The 1916 Bursary Fund is a financial award funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) which aims to encourage participation and success by students who are most socio-economically disadvantaged and from groups most under-represented in higher education. Each college has a limited number of bursaries that will be awarded to the eligible applicants that present the greatest need.
     

    Application to the 1916 Bursary Fund 2022-23 for Undergraduates has closed.

     

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    The Undergraduate 1916 Bursary Fund 2022-2023

     

    What is the 1916 Bursary?

    The 1916 Bursary is open to new entrant undergraduate students and will fund the entire duration of a student's programme of study, including their postgraduate study.

    A new entrant is a student pursuing an undergraduate course for the first time in the 2022-2023 academic year i.e., entering Year 1 or repeating Year 1 due to a significant ‘life event’ which prevented successful completion of that year in a participating HEI.

     

    Who administers the 1916 Bursary Fund process?

    All the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are awarding the 1916 Bursaries as regional clusters. The MEND cluster that includes Maynooth University (MU), Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus (TUS), Dublin City University (DCU), and Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), has a total of 48 bursaries available to award to students applying to the above HEIs. There is a central online application process for the MEND cluster which is administered by DCU on behalf of these four institutions. 

     

    Value of the 1916 Bursary

    There are three different types of bursaries in 2022/23:

    Tier 1 Bursaries: Awardees will receive €5,000 per year for the normal duration of an undergraduate programme or up to a maximum of six years for a part-time programme. The bursary will also be paid as the awardee progresses to postgraduate study.
     
    Tier 2 Bursaries: Awardees will receive €2,000 per year for the normal duration of an undergraduate programme or up to a maximum of six years for a part-time programme. The bursary will also be paid as the awardee progresses to postgraduate study.
     
    Tier 3 Bursaries: Awardees will receive a once-off bursary of €1,500 for the 2022/23 academic year only - for the first year of their undergraduate course. 
     
    Tier 1 and Tier 2 bursaries will be paid each year for the normal duration of an undergraduate course for full time students (usually four years) and six years for part-time students, if the recipient complies with the bursary guidelines and progresses to the next academic year of their course. Where the normal duration of a Level 8 course exceeds four years, the bursary will be awarded for the full course duration.

    The bursary may also be held for progression at undergraduate level, i.e. from Level 6 to Level 7 and from Level 7 to Level 8.

    The payment of bursaries will generally be made directly to the student's bank account and will be paid by instalment.

     

    Who can apply for the 1916 Bursary Fund 2022-23? 

    The 1916 Bursaries are targeted at students who are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage and who are from one or more of the socio-economic groups that have low participation rates in higher education.

    Any students entering year 1 of an undergraduate programme in the academic year (2022/23), full or part-time, with a household reckonable income less than €24,500 in 2021, who are in the identified target groups, can apply for the 1916 Bursary. Students who are entering directly to year 2 of a programme can also apply.

    To be eligible for a bursary, applicants must meet College Entry, Financial and Target Group eligibility criteria. 

    Applicants to the undergraduate 1916 Bursary Fund must be:

    • A new entrant pursuing an undergraduate course for the first time in the 2022–2023 academic year. New entrant 1st year includes a full-time student who applied directly to the University and entering year 2 of a programme having not attended third level previously.
    • Eligible to qualify for the Special Rate of SUSI grant (Family income of €24,500) and/or in receipt of a Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection means-tested payment.
    • Have been a resident in the Irish State for three of the past five years.
    • Must be applying for a full-time or part-time undergraduate course in one of the HEI's (there is no restriction on the programme of study) in the MEND cluster.
      and must be from at least one of the under-represented groups at higher education:
    • Students from communities, groups or areas that are socio-economically disadvantaged or that have low levels of participation in higher education, including those who have experienced homelessness, the care system, survivors of domestic violence, and those who have experience of the criminal justice system 
    • Students who qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant under the Student Grant Scheme (SUSI) and/or are in receipt of a Department of Social Protection (DSP) payment are also considered to be socio-economically disadvantaged.
    • Socio-economically disadvantaged mature students (23 or older on 1 January of their year of entry to higher education – and having never previously accessed higher education);
    • Second-chance socio-economically disadvantaged mature students. Such students may be considered for a bursary where they have:
      • previously attended but not completed a course,
      • had a five-year break in studies since leaving the course, and
      • are returning to attend an approved course.
    • Students with a disability, particularly students with a physical/mobility impairment or students with a sensory disability, students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, students who are blind or visually impaired;
    • Members of the Irish Traveller community;
    • Members of the Roma community;
    • Further education and training award holders progressing to higher education;
    • Students who are carers (confirmed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) as holding a long-term means-tested carer’s allowance).
    • Lone parents or teen parents (confirmed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) as holding a long-term means-tested social welfare payment) – at least 20% of Tier 1 bursaries will be targeted at lone parents;
    • Students who are migrants, refugees or who are from ethnic minorities who are lawfully present in the State.

