Your Guide to Scholarships

Trinity College Dublin awards several scholarships to undergraduate students each year, including sporting and departmental scholarships. Sporting scholarships – a number of sporting scholarships are granted to applicants of outstanding sporting ability who wish to represent the university in their chosen sport. Applicants are also required to demonstrate an ability to compete at both national and international level. The scholarship provides successful applicants with a monitory grant as well as fitness training, coaching and expertise.

Departmental scholarships/foundation scholarships – these scholarships are usually awarded annually on the basis of an examination held at the end of the second term. Scholars are entitled to free tuition, free accommodation, and free evening meals in term time for up to five years.  For more information email sport@tcd.ie

University College Dublin awards a wide range of scholarships every year. Some are based on academic achievement while others acknowledge sporting or artistic talent, and some are also used specifically to encourage students who may not otherwise attend university.

Scholarships offered include: UCD Entrance Exhibition is awarded to first-year students who attain at least 540 points in the Leaving Certificate. UCD Entrance Scholarships are awarded to top incoming students for each degree programme across the university. The awards are granted on the basis of points achieved in the Leaving Certificate. The Bank of Ireland/UCD Scholarship Scheme enables members of minority ethnic groups from outside the EU who are now resident in Ireland with the chance of gaining a scholarship valued at up to €5000 per year for the duration of the degree programme. There are a minimum of 4 scholarships being awarded for 2008 entrants. UCD Sports Scholarships are awarded to applicants of outstanding sporting ability.

The objective of these scholarships is to help sports scholars to advance their sporting career. Benefits of the scholarship include: training and coaching, sports medicine, free tuition, and financial aid with maintenance, books, equipment, and travel to and from both national and international sports competitions. UCD Scéim Chónaithe Ghaeilge – UCD Irish Language Student Research Scheme awards 16 scholarships to fluent Irish speakers which allows them to live in the Irish-speaking student residences on campus and which pays half the cost of their accommodation. Applicants should have a strong commitment to the active promotion of the Irish language. UCD Choral Scholars – 16 scholarships are awarded at 3 different levels each year to musically-gifted applicants. UCD Symphony Orchestra Scholarship – a number of scholarships are awarded each year to musically-gifted applicants. For more information contact ciaran. crilly@ucd.ie

NUI Galway provides a range of scholarships, which include the following: Entrance Scholarships are awarded to students with the highest Leaving Certificate points each year with the exception of medical students. The value of these scholarships is €1, 525. Gaeltacht Scholarships Roinn Oideachais Scholarships James Massey Keegan Scholarships (for competition among Mayo students only) Sports Scholarships Contact admissions@nuigalway. ie for information.

NUI Maynooth offers a number of scholarships, which include the following:Entrance Scholarships of €1, 000 are awarded to each first-year student who achieves a minimum of 500 points in the Leaving Certificate. Michael Osborne Equine Business Scholarships – a number of scholarships are awarded annually which are jointly sponsored by NUI Maynooth and Horse Racing Ireland. The scholarships are tenable for three-year courses and are awarded on the basis of the Leaving Certificate performance (with the exception of one put aside for mature students).

Sports Scholarships which include: GAA Sports awards scholarships to talented individuals in Gaelic games. The scholarships are sponsored by MBNA/Bank of America and the Leinster GAA council. Applicants are required to demonstrate a high level of performance in one of the following sports: hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, or ladies’ football. Rugby scholarships are awarded to players of outstanding ability. The scholarships work as a contract signing the successful scholars to Barnhall RFC firsts as well as a commitment to NUI Maynooth for games and training. Swimming scholarships are also awarded to exceptionally talented applicants. Training in the National Aquatic Centre for up to 22 hours weekly will be required as part of the conditions of the scholarship.

