majore higher educaiton and traning award at Level 5 or below on the National Framework of Qualifications.
  • Students whose reckonable income is assessed as over teh maximum income limit, as set out above.
  • Postgraduate students.
  • Students in years other than 1st year.

For more detail on the eligibility criteria see the 1916 Bursary Applicant Guidelines and complete the 1916 Bursary Criteria Quick Check questionnaire . If you have additonal questions after reviewing the information available here, please contact 1916bursary@mu.ie 

 

Tips about making an Undergraduate 1916 Bursary Application

The online application form is open now. The form is administered by DCU on behalf of Maynooth University and the other 3 institutions in the cluster: Dublin City University (DCU), Dundalk institute of Technology (DkIT), and Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). All applications for the 1916 Bursary at HEIs in the MEND cluster must be submitted on DCU’s online application form before the closing date at 5pm on 25th January, 2024.

Before you complete the online application form, read carefully through the information on this webpage. You can also refer to the national 1916 Bursary Applicant Guidelines for Students webpage for more information on the application form and the required document and you can complete the 1916 Bursary Criteria Quick Check questionnaire to see if you are eligible and to find out how to get prepared to apply.

  • If you are eligible, gather and scan the supporting documents required to evidence the Financial Criteria and Priority Group Criteria. Allow several weeks to gather documents. See Applicant Guidelines. You will also be prompted as to what documents to provide when you complete the application form and can take a screenshot at those points on the application form to remind you. 

  • Read the data protection arrangements below, as you must agree to the processing of your data in order to complete the application form. 

  • Note: Applications can only be made online from a PC/laptop or mobile device. An application you have started can be re-opened anytime on the same device up until 5pm on the closing date. If you started your application on one device but did not complete it, you cannot re-open the same application on a different device. In this case, you can either access your application on the first device or start a new application on a second PC/laptop or mobile device.  Any duplicate applications will be deleted. You can only complete one application. Only fully completed and submitted applications will be assessed for a 1916 Bursary award. You can re-access your application by clicking on the link in the most recent confirmation email you have received and you must use the same device.  

You must have all these details ready before you begin your application.

1. Your 9-digit CAO number.
2. ​Your student email address
​3. Your phone number.
4.Your Eircode from Eircode Finder
5.Your PPS number. Ensure you insert the correct number.
6. If you have applied to SUSI, you will need the W number or your application number.
7. All your required supporting documents, saved on your device, ready to upload.

Supporting Documents - 

Before you complete the online application form, you must have all the required supporting documents saved on your device, ready to upload. If you have to wait for documents to be sent to you, you can begin your application online and upload the documents at a later time but still before the closing date. Please note: this will require you to continue your application on the same device that you started your application on. You can re-access your application by clicking on the link in the most recent confirmation email you have received.
At each point on the application form where you are prompted to upload supporting documents, scan the supporting documents relevant to that point as one file. If you have two or more documents to upload per question you need to create a single digital file first. You will not be able to upload more than one file per question. Do not upload zipped files. 

For any paper documents, you will need to create scanned electronic copies of them to upload online.  These can be in the following formats: JPEG, PDF, DOC, DOCX.
There are a number of ways to create a scanned electronic copy of your document:

Use your smartphone camera:

  • ​Scan your paper documents using the free app Microsoft Lens (Android / iPhone) combined with your camera. You can also follow these 8 steps using the Notes app on your iPhone.
  • If using the camera alone to take photos, ensure the screenshots are of good quality and all information is visible.
  • Save your electronic documentation onto your pc/laptop/USB key/phone. 

Use a printer/scanner:

  • There are 7 printers with scanning functions around Maynooth University (locations are listed in Copy & Print Services)
  • At a printer, swipe your Student ID card and set the document that you wish to scan face up on the top tray of the printer and click Scan on the printer’s screen.
  • Your scanned document will be emailed to you as an attachment to your @mumail.ie address.
  • Save your electronic documentation onto your pc/laptop/USB key/phone.
  • It is not advisable to you use the Webprint facility to remotely print confidential documents.

  

 

 

Undergraduate 1916 Bursary Application Timeline 2023/24

Application open date - 18th December 2023 
                                       
Application closing date - 25th January, 2024 at 5pm

Unsuccessful applicants notified - Monday 11th March, 2024

Appeals - Open Monday 11th March, 2024 and close Friday 15th March, 2024 at 5pm.

Conditional Offers to successful applicants issued - 18th March, 2024 

Payment Date  - Late March/early April 2024

 
 

Making an Appeal

The MEND cluster is committed to ensuring that all 1916 bursary applications are assessed fairly, accurately, and according to the published guidelines. Full details on making an appeal will be provided to all applicants who are initially unsuccessful in their 1916 Bursary applications.

An Independent Appeals Panel will ensure your application was assessed fairly and in line with the criteria. An appeal must be made before the closing date. The appeal process will open on Monday 11th March,2024  and will close on Friday 15th March,2024 at 5pm. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified on Monday 11th March 2024, including information on how to make an appeal.

The appeals procedure is in respect of the process only i.e., that you believe an administrative error was made. No new information can be included or considered at appeal stage.

  • Appeals must be completed online within before the closing date. 
  • Appeals will be independently reviewed on the grounds that the information provided was considered, assessed, and ranked correctly.
  • The information submitted in the online application and the supporting documentation received will be used in consideration of the appeal.
  • It will not be possible to submit further documentation at the appeal stage.

The decision of the 1916 Bursary Appeals Board is final.

To apply for an appeal you will need;

  • Your 9-digit CAO number
  • The identified grounds for your appeal

Before you complete an appeal, you can speak to a member of staff at Maynooth University Access Office. Email 1916bursary@mu.ie to discuss your outcome and other supports available to you.

 

 

1916 Bursary Awardees progressing to Postgraduate Study

 

Information for 1916 Bursary Awardees – Current Recipients/Past Recipients
 

It is possible to extend an existing 1916 bursary award from an undergraduate programme of study into a postgraduate programme of study. The programme has to be an approved postgraduate full-time or part-time programme that takes no less than one year to complete and is provided by an approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution. If you are a 1916 Bursary recipient who is currently enrolled in or who intends to apply to a postgraduate programme, you may be eligible to continue your 1916 Bursary funding to postgraduate level.
 

What is the value of the 1916 Bursary at postgraduate level?

  • For students who were awarded the undergraduate 1916 Bursary, a postgraduate 1916 Bursary will be in the same amount as their undergraduate award: €5,000 per annum (Tier 1 bursaries) and €2,000 per annum (Tier 2 bursaries) for both full-time and part-time students.

 

Are there any conditions?

The award of the 1916 Bursary funding at postgraduate level is subject to satisfactory progression in your course of study and subject to a maximum cap of 4 years at postgraduate level. 

Approved postgraduate courses are full-time or part-time courses, of at least one year's duration, at Level 8 Higher Diploma, Level 9 Master’s Degree or Level 10 Ph.D. at a Higher Education Institution approved for PATH 2 funding. Bursary recipients will not be permitted to do two postgraduate courses that are at the same NFQ level e.g. two Level 9 courses within the overall cap of four years. The postgraduate Bursary can be held for progression from Level 8 Higher Diploma to Level 9 or Level 10, subject to a maximum cap of 4 years postgraduate funding. 

 

Who can apply for postgraduate 1916 Bursary funding in 2023/24?

1. If you are a 1916 Bursary recipient at undergraduate level who completed an undergraduate course in 2022/23 at Maynooth University or at another approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution and who is progressing to postgraduate study at Maynooth University or at another approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution, you can apply for postgraduate 1916 funding support. To avail of 1916 funding at postgraduate level you must be taking up postgraduate level study in 2023/24 or be deferring for 1 year only to 2024/25.  Notify Maynooth Access Programme (MAP) by email to 1916bursary@mu.ie if you are starting in 2023/24 or, if deferring for 1 year, as soon as possible in the 2023/24 academic year. Students may defer uptake for a second year only in exceptional circumstances. Contact 1916bursary@mu.ie to discuss this. Please note: If you are deferring uptake of a postgraduate course for 1 year to 2024/25, you must also follow the relevant deferral process for your postgraduate HEI. For Maynooth University’s deferral procedure please refer to the Graduate Studies webpage on How to Apply to a postgraduate programme and scroll down to the section ‘Deferring your place on a postgraduate programme’. 

