1916 Bursary Fund
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.
1916 Bursary Fund: South Cluster SOAR Project
The South Cluster is comprised of 5 higher education institutions: Cork Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Carlow, Institute of Technology Tralee, 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 have a total of 35 bursaries available to award to students applying to these higher education institutions.
What is the value of a 1916 Bursary?
Each student who is awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund will receive a bursary to the amount of €5,000 per annum for the normal duration of a full-time undergraduate programme. A bursary will be awarded for the normal duration of a part-time undergraduate course up to a maximum period of six years.
Applications for the 1916 Bursary for the 2020-2021 academic year is now closed.
FURTHER INFORMATION
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- refugee (including programme refugees);
- subsidiary protection;
- permission to remain as the family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen under the European Communities (Free
Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 and 2008 and EU Directive 2004/38/EC (EU Treaty Rights provisions); - permission to remain because of marriage/civil partnership with an Irish national or as dependent child of such person;
- a person in respect of whom the Minister for Justice and Equality has granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State under any enactment for the time being in force;
- permission to remain following a decision not to deport under Sections 3 of the Immigration Act 1999;
- permission to remain as a dependent child of a person who has acquired Irish Citizenship by naturalisation, residing in the State.; or
- a person granted permission to reside in the State under Section 49 of the International Protection Act 2015(No.66 of 2015)
For further clarification, see section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 the Student Support Regulations 2020 (Statutory Instrument No. 77 of 2020).
3. Be a new entrant pursuing an undergraduate course and progressing to higher education for the first time in the 2020-2021 academic year.
4. Have been a resident in the Irish State for three of the past five years on the date of which the first year of study commences.
5. 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 no less than two years to complete in one of the SOAR Project South Cluster Higher Education Institutions.
Applicants are required to submit relevant supporting financial and target group documentary evidence. This supporting documentation can only be submitted online in Application (Part II). Please refer to the Guide below: You can also view the Supporting Documentation Presentation below:
Supporting Documentation List Guide
How many Bursaries will be awarded in the South Cluster SOAR Project? I am a Postgraduate Student. Can I apply for the 1916 Bursary Fund? I am already in college. Can I apply for the 1916 Bursary Fund? I am a part-time student. Can I apply for the 1916 Bursary Fund? I am repeating first year. Can I apply? When will I be told the outcome of my application? Will the 1916 Bursary Fund affect my SUSI Grant? Will the Bursary affect my Social Welfare payment? Can I keep my Rent Allowance and Medical Card with the 1916 Bursary Fund? Can I hold the 1916 Bursary Fund if I have been awarded other Scholarships? Can I avail of the supports of the Fund for Students with Disabilities if I get the 1916 Bursary Fund? Yes. The ESF Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) provides funding directly to higher and further education institutions to provide supports and services to ensure that eligible learners with disabilities can participate on an equal basis with their peers (www.studentfinance.ie). Individual HEI’s make applications to the fund on behalf of eligible students following an assessment of needs. Students cannot make applications directly to the fund. Are there any other financial supports available in college? If I am awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund, how will I be paid? What is expected of me if I am awarded a 1916 Bursary Fund? If I am awarded the 1916 Bursary Fund, can I repeat a year of study? Data Sharing How do I get more information?
The South Cluster SOAR Project have a total of 35 bursaries available to award in 2020-2021.
No. The 1916 Bursary Fund is only open to first time, new entrant pursuing an undergraduate course and progressing to higher education for the first time in the 2020-2021 academic year.
No. The 1916 Bursary Fund is only open to first time, new entrant pursuing an undergraduate course and progressing to higher education for the first time in the 2020-2021 academic year.
Yes, but only if you are pursuing an approved 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 no less than two years to complete in one of the SOAR Project South Cluster Higher Education Institutions.
Applications from those currently repeating Year 1 of their undergraduate programme will only be considered in cases where evidence is supplied that a significant life event was the reason for poor performance in the last academic year. Examples of such life events include major ill health which was certified at the time, pregnancy, bereavement in the immediate family.
It expected that applicants will be informed of the outcome by the end of November 2020.
Students will be entitled to hold the 1916 Bursary and the student grant simultaneously, where they meet the eligibility conditions of the student grant scheme. The 1916 Bursary will be an income disregard for the purposes of ‘reckonable income’ in the student grant scheme.
No – the 1916 Bursary Fund does not affect your means tested or other payments from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
The Bursary should not be counted as income when you are being assessed for any means tested payments.
Applicants cannot hold the 1916 Bursary and other scholarships.
Yes. Each Higher Education Institution has a Student Assistance Fund to support qualifying students experiencing financial hardship. Please contact the Access Service of the college to find out more.
You will be paid by electronic payment to your bank account.
1916 Bursary Fund Recipients are expected to:
• Agree to the terms and conditions of the 1916 Bursary Fund.
• Adhere to the rules and regulations of your institution.
• Engage and co-operate with the department managing the 1916 Bursary Fund in your institution.
• Recipients may be asked to attend or be part of events organised by the institution to increase awareness of the 1916 Bursary Fund.
The 1916 Bursary Fund cannot be paid for a repeat year unless the institution agrees that there were “exceptional circumstances” i.e. medical or personal reasons why you could not complete the year. You would be expected to provide written evidence of your illness or personal situation from a professional outside your family group. You would also be expected to work with the student supports within your institution during your difficulty and at a minimum have advised someone in your college that you have an issue ongoing.
Data sharing arrangements will be in place between the participating South Cluster Higher Education Institutions, subject to data protection considerations.
Please email 1916BursaryQueries@soarforaccess.ie with your query.
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PARTNERS
- CORK
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
CARLOW - INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TRALEE - UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK
- WATERFORD
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY