NCAD Funding Support
Studying at College can be financially challenging. If you need financial advice or help, NCAD has a range of supports available.
Student Assistance Fund
The Student Assistance Fund is available to students experiencing particular or unexpected financial hardship during the course of their study. This may be as a result of family breakdown, bereavement, accidents, health problems or other crises that result in unexpected financial difficulty. You can apply for help with the cost of rent, travel, books and art materials, utilities and other unexpected financial hardships. Payment to successful applicants will be made once per round - there are 3 rounds for the academic year 2024/2025 with Round 3 being the last and final round.
The Student Assistance Fund Round 1 is now open and applications can be made here.
The deadline for round 2 is Friday 31 January 2025 at 5pm.
Who can apply?
All full-time or part time registered students (undergraduate and postgraduate) for the 2024/2025 academic year are eligible to apply for assistance from the Student Assistance Fund.
What can the award be used for?
Students can apply under one of the following categories for assistance from the fund:
- Books and Materials
- Rental Expenses
- Electricity & Gas Bills
- Transport or Compulsory Transport Abroad
- Medical Expenses (Doctor/Dentist/Etc)
- Unexpected financial hardship (eg. Bereavement)
What documents will I need to provide?
Documents you may be requested to provide are:
- Copy of SUSI grant awarding letter
- Copy of your means tested social welfare payment (and/or that of your parent/guardian/spouse/partner)
- Receipts for travel, materials, utility bills, medical expenses, etc.
- Rent Book or Lease Agreement
- To prove household income a student may provide a copy of their parents P60 or P21
- If applying for Childcare Support, a copy of the birth certificate of the child/children and a letter from the childcare provider (nursery/creche) confirming that your child attends the provider and this statement should detail the monthly amount for each child within the current academic year.
How long will the process take and how will I be notified?
Applications may take up to six weeks after closing date to process. You will receive an email to your student email address stating the outcome of your application.
Further queries?
Feel free to contact us if you have any further queries on the Student Assistance Fund at studentassistance@staff.ncad.ie
Childcare Support Fund
The purpose of the Childcare Support Fund is to provide assistance towards the cost of childcare (nursery, crèche etc) for children of full-time students at NCAD, whose ability to participate in education may be adversely affected by childcare responsibilities.
Payment to successful applicants will be made in two instalments across the academic year. The College does not have a crèche so it is necessary for students with children to make their own arrangements.
For further information and application forms for this fund, please contact the Access Officer at the beginning of Trimester 1: access@staff.ncad.ie
Student Accommodation Assistance
Financial Assistance for Accommodation for Traveller, Roma, and
Care Experienced Students in Higher Education
Closing date 4th February 2025
What is the Student Accommodation Assistance?
For the 2024/2025 academic year, funding is being provided to assist students from Traveller and Roma backgrounds and those with experience of the care system with the cost of accommodation, when living independently while attending third level education. The aim of the Student Accommodation Assistance is to alleviate the cost of accommodation as a barrier to accessing higher education.
Who can apply for the Student Accommodation Assistance?
To be eligible for the student Accommodation Assistance students must be a member of one or more of the following groups.
- Traveller Community
- Roma Community
- Have experience of the care system between the ages of 16 - 18 and are not in receipt of an after care allowance.
What type of accommodation is the funding available for?
- Hei owned purpose built student accommodation
- Privately owne purpose built student accommodation
- Private rented accommodation
- Shared accomodation (privately rented)
- Digs accommodation
How do I apply?
You can apply through the access Office in the college.
Organise a meeting with the Access Office by emailing them at accesssupport@ncad.ie
NCAD Laptop Loan Scheme
CLOSED
The Laptop Loan Scheme is now closed
The NCAD Laptop Loan scheme is available to you this academic year if you need to borrow a laptop for your studies and are not able to finance it. Please note there are a limited number of laptops available through the scheme.
Who can apply?
Full-time and part-time students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) are eligible to apply for a laptop under this scheme. This scheme covers both incoming first year students and returning students. To be eligible for a laptop you must be registered as a student in 2024-2025 and be from a low income household, this is an annual income below €49,840.
Supporting documentation must be provided to be considered for this scheme. Your application will be assessed on your eligibility, and on the information you provide in the final question of this application. Laptops remain the property of NCAD and must be returned on completion of your course.
SUSI/Maintenance Grants
All queries regarding maintenance grants should be directed to the SUSI Support Desk.
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday (9.00am – 5.30pm), excluding public holidays.
Email: support@susi.ie
Phone: 0818 888 777 or +353 1 524 2257 if calling from abroad
Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS)
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is the only free, confidential, independent and non-judgemental service for people in debt, or in danger of getting into debt, in Ireland.
Their helpline 0761 07 2000 operates Monday to Friday from 9am - 8pm. MABS is funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board.
Consumer Help
This website provides excellent advice on managing your finances as well as an online budget planner.