2. If you were a 1916 Bursary recipient at undergraduate level at Maynooth University who graduated in 2021/22, who has deferred for 1 year in 2022/23 and is taking up postgraduate study in 2023/24 at Maynooth University or another approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution you can apply for postgraduate 1916 Bursary support. An email has recently been sent to  your last known email address from 1916Bursary@mu.ie with more information. If you have not yet replied or not yet confirmed your intention to take up postgraduate study in 2023/24, please contact 1916bursary@mu.ie as soon as possible to check your eligibility.  Please note, the 1916 Bursary will not be available to you for postgraduate study you undertake after 2023/24, unless you can show that you are deferring for a second year in 2023/24 due to exceptional reasons.

3. If you are a 1916 Bursary recipient at postgraduate level and want to progress to a higher level of postgraduate study, you may have some years of 1916 Bursary funding still available to you. For example, if you are studying a one year Level 9 Masters Degree and want to progress to a Ph.D at Level 10, you should have 3 years 1916 funding still available to you. Contact 1916bursary@mu.ie .

Students transferring for postgraduate study from MU to a different HEI, or transferring to MU from a different HEI: 

  • If you are a Maynooth University graduate and intend to transfer to another Higher Education Institution for postgraduate study, you will need to notify your prospective HEI of your 1916 Bursary status. You must provide your prospective HEI with a letter of confirmation of your 1916 Bursary status from Maynooth University Access Programme (MAP). You can request this letter by emailing 1916bursary@mu.ie.

  • ​If you graduated from another HEI and intend to transfer to Maynooth University for postgraduate study, you will need to provide Maynooth University Access Programme (MAP) with a letter of confirmation of your 1916 status from your undergraduate university Access Office/Programme. The letter of confirmation should set out the amount per year you received, the number of years you received funding, the NFQ level and year of completion of your degree, and the target groups that you satisfied for your original 1916 Bursary funding. You should notify MAP by email to 1916bursary@mu.ie before the start of the academic year in which you intend to transfer to MU, attaching your confirmation letter. 

For more information on postgraduate study options at Maynooth University see Postgraduate Studies.  

 

 
 

Data Protection

Data protection concerns the safeguarding of privacy rights in relation to the processing of your personal data. This includes any information that can identify you. This may, for example, include a name, email address, date of birth or telephone number. Personal data that you submit using the application form will be used only for the purpose of processing your application for the 1916 Bursary. Your data will be treated in accordance with the Data Protection Policies of each organisation and with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018. 

In applying to the 1916 Bursary Fund you will be submitting your personal data to the higher education institutions working together in the MEND (Midlands, East, North Dublin) Cluster to process the 1916 Bursary Fund. These are: Maynooth University (MU), Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Dublin City University (DCU), and Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). Certain elements of your personal data will also be shared with the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO), and with the Higher Education Authority (HEA). DCU acts as ‘Data Controllers’ in respect of your personal data and comply with our responsibilities under these laws. 
 

Why we need your data

By applying for the 1916 Bursary, you will be required to provide us with personal data including: 

  • Name, address, Eircode, date of birth, CAO number, mobile phone number, email address, country of birth, nationality
  • If it applies to you, information about the Free Fees Scheme, your residency status in Ireland, your main entry route into the college, and the HEAR/DARE Schemes. 

In relation to the Bursary, this personal data is necessary for: 

  • verification of your identity
  • the assessment of your application,
  • eligibility for the Bursary fund
  • the selection of successful applicants,
  • the provision of additional supports.

