Can I get a SUSI student grant in Ireland?
It depends on your household's reckonable income, your course and residency. SUSI assesses gross household income for the 2025 calendar year. It can pay a maintenance grant (living costs) and/or a fee grant (the student contribution or tuition). The Special Rate maintenance grant needs reckonable income under €28,600 plus a qualifying long-term welfare payment, paying €3,230 (adjacent, under 30km) or €7,936 (non-adjacent). The threshold for the €500 student-contribution grant rose to €120,000, so even fairly high earners can get help. If your course is covered by Free Fees, SUSI pays the student contribution; otherwise tuition up to €6,270. Apply before 9 July 2026 for priority assessment. In short: yes within the income bands — and they reach further than people expect.
📋 The rules
- Assessed on 2025 household income
- Special Rate maintenance: income under €28,600
- Maintenance: €3,230 adjacent / €7,936 non-adjacent
- €500 contribution grant up to €120,000 income
- Apply before 9 July 2026 for priority
🔓 Exceptions
- Back to Education Allowance recipients get fee support, not maintenance
- Thresholds rise per dependent child and per extra student in the family
- The 30km adjacency line can roughly double the maintenance rate
⚠️ Penalties & fines
SUSI maintenance is paid in 9 monthly instalments over the academic year. The income thresholds rise with family size — higher bands for 4–7 and 8+ children, plus +€4,950 for each additional family member in full-time third level. A holiday-earnings disregard of €8,830 means a student's summer-job income up to that amount isn't counted. The adjacency rule (the 30km line) can roughly double the maintenance award. Beware a myth: "if my parents earn over €60,000 I get nothing" is false — households up to €120,000 (under 4 children) can still get the €500 student-contribution grant, and partial supports extend well beyond €60,000. To apply: complete the SUSI online application before the priority deadline with your household's income details.
📎 Official sources
- SUSI — income thresholds and grant rates →
- SUSI — Budget 2026 →
- Citizens Information — Student Grant Scheme →
❓ Frequently asked
Who can get a SUSI grant?
SUSI grants are for students on approved full-time courses who meet income, residency and nationality conditions. The grant is assessed on your household's reckonable income for the previous calendar year. It can cover the student contribution or tuition fees, and pay a maintenance grant towards living costs, depending on which income band you fall into.
What are the income limits?
They vary by household size and grant type. The Special Rate maintenance grant needs reckonable income under €28,600 plus a qualifying long-term welfare payment. The €500 student-contribution grant now reaches household incomes up to €120,000 for families with fewer than four children, and the thresholds rise with each additional child or student in the family.
How much is the maintenance grant?
At the Special Rate, maintenance is €3,230 a year if you live within 30km of college (the adjacent rate) or €7,936 if you live further away (non-adjacent). Lower, standard rates apply at higher income bands. Maintenance is paid in nine monthly instalments across the academic year, separately from any fee support.
When should I apply?
Apply through the SUSI online system as early as you can. For the 2026/27 academic year, applying before 9 July 2026 gets you priority assessment, which helps ensure your grant is in place for the start of term. You can still apply after that date, but processing may take longer.
Does my summer job affect my grant?
Not up to a point. There's a holiday-earnings disregard — €8,830 for 2026/27 — so income you earn from a summer or holiday job up to that amount isn't counted in the means test. Earnings above the disregard are assessed as part of reckonable income, which could affect your grant band.
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