Funding Your Future

Scholarships for Irish Students

Scholarships for Irish students go unclaimed every year simply because students don't know they exist or assume they won't qualify. This searchable guide covers 45 opportunities across merit, access, sport, arts, industry and EU programmes — including ten you are automatically entitled to if you hit the points threshold, with no application required.

45
Scholarships listed
10
Require no application
€25k
Maximum value per year
Did You Know?

Scholarships You Already Qualify For

Several Irish universities award scholarships automatically based on your Leaving Certificate points — no application, no interview, no essay. If you hit the threshold and register, the money is yours. Here are the key ones to know about.

Trinity Entrance Exhibition
Top student per school, 500+ pts → €6,000/yr + laptop + free meals
UCD Entrance Scholar
Top student per school, 500+ pts → Certificate & recognition
Maynooth Entrance Scholarship
575+ CAO points → €1,000 automatic
Galway Excellence Scholarship
560+ points → €1,700 automatic
DCU Academic Scholarship
Meet point threshold → €500 fee offset
UCC Quercus Entrance
Top 15 per College → up to €10,500 over 4 years
Find Your Funding

Scholarship Finder

Search by keyword, filter by category, or narrow by institution. Showing 45 scholarships.

All Categories Merit / Academic Access / Disadvantage Sport Arts & Music Subject-Specific Corporate / Industry EU & International
Practical Advice

How to Maximise Your Chances

Start early — deadlines are earlier than you think.
The UCD Ad Astra and Trinity Sport Scholarship deadlines fall in January and April respectively, well before CAO offers arrive. Research deadlines in 5th year so you are not scrambling in 6th year.
Apply to everything you are even marginally eligible for.
Many scholarships receive far fewer applications than you would expect. The JP McManus All-Ireland Scholarships offer 125 places nationally with a minimum of two per county — yet many counties have fewer applicants than available places. The worst that can happen is a no.
Talk to your Guidance Counsellor.
Some scholarships (like the Irish Taxation Institute) require nomination through your school's Guidance Counsellor. Others have eligibility criteria that a counsellor can help you assess — HEAR status, DEIS school status, or regional requirements.
Stack your funding.
Many scholarships can be held alongside SUSI grants. A student from a disadvantaged background could potentially receive SUSI (up to €7,285), a 1916 Bursary (€5,000), and a JP McManus Scholarship (€6,750) simultaneously — that is over €19,000 in a single year.
Check for automatic awards after your results.
If you score 500+ points, check whether you are the top student from your school at TCD or UCD — you may be entitled to an Entrance Exhibition or Entrance Scholar award without having applied. Your school or university will usually contact you, but it is worth confirming.
Keep records of everything.
Sport scholarship applications typically require evidence from your national governing body, references from coaches, and competition results. Arts scholarships need portfolios or audition recordings. Start building these materials in 5th year — do not leave them to the last week.
Common Questions

Scholarship FAQ

In most cases, yes. SUSI grants cover maintenance costs, while most scholarships cover tuition, provide bursaries, or offer non-financial support. The 1916 Bursary, JP McManus Scholarship, and most university entrance scholarships can all be held alongside SUSI. However, some scholarships may be means-tested against SUSI eligibility, so always check the specific terms. The key principle is that you should never assume two sources of funding are mutually exclusive — ask directly.

HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) and DARE (Disability Access Route to Education) are alternative admissions schemes that offer reduced CAO points for eligible students — they are not scholarships. However, being HEAR-eligible can make you eligible for additional scholarships (like the RCSI Kiran Pathak Scholarship or the Meissner Scholarship at Galway). Think of HEAR/DARE as opening the door, and scholarships as additional financial support once you are inside.

The top-tier sport scholarships at UCD (Ad Astra), Trinity, and UL are aimed at national and international level athletes. However, many institutions also offer development-level scholarships for athletes competing at inter-county, provincial, or intervarsity level. SETU, ATU, and the Technological Universities are often more accessible entry points for talented athletes who are not yet at elite level. The Maynooth snooker, golf, and swimming scholarships each have their own specific criteria that may suit students whose sport is not catered for elsewhere.

Most of the scholarships on this page are aimed at students entering Level 7 or Level 8 degree programmes through the CAO. PLC students are generally supported through SUSI grants and the Back to Education Allowance rather than university scholarships. However, PLC students who progress to degree programmes via the Higher Education Links Scheme become eligible for university scholarships in their first year — so the pathway still leads to funding. Apprentices are paid a salary by their employer, which is the primary financial model for that route.

The JP McManus All-Ireland Scholarship scheme was established in 2008 through a €30 million donation. It provides €6,750 per year to 125 top-performing Leaving Certificate students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with a minimum of two scholarships per county per year. Selection is based on your five best subjects. The reason many eligible students do not apply is simply lack of awareness — many schools, particularly those not in the DEIS programme, do not actively promote it. If your family meets the socio-economic criteria and you perform well in the Leaving Certificate, this is one of the most valuable scholarships available in Ireland and is absolutely worth investigating.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarships are for students who already hold an undergraduate degree — they are not available directly after the Leaving Certificate. However, the Erasmus+ Study Exchange programme is available to all Irish university students during their degree, providing €300–€450 per month for a semester or year abroad at a European partner university. This is an excellent way to gain international experience and is available through your university's international office during second or third year.
What's next?

Find the Course That Fits You First

Scholarships fund the journey — but the destination matters most. Take the Career DNA quiz to discover courses and careers matched to your interests, then come back here to find the funding.

Take the Career DNA Quiz Explore All Courses