    If you do not meet all of the above criteria, you cannot be considered for a 1916 Bursary Award.

    For more detail on the eligibility criteria see the 1916 Bursary Applicant Guidelines and complete the 1916 Bursary Criteria Quick Check questionnaire. 

     

    Undergraduate 1916 Bursary Application Timeline 2022/23

    Timeline

    Date

    Application open date

    13 September 2022 at 9am

    Application closing date

    20 October 2022 at 5pm

    Appeals open date

    21 November 2022

    Appeals close date

    28 November 2022

    Conditional Offers issued

    TBC after 28 November 2022

    Payment Date (Semester 1 instalment)

    TBC

    Payment Date (Semester 2 instalment)

    TBC

     

    Making an Undergraduate 1916 Bursary Application

     

    All over Ireland, third level Higher Education Institutions have come together in clusters to make the 1916 Bursary Fund available to students. There is a central online application process for each cluster. The application form for the MEND Cluster is administered by DCU on behalf of the 4 institutions in the cluster: Maynooth University (MU), Dublin City University (DCU), Dundalk institute of Technology (DkIT) and Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). All applications for the 1916 Bursary at HEIs in the MEND cluster must be submitted on DCU’s online application form before the closing date.

    Before you complete the online application form, read through the 1916 Bursary Applicant Guidelines for Students and complete the 1916 Bursary Criteria Quick Check questionnaire to see if you are eligible and to find out how to get prepared to apply.
     

    • If you are eligible, gather and scan the supporting documents required to evidence the Financial Criteria and Target Group Criteria as outlined in the relevant sections of the Applicant Guidelines for Students. Allow several weeks to do this. At each point on the application form where you are prompted to upload supporting documents, please scan the supporting documents relevant to that point as one file. You will not be able to upload more than one file per question. Do not upload zipped files. 

    • Read the data protection arrangements below, as you must agree to the processing of your data in order to complete the application form. 

    • You can also find information about the national operation of the 1916 Bursary Fund and Frequently Asked Questions on the Irish Universities Association’s website - 1916Bursary.ie.

    • At that stage you should be ready to complete the MEND Cluster Undergraduate 1916 Bursary Fund Application Form. 

      Note: Applications can only be made online from a PC/laptop or mobile device. An application you have started can be re-opened anytime on the same device up until the closing date of October 20th at 5pm. If you started your application on one device but did not complete it, you cannot re-open the same application on a different device. In this case, you can either access your application on the first device or start a new application on a second PC/laptop or mobile device.  Any duplicate applications will be deleted. You can only complete one application. Only fully completed and submitted applications will be assessed for a 1916 Bursary award. You can re-access your application by clicking on the link in the most recent confirmation email you have received and you must use the same device.  

    The 1916 Bursary Logo

    Application to the 1916 Bursary Fund 2022-23 for Undergraduates closed on 20 October 2022 at 5pm. 
     

     

    You must have all these details ready before you begin your application.

    1. Your 9-digit CAO number.
    2. Your student email address.
    3. Your phone number. 
    4. Your Eircode from Eircode Finder.
    5. Your PPS number. Ensure you insert the correct number. 
    6. If you have applied to SUSI, you will need the W number or your application number. 
    7. All the required supporting documents saved on your device, ready to upload. 
      Please note: you can only upload one digital file per question. If you have two or more documents to upload per question you need to create a single digital file first.

    ​Please have all documents scanned and ready to upload with your application.  If you have to wait for documents to be sent to you, you can begin your application online and upload the documents at a later time but still before the closing date. Please note: this will require you to continue your application on the same device that you started your application on. You can re-access your application by clicking on the link in the most recent confirmation email you have received.

     

    For any paper documents, you will need to create scanned electronic copies of them to upload online.  These can be in the following formats: JPEG, PDF, DOC, DOCX.

    Note: At each point on the application form where you are prompted to upload supporting documents, please scan the supporting documents relevant to that point as one file. You will not be able to upload more than one file per question. Do not upload zipped files. 

    There are a number of ways to create a scanned electronic copy of your document:

    Use your smartphone camera:

    • ​Scan your paper documents using the free app Microsoft Lens (Android / iPhone) combined with your camera. You can also follow these 8 steps using the Notes app on your iPhone.
    • If using the camera alone to take photos, ensure the screenshots are of good quality and all information is visible.
    • Save your electronic documentation onto your pc/laptop/USB key/phone. 

    Use a printer/scanner:

    • There are 7 printers with scanning functions around Maynooth University (locations are listed in Copy & Print Services)
    • At a printer, swipe your Student ID card and set the document that you wish to scan face up on the top tray of the printer and click Scan on the printer’s screen.
    • Your scanned document will be emailed to you as an attachment to your @mumail.ie address.
    • Save your electronic documentation onto your pc/laptop/USB key/phone.
    • It is not advisable to you use the Webprint facility to remotely print confidential documents.

      

     

    Making an Appeal

    The MEND cluster is committed to ensuring that all 1916 bursary applications are assessed fairly, accurately, and according to the published guidelines. Full details on making an appeal will be provided to all applicants who are initially unsuccessful in their 1916 Bursary applications.

    An Independent Appeals Panel will ensure your application was assessed fairly and in line with the criteria. An appeal must be made before the closing date. The appeal process will open on 21st November 2022 and will close on 28th November 2022. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified on 21st November including information on how to make an appeal.

    The appeals procedure is in respect of the process only i.e., that you believe an administrative error was made. No new information can be included or considered at appeal stage.

    • Appeals must be completed online within before the closing date. 
    • Appeals will be independently reviewed on the grounds that the information provided was considered, assessed, and ranked correctly.
    • The information submitted in the online application and the supporting documentation received will be used in consideration of the appeal.
    • It will not be possible to submit further documentation at the appeal stage.

    The decision of the 1916 Bursary Appeals Board is final.

    To apply for an appeal you will need;

    • Your 9-digit CAO number
    • The identified grounds for your appeal

    Before you complete an appeal, you can speak to a member of staff at Maynooth University Access Office. Email 1916bursary@mu.ie to discuss your outcome and other supports available to you.

     

     

    1916 Bursary Awardees progressing to Postgraduate Study

     

    Information for 1916 Bursary Awardees – Current Recipients/Past Recipients
     

    It is possible to extend an existing 1916 bursary award from an undergraduate programme of study into a postgraduate programme of study. The programme has to be an approved postgraduate full-time or part-time programme that takes no less than one year to complete and is provided by an approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution. If you are a 1916 Bursary recipient who is currently enrolled in or who intends to apply to a postgraduate programme, you may be eligible to continue your 1916 Bursary funding to postgraduate level.
     

    What is the value of the 1916 Bursary at postgraduate level?

    • For students who were awarded the undergraduate 1916 Bursary in 2021/22, a postgraduate 1916 Bursary will be in the same amount as their undergraduate award: €5,000 per annum (Tier 1 bursaries) and €2,000 per annum (Tier 2 bursaries) for both full-time and part-time students.

    • For students who were awarded an undergraduate 1916 Bursary prior to 2021/22, a postgraduate 1916 Bursary will be in the amount of €5,000 per annum for both full and part-time students.

     

    Are there any conditions?

    The award of the 1916 Bursary funding at postgraduate level is subject to satisfactory progression in your course of study and to a maximum cap of 4 years. 

