To be considered for the UCD Think Again Scholarship and applying for a full-time course you must be:
The application process for new entrant full-time students has closed for students who will begin studying in September 2024.
The application process for study in September 2025 will begin in late spring 2025.
To be considered for the UCD Think Again Scholarship and applying for a part-time course you must be:
- Registered for and accepted onto a part-time course in UCD.
- A woman.
- A Mature student. This means that you are aged 23 years or over and:
- A first-time entrant to Higher Education at NFQ Level 6 or above;
- OR An entrant who has previously attended but did not complete a course at NFQ Level 6 or above and has had a 5-year break in study since leaving that course;
- OR An entrant who has completed a NFQ Level 6 or above diploma as part of a progression pathway to a UCD undergraduate degree.
- Living in a low-income household. The specific household income thresholds are outlined below:
- Fewer than 4 dependent children - €50,840
- Between 4 and 8 dependent children - €55,768
- More than 8 dependent children - €60,445
- Income thresholds increase per additional person in college - €4,785
- In receipt of a long-term means-tested Social Protection payment or its equivalent from an EU Member State. (Your payment is “long-term” if you received the Christmas Bonus.)
- Resident in the Irish State, EU, EEA, UK, or Swiss Federation for three of the last five years.
- An Irish, EU, EEA, UK or Swiss national or have a specific immigration status.
NEW in 2024: To be considered for the UCD Think Again Scholarship and progressing beyond the first year of your course:
You must be progressing from one stage to another.
- “Progression is when a student completes an attempt at a stage and moves to the next stage of their programme. Progression usually occurs at the end of an academic session but it may also occur after the Autumn Trimester (mid-year progression) in certain situations, such as where a student has carried repeat modules.”
You must be a Mature Student.
- “You are normally a mature student if you are at least 23 years of age on 1 January the year you start your course, and you are starting college for the first time.”
You must meet the specific eligibility criteria for Think Again listed below:
- A woman aged 23 years or over.
- In receipt of a Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Maintenance Grant, or can show that you are from a low-Income household (below €50,840 earned income, excluding means-tested Social Protection payments)
- In receipt of a long-term means-tested Social Protection payment or its equivalent from an EU Member State. Your payment is “long-term” if you received the Christmas Bonus.
- Resident in the Irish State, EU, EEA, UK, or Swiss Federation for three of the last five years.
- An Irish, EU, EEA, UK or Swiss national or have a specific immigration status.
Before you apply, ask yourself if either of these sentences describe you:
- I am a Mature student progressing from one year to the next of full-time undergrad (level 6 or above) and I meet the basic criteria above.
- I am a mature student progressing from 1st year into 2nd year of a Diploma/ Bachelor of Business Studies or BA Part-time Degree Programme part-time course and I meet the basic criteria above.
