Costs and grants

All figures are for the 2026/27 academic year unless labelled. 2027/28 figures are not published. Budget 2027 is on Tuesday 6 October 2026 (Citizens Information): every figure below is pre-Budget and should be rechecked after it.

Student contribution

• 2026/27: EUR 2,500, after a permanent EUR 500 reduction from EUR 3,000 announced in Budget 2026 (gov.ie; Citizens Information gives EUR 2,500 as the maximum for 2026-2027).
• Who pays: the student contribution is charged to students on the Free Fees Initiative. SUSI's fee grant "can also pay the student contribution" for eligible applicants (Citizens Information; SUSI). Students whose household income is above all SUSI thresholds are not covered.
• EUR 500 grant: SUSI's 2026/27 table has a band for a EUR 500 student contribution grant, with an income threshold of EUR 120,000 (fewer than 4 dependants), EUR 131,520 (4-7) and EUR 142,570 (8+). The threshold rose from EUR 115,000 to EUR 120,000 (gov.ie; SUSI).
• 2027/28: amount not published. Budget 2027 is the next possible change.
• Postgraduate Fee Contribution grant: EUR 4,500 (up from EUR 4,000) (gov.ie).

SUSI maintenance grant, full-time undergraduate, 2026/27

Income thresholds 2026/27 (fewer than 4 dependants / 4-7 / 8+):

Changes for 2026/27 (SUSI; gov.ie): Non-Adjacent Special Rate up EUR 350, Band 1 non-adjacent up EUR 430, Bands 2 to 4 non-adjacent up EUR 200; income disregard for student earnings outside term time raised from EUR 8,424 to EUR 8,830. SUSI pays the maintenance grant "in nine instalments" (SUSI payments page; first 2026/27 higher-education payment Thursday 10 September 2026). Eligibility also needs Irish, EU, EEA, UK or Swiss nationality (or a specific immigration status) and residence in the State, EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland for three of the last five years (SUSI).

The adjacent rate rule (SUSI's exact wording)

• "The adjacent rate is paid when your college is less than 30km from your normal residence."
• "The non-adjacent rate is paid when your college is 30km or more from your normal residence."
• Measurement: the shortest, most direct route from your normal residence to the campus where your course takes place, using Google Maps (kilometres, departure 1am, avoid tolls, highways included or avoided, whichever is shorter); the Eircode is used if provided.
• Normal residence: for dependent and mature dependent students, "the permanent or home address of your parents"; for independent students, "your permanent or home address".
• The distance can change if your normal residence permanently changes, if you must complete a compulsory off-campus placement of at least one semester, or compulsory study abroad of up to one year; SUSI may ask for documents.

Citizens Information words the same test as living "30 kilometres or less" from college for the adjacent rate. The two official pages differ at exactly 30 km; use SUSI's wording, as SUSI decides the grant.

How accommodation affects the grant

SUSI's adjacency page defines normal residence by the permanent or home address (parents' address for dependent students), not a rented address during term, and does not mention term-time rentals. Treat the rate as set by the distance between that address and the college.

Rent Tax Credit (Revenue)

• Revenue: available for tax years 2022 to 2028. Up to EUR 1,000 a year for a single person and EUR 2,000 for jointly assessed couples for 2024-2028; EUR 500 and EUR 1,000 for 2022-2023.
• Needs an income tax liability to offset against.
• Rent excludes utilities, board and laundry.
• A parent can claim for a property used by their child for an approved course (same definition as third-level tuition fee relief), if the child was under 23 at the start of the tax year in which they first began an approved course. No family relationship with the landlord may exist. The property must be the child's principal residence during term time. Rent-a-room or digs arrangements now qualify (Revenue, following Budget 2025). The property must be residential and in the State.

Student Assistance Fund

Run by the HEA for the Department; apply through your college's access or student services office (some colleges set application deadlines). Covers books and class materials, rent and other utility bills, food, essential travel, childcare and medical costs. Does not cover tuition fees, registration fees, student loan repayments or costs borne by your college. Open to full- or part-time students on higher education courses at participating colleges (HEA). Colleges decide the documents required (typically proof of income and receipts).

Student Accommodation Assistance (Department of Further and Higher Education)

Official name: Student Accommodation Assistance (gov.ie). For members of the Irish Traveller and Roma communities, and students with care-system experience who are not in receipt of an aftercare allowance, who live independently and do not receive another accommodation support such as HAP or Rent Supplement. Up to EUR 6,000 per academic year for rental costs, up to EUR 3,000 for a single semester. Covers on- or off-campus student-specific accommodation, private rental, house shares and digs; not mortgage costs or social-housing rent. Open to full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students meeting the criteria. Apply directly to the access office or student support office in your college. The care-experience age range differs by source: gov.ie says ages 12-18; the Tusla page and Citizens Information say 16-18; confirm with your college access office. The gov.ie page shows the 2025/26 academic year (second-round deadline 6 February 2026; Tusla shows 17 October 2025 for the first round); 2026/27 details were not seen.

Other supports

• Bursary for Care Experienced Young People: up to EUR 5,000 toward tuition fees; 2026 applications open 31 August to 2 October (Citizens Information).
• 1916 Bursary Fund (2026 deadline 9 October, 5pm) and Back to Education Allowance: see Citizens Information.
• Fund for Students with Disabilities does not cover accommodation (see file 06).

Rent levels (RTB Rent Index, Q1 2026)

Average monthly rent for whole tenancies, not room rates:

Source: RTB Rent Index Q1 2026 standardised average rents.

Other recurring costs

• TV licence: EUR 160 a year; "in the case of apartments each apartment needs a separate licence" (TV Licence FAQ).
• Leap Card: Young Adult (19-25) or Student (full-time, 15+ hours, aged 16-18 or 26+); EUR 5 refundable deposit plus EUR 5 minimum credit; 50% off adult fares; Irish Rail accepts these cards for student/young adult fares (TFI; Irish Rail).
• Upfront: deposit up to 1 month's rent plus up to 1 month's rent in advance.

Official sources

• https://www.susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/income/full-time-undergraduate-income-thresholds-and-grant-award-rates/
• https://www.susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/income/adjacency/
• https://www.susi.ie/news/susi-is-now-open-for-new-applications-for-academic-year-202627/
• https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third-level-education/fees-and-supports-for-third-level-education/student-grant-scheme/
• https://www.susi.ie/payments/
• https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/whats-new/students-and-this-years-budget/
• https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money-and-tax/budgets/budget-2027/
• https://www.tusla.ie/services/alternative-care/after-care/student-accommodation-assistance/
• https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/rail-fares-and-tickets/students
• https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third-level-education/fees-and-supports-for-third-level-education/financial-supports-for-students/
• https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/press-releases/minister-lawless-announces-major-expansion-of-student-grant-supports-as-susi-opens-for-202627-applications/
• https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/services/student-accommodation-assistance/
• https://www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/land-and-property/rent-credit/index.aspx
• https://www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/land-and-property/rent-credit/used-by-child.aspx
• https://hea.ie/funding-governance-performance/funding/student-finance/student-assistance-fund/
• https://rtb.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/RTB-Rent-Index-Q1-2026.pdf
• https://www.tvlicence.ie/home/general-faqs.html
• https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/phone-internet-tv-and-postal-services/tv-licences/
• https://about.leapcard.ie/about/tfi-leap-card-types/student