    Approved postgraduate courses are full-time or part-time courses, of at least one year's duration, at Level 8 Higher Diploma, Level 9 Master’s Degree or Level 10 Ph.D. at a Higher Education Institution approved for PATH 2 funding. Bursary recipients will not be permitted to do two postgraduate courses that are at the same NFQ level e.g. two Level 9 courses within the overall cap of four years. The postgraduate Bursary can be held for progression from Level 8 Higher Diploma to Level 9 or Level 10, subject to a maximum cap of 4 years postgraduate funding. 

     

    Who can apply for postgraduate 1916 Bursary funding in 2022-23?

    1. If you are a 1916 Bursary recipient at undergraduate level who is completing an undergraduate course in 2021/22 at Maynooth University or at another approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution and who is progressing to postgraduate study at Maynooth University or at another approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution, you can apply for postgraduate 1916 funding support. To avail of 1916 funding at postgraduate level you must be taking up postgraduate level study in 2022/23 or be deferring for 1 year only to 2023/24.  Notify Maynooth Access Programme (MAP) by email to 1916bursary@mu.ie by 1st Sept 2022 if you are starting in 2022/23 or, if deferring for 1 year, as soon as possible.

      Please note: If you are deferring for 1 year to 2023/24, you must also follow the relevant deferral process for your postgraduate HEI. For Maynooth University’s deferral procedure please refer to the Graduate Studies webpage on How to Apply to a postgraduate programme and scroll down to the section ‘Deferring your place on a postgraduate programme’.  Please note, the 1916 Bursary will not be available to you for postgraduate study you undertake after 2023/24. 

    2. If you were a 1916 Bursary recipient at undergraduate level at Maynooth University who graduated in 2020/21, who has deferred for 1 year and is taking up postgraduate study in 2022/23 at Maynooth University or another approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution you can apply for postgraduate 1916 Bursary support. An email has recently been sent to  your last known email address from 1916Bursary@mu.ie with more information. If you have not yet replied or not yet confirmed your intention to take up postgraduate study in 2022/23, please do so before 1st Sept 2022 by emailing 1916bursary@mu.ie.  Please note, the 1916 Bursary will not be available to you for postgraduate study you undertake after 2022/23.   

    3. If you were a 1916 Bursary recipient at undergraduate level at Maynooth University who graduated in 2019/20 or earlier you were notified in August 2021 that you could apply for 1916 funding support for postgraduate study undertaken in 2021/22 or for postgraduate study deferred to 2022/23. In late July-early August 2022, MAP emailed any student who indicated their intention to take up postgraduate study at Maynooth University or at another approved Path 2 participating Higher Education Institution in 2022/23. If you have not yet replied or not yet confirmed your intention to take up postgraduate study in 2022/23, please do so before 1st Sept 2022 by emailing 1916bursary@mu.ie.  Please note, the 1916 Bursary will not be available to you for postgraduate study you undertake after 2022/23.  

    ​

    Students transferring for postgraduate study to a different HEI in 2022/23: 

    • If you are a Maynooth University graduate and intend to transfer to another Higher Education Institution for postgraduate study, you will need to notify your prospective HEI of your 1916 Bursary status. You must provide your prospective HEI with a letter of confirmation of your 1916 Bursary status from Maynooth University Access Programme (MAP). You can request this letter by emailing 1916bursary@mu.ie.

    • ​If you graduated from another HEI and intend to transfer to Maynooth University for postgraduate study, you will need to provide MAP with a letter of confirmation of your 1916 status from your undergraduate university Access Office/Programme. The letter of confirmation should set out the amount per year you received, the number of years you received funding, the NFQ level and year of completion of your degree, and the target groups that you satisfied for your original 1916 Bursary funding. You should notify MAP by email to 1916bursary@mu.ie by 1st Sept 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter, attaching your confirmation letter. 

    For more information on postgraduate study options at Maynooth University see Postgraduate Studies.  

     

     
     

    Data Protection

    Data protection concerns the safeguarding of privacy rights in relation to the processing of your personal data. This includes any information that can identify you. This may, for example, include a name, email address, date of birth or telephone number. Personal data that you submit using the application form will be used only for the purpose of processing your application for the 1916 Bursary. Your data will be treated in accordance with the Data Protection Policies of each organisation and with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018. 

