KickStart Scholarship

    The KickStart Scholarship Fund was a scholarship established as a 3-year pilot from 2022-2025 by the Irish Probation Service, and supported by the Irish Prison Service, to support persons with a criminal justice history experiencing socio-economic disadvantage to access Higher Education (HE).
     
    Together with the Irish Probation Service, the MEND cluster of 4 HEI’s developed the KickStart scholarship scheme to provide scholarships to attend courses at Technological University of the Shannon Athlone Campus, Dublin City University, Dundalk Institute of Technology or Maynooth University.
     
    These scholarships have met the strategic objectives of the Working to Change Social Enterprise and Employment Strategy 2021-2023 and the Irish Probation Service Public Sector Duty Action Plan. The KickStart Scholarship  is aligned with the objectives of the Unlocking Potential Fair Admissions Policy, the Mountjoy-MU Partnership, MU Strategic Plan 2023-2028 and the National Access Plan 2022-28.
     

    Two tiers of scholarships were available to be awarded in each MEND HEI annually to fund the entire duration of an awardee's programme of study. Every KickStart applicant was offered wraparound advisory support and guidance regardless of the application outcome.
     

    Following 3 successful pilot rounds which resulted in 17 KickStart Scholarship awards across the region since 2022 and high retention outcomes, the Irish Probation Service is evaluating the scheme with a view to a potential national rollout.

     

     

    Impact of the KickStart Scholarship

    The impact on all applicants has been significant and feedback received from students, applicants, HEI staff and prison staff has been overwhelmingly positive. 

    Quotes from ​Kickstart Scholarship Awardees:

     
    "I finally feel included with no judgements, boosting my self-esteem. I hope one day more people like me get this wonderful opportunity."
    "The Kickstart Scholarship improved the balance of my financial circumstances, giving me greater peace of mind to focus on my studies."
    "The Kickstart Scholarship prevented me from returning to homeless accommodation this year as it helped me pay my rent due to a delay with my Homeless Hap Payment. It allowed me the opportunity to focus mainly on my studies and my recovery, resulting in achieving very good grades for my first academic year. The funding has helped me immensely, and I am very grateful for it. Thank You"
    "Being a KickStart scholar allows me to do something my parents can be proud of and my kids can look up to"
     
     

    Hear the experiences of people with a criminal justice history who accessed higher education
    (animated video, 3 minutes 44 seconds)

     

    Financial Supports at Third Level

    Students with convictions may have concerns about the cost of college. SUSI is the main source of financial assistance available from the Irish State for students in higher education undergraduate courses. 

    There are a number of additional financial awards that welcome applications from students with a demonstrated financial need. Visit the MAP Student Advisory Service webpages to learn more about the academic, personal and financial supports at third level that are designed to help students reach their full academic potential.

    • The Student Assistance Fund provides financial support to current students who are in significant financial difficulty and whose participation at university would be at risk without support.
    • The 1916 Bursary financial awards prioritise students from communities, groups or areas that are socio-economically disadvantaged or that have low levels of participation in higher education, including those who have experienced homelessness, the care system, survivors of domestic violence, and those who have experience of the criminal justice system.
    • The Uversity Scholarships help to alleviate financial barriers that may be preventing students aged 23 and over from earning a Bachelor’s degree for the first time.