Golf scholarships offer a structured golf programme. Applicants should hold a handicap of +1 or better for men and 3 or better for women, and should apply to NUI Maynooth through the CAO. NUI Maynooth offers the only snooker scholarship in the world. Co-funded by NUI Maynooth Snooker Club and Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association (RIBSA), it provides successful candidates with professional coaching and a bursary. In addition, NUI Maynooth also awards one scholarship of €2000 to a disabled person and one undergraduate music scholarship of €2000 annually. Contact admissions@nuim. ie

Dublin City University offers a number of sports scholarships under the DCU Elite Athlete Development Programme which awards successful candidates with up to a maximum of €3, 000 in athlete support services. The scholarships are awarded at one of three levels: elite, development I, and development II, depending on the individual’s ability and potential. Contact sport. recreation@dcu. ie University of Limerick provides a number of scholarships:Paddy Dooley Rowing Club Scholarships are awarded to rowers of exceptional ability. Successful candidates are awarded €1, 000 per annum for four years. Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Trust has been established to assist both students of exceptional academic ability and students facing difficulty which may interfere with them reaching their full potential. GAA Scholarships – Munster Council of GAA and the University of Limerick award 12 new bursaries each year to students registered for bachelor degrees at UL. They are valued at €500 per year. UL Bohemians Rugby Academy Bursaries – 4 bursaries are awarded each year with a value ranging from €500 to €2, 300 depending on the ability and performance of the individual. AIB Best Student Award – a bursary of €500 is awarded annually to the student with the highest Leaving Cert points entering onto any of the following programmes:LM050 Business StudiesLM052 Business Studies with FrenchLM053 Business Studies with GermanLM055 Business Studies with JapaneseEdith and Leslie Downer Entrance Scholarship – a scholarship, tenable for one year, is awarded to the best student entering one of the following programmes: BSc Nursing (General)BSc Nursing (Mental Health)BSc Nursing (Intellectual Disability)Foley Scholarship – the National Building Agency (NBA) in consultation with the Royal Institute of Architects (RIAI) has extended its Foley scholarship scheme to include UL Architecture students. Students must come from an economically or socially disadvantaged background. SOCs Bursary – female students, registered for a BA in history, politics, sociology, and social studies at UL, are considered for the SOCs bursary on the basis of their Leaving Certificate performance. Two bursaries valued at €1, 500 for one year are awarded annually.

Women in Engineering Bursary (WEB) – first-year female students registered for engineering degree programmes at UL are eligible for this bursary. Four bursaries valued at €500 are awarded based on the highest Leaving Certificate points achieved by female students entering onto an engineering degree programme. Contact int. ed@ul.ie

Many of the Institutes of Technology also offer scholarships. Some of these are listed below:

Galway-Mayo IT provides sports and culture scholarships and entrance scholarships to the students with the highest Leaving Certificate points. Contact teresa. hanley@gmit. ie

Dublin IT provides sports scholarships to candidates demonstrating outstanding sporting ability and who have the potential to combine an academic course with excellence in sport. Contact admissions@dit.ie

IT Tralee offers a number of annual scholarship programmes including the following:Sports scholarshipsLee Strand Mens’ Gaelic Football Scholarships Munster Council Bursary Kennedy Coaches Gaelic Football Scholarships IIT Governing Body Scholarships (eligible applicants must submit an outstanding proposed project which is then evaluated by an external panel) Muckross House Bursary (for students of BA (Hons) in Folk Theatre)Tralee Credit Union Ltd Scholarships (sponsors a student of BA in Applied Social Studies in Social Care). Contact Patrick. McGarty@ittralee. ie

IT Sligo offers sports scholarships to students of outstanding sporting ability. Contact mailto:info@itsligo. ie Waterford IT provides a number of sports scholarships. It is a condition of all scholarships that all recipients play an active role in the WIT sports club for which they receive the scholarship.

WIT scholarships are available at 3 levels: gold, silver, and bronze depending on the ability and potential of the individual. The awards vary in value from €3, 000 to €8, 000.  A number of sport-specific scholarships are also offered at WIT:GAA Scholarships – Munster Council part-fund a number of GAA scholarships. Soccer Scholarships – Waterford United and the Football Association of Ireland part-fund a number of soccer scholarships. A condition of this scholarship is that the recipients must play for both Waterford United and Waterford IT. Rugby Scholarships – Waterford Rugby Club part-fund a number of rugby scholarships. A condition of this scholarship is that the recipients must play for both Waterpark and Waterford IT. Contact info@wit.ie

IT Blanchardstown offers sports scholarships to students demonstrating outstanding sporting ability and potential. Contact geraldine.barry@itb.ie for more details.