    In applying to the 1916 Bursary Fund you will be submitting your personal data to the higher education institutions working together in the MEND (Midlands, East, North Dublin) Cluster to process the 1916 Bursary Fund. These are: Maynooth University (MU), Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Dublin City University (DCU), and Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). Certain elements of your personal data will also be shared with the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO), and with the Higher Education Authority (HEA). DCU acts as ‘Data Controllers’ in respect of your personal data and comply with our responsibilities under these laws. 
     

    Why we need your data

    By applying for the 1916 Bursary, you will be required to provide us with personal data including: 

    • Name, address, Eircode, date of birth, CAO number, mobile phone number, email address, country of birth, nationality
    • If it applies to you, information about the Free Fees Scheme, your residency status in Ireland, your main entry route into the college, and the HEAR/DARE Schemes. 

    In relation to the Bursary, this personal data is necessary for: 

    • verification of your identity
    • the assessment of your application,
    • eligibility for the Bursary fund
    • the selection of successful applicants,
    • the provision of additional supports.

    Separately, the following information is provided to the AIRO and the HEA:

    • AIRO: Your address and Eircode will be provided to AIRO, to enable understanding of what areas are represented by applicants for the 1916 Bursary. No other information will be shared with AIRO.
    • HEA: An anonymised version of your information will be shared with the HEA, in order to comply with the 1916 Bursary Scheme’s reporting requirements.

    If you do not provide the requested data, your application for the Bursary cannot be processed.

     

    How your personal information will be used 

    • We will only process such data for the purpose for which you provide it and to the extent necessary to process your application in line with the regulations attached to this Bursary.

    • You have the right to withdraw your consent to processing and you also have the right to access any personal data relating to you on request (see the ‘Your data rights’ section below).

    • The personal data you submit will be held for a period of 10 years. The personal data may be disclosed by each Organisation to relevant internal staff and agents in order assess this application and to deliver support services to you.

    • We may also share personal data with government departments, statutory bodies, and funding agencies where this is required under legislation or for the provision of services to you.
       

    What security measures are in place

    The online application form is hosted on the DCU website and based on Drupal software. A record of responses is generated as applicants submit their forms online. Application details will be stored on a secure network, and password protected. Access to the Drupal form and responses is strictly limited to two authorised individuals within DCU, who require secure log-in to access the information.

     

    What your data rights are

    Under data protection rules, you have rights as a ‘data subject’. These rights include: 

    • The right to be informed about what happens to information relating to you (personal data) (Articles 12-14 of GDPR).
    • The right to access information relating to you which is held by DCU (Article 15, GDPR).
    • The right to rectification, to correct any errors in your personal data (Articles 16 & 19, GDPR).
    • The right to erasure, to delete/destroy information relating to you which is held by DCU (Articles 17 & 19, GDPR).
    • The right to data portability (Article 20, GDPR).
    • The right to object to processing of information relating to you (Article 21, GDPR).
    • The right of restriction, to limit the way DCU uses information relating to you (Article 18, GDPR); and,
    • Rights in relation to automated decision making, including profiling (Article 22, GDPR).

     

    Who to contact in relation to your personal data

    If you have any questions in relation to how your personal data is used by Maynooth University, you can contact 1916bursary@mu.ie or the Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@mu.ie. If you have any questions in relation to access, supports or the 1916 Bursary Scheme, contact 1916bursary@mu.ie or access.office@mu.ie or any of the following units:

    In addition, the Data Protection Commission (DPC) is the official authority overseeing data protection in Ireland. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the DPC if you believe your personal data is being processed by us unlawfully. To find out more information about how to make a complaint to the DPC, please visit dataprotection.ie.

     

    What consent declarations are required

    By proceeding to complete the 1916 Bursary Application Form, you confirm:

    • that you have read and fully understand the above statement and its contents
    • that you consent to the obtaining, processing, and retaining your personal data for the purposes described in the above statement. 

    Important: If you proceed to complete the 1916 Bursary Application Form, your personal data will be processed as described in the above statement. If you do not wish to have your personal data collected by and further processed, please do not proceed.

     

    Frequently Asked Questions About the 1916 Bursary Fund