Separately, the following information is provided to the AIRO and the HEA:

  • AIRO: Your address and Eircode will be provided to AIRO, to enable understanding of what areas are represented by applicants for the 1916 Bursary. No other information will be shared with AIRO.
  • HEA: An anonymised version of your information will be shared with the HEA, in order to comply with the 1916 Bursary Scheme’s reporting requirements.

If you do not provide the requested data, your application for the Bursary cannot be processed.

 

How your personal information will be used 

  • We will only process such data for the purpose for which you provide it and to the extent necessary to process your application in line with the regulations attached to this Bursary.

  • You have the right to withdraw your consent to processing and you also have the right to access any personal data relating to you on request (see the ‘Your data rights’ section below).

  • The personal data you submit will be held for a period of 10 years. The personal data may be disclosed by each Organisation to relevant internal staff and agents in order assess this application and to deliver support services to you.

  • We may also share personal data with government departments, statutory bodies, and funding agencies where this is required under legislation or for the provision of services to you.
     

What security measures are in place

The online application form is hosted on the DCU website and based on Drupal software. A record of responses is generated as applicants submit their forms online. Application details will be stored on a secure network, and password protected. Access to the Drupal form and responses is strictly limited to two authorised individuals within DCU, who require secure log-in to access the information.

 

What your data rights are

Under data protection rules, you have rights as a ‘data subject’. These rights include: 

  • The right to be informed about what happens to information relating to you (personal data) (Articles 12-14 of GDPR).
  • The right to access information relating to you which is held by DCU (Article 15, GDPR).
  • The right to rectification, to correct any errors in your personal data (Articles 16 & 19, GDPR).
  • The right to erasure, to delete/destroy information relating to you which is held by DCU (Articles 17 & 19, GDPR).
  • The right to data portability (Article 20, GDPR).
  • The right to object to processing of information relating to you (Article 21, GDPR).
  • The right of restriction, to limit the way DCU uses information relating to you (Article 18, GDPR); and,
  • Rights in relation to automated decision making, including profiling (Article 22, GDPR).

 

Who to contact in relation to your personal data

If you have any questions in relation to how your personal data is used by Maynooth University, you can contact 1916bursary@mu.ie or the Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@mu.ie. If you have any questions in relation to access, supports or the 1916 Bursary Scheme, contact 1916bursary@mu.ie or access.office@mu.ie or any of the following units:

In addition, the Data Protection Commission (DPC) is the official authority overseeing data protection in Ireland. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the DPC if you believe your personal data is being processed by us unlawfully. To find out more information about how to make a complaint to the DPC, please visit dataprotection.ie.

 

What consent declarations are required

By proceeding to complete the 1916 Bursary Application Form, you confirm:

  • that you have read and fully understand the above statement and its contents
  • that you consent to the obtaining, processing, and retaining your personal data for the purposes described in the above statement. 

Important: If you proceed to complete the 1916 Bursary Application Form, your personal data will be processed as described in the above statement. If you do not wish to have your personal data collected by and further processed, please do not proceed.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About the 1916 Bursary Fund

 

  • Take a look through these 1916 Bursary Frequently Asked Questions to see if the answer to your question is included there. 

  • Review the information on this webpage and check what documents you will need to gather and digitise to evidence your financial and priority group criteria. 

  • After reviwing the information here, f you have any additonal questions in relation to the 1916 Bursary at Maynooth University, contact 1916bursary@mu.ie

  • If you have any questions in relation to how your personal data is used by Maynooth University, you can contact 1916bursary@mu.ie or the Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@mu.ie or contact any of the following units

  • In addition, the Data Protection Commission (DPC) is the official authority overseeing data protection in Ireland. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the DPC if you believe your personal data is being processed by us unlawfully. To find out more information about how to make a complaint to the DPC, please visit dataprotection.ie.

  • If you have any other questions in relation to the Maynooth University Access Programme or how to apply for disability supports, please see apply for disability supports at Maynooth University or email access.office@mu.ie .