The South Cluster is comprised of 5 higher education institutions: Institute of Technology Carlow, Institute of Technology Tralee, Cork Institute of Technology, University College Cork and Waterford Institute of Technology. The bursary fund will be administered through the Cluster South’s SOAR Project. The SOAR Project is an inter-institutional Access initiative funded under the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Fund. The South Cluster has a total of 35 bursaries available to award to students applying to these higher education institutions.
What is the 1916 Bursary Fund?
The 1916 Bursary Fund was established by the Department of Education and Skills. The purpose of the Fund is to encourage participation and success by students who are most economically disadvantaged and who are from communities significantly underrepresented in higher education. All of the higher education institutions are awarding the Bursaries through regional clusters.
What is the value of a 1916 Bursary?
Each student who is awarded the 1916 Bursary will receive a bursary to the amount of €5,000 for each year of their undergraduate programme of study up to a maximum of €20,000 for full-time students and a maximum of €30,000 for part-time students.
Who can apply for a 1916 Bursary?
Applications will only be considered from students that meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicant is from socio-economically disadvantaged background and can provide evidence of such by demonstrating:
- would be/is eligible for the Special Rate level of SUSI grant AND / OR–
- in receipt of a Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) means-tested social welfare payment.
Applicant must be from at least one of the following target groups:
- Socio-economic groups that have low participation rates in higher education
- Students with a disability
- Lone parents in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment
- Irish Travellers
- First time, mature student entrants
- Students entering on the basis of a QQI Further Education award
- Persons from Ethnic Minorities who are lawfully present in the State
- be a first-time, 1stYear undergraduate student in the 2019-2020 academic year.
- have been resident in the Irish State for three of the past five years on the date on which the first year of study commences.
- be studying an approved full time or 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.
Who cannot apply for a 1916 Bursary?
- Students who are not first-time entrants to higher education in the 2019-2020 academic year.
- Postgraduate students.
- 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.
How do I apply?
There is one central online application process for the South Cluster higher education institutions. There are two stages to making a complete 1916 Bursary Fund: South Cluster SOAR Project Application:
- Stage 1) You must complete all sections of the online 1916 Bursary Fund: South Cluster SOAR Project Application (Part I) by 17:00 30 August 2019.
- Stage 2) If you are offered and accept a place in one of the South Cluster Higher Education Institutions this year you will receive an email in early September 2019 inviting you to then complete the online Application (Part II). This will involve providing additional information and supporting documentation to complete your application. You can only apply through the online application Part I and Part II. Your application will be assessed on the basis of information provided on the online application and the supporting documentation provided.]
Application Deadline
You must complete all sections of the online Application (Part I) by 17:00 30 August 2019.
You must complete all sections of the online Application (Part II) and upload all required supporting documentation by 17:00 27 September 2019.
Application Form
1916 Bursary Fund South Cluster SOAR Project Application (Part I)
How will applications be prioritised?
As it is expected that the number of applications will exceed the number of bursaries available, the SOAR Project will prioritise those who are socio-economically disadvantaged and can provide evidence of membership of more than one of the target groups; 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.
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