Part-Time Fee Scheme (SUSI, part-time undergraduate courses)
A contribution towards your fees of €750 to €7,500 a year, set by the number of credits you take, paid directly to your college.
Last checked September 2026
What it is
A fee contribution grant for people studying an approved part-time undergraduate course at Level 6 Higher Certificate, Level 7 Ordinary Degree or Level 8 Honours Degree in an approved college in the State. SUSI is usually thought of as full-time only, so part-time and mature students working through a degree tend to miss this. The contribution is set by the ECTS credits you take in the year: €750 for 5 to 9 credits, then €750 more for every extra band of five credits, up to €7,500 for 50 credits, and it never exceeds the cost of the course. It is means tested on your household's gross income for the previous year, with limits for 2026/27 of €64,315 where there are fewer than four dependent children, €70,490 for four to seven and €76,410 for eight or more, plus €4,950 for each additional person attending a full-time course or an approved part-time course. It covers fees only, not living costs, the course has to be on SUSI's approved part-time list, and SUSI pays it straight to the college. Applications for 2026/27 are open on the SUSI website.
Who can get it
- You are doing, or starting in 2026/27, an approved part-time undergraduate course at Level 6, 7 or 8 in an approved institution in the State
- Your household's reckonable income for 2025 is under €64,315 with fewer than four dependent children, €70,490 with four to seven, or €76,410 with eight or more, plus €4,950 for each additional person attending a full-time course or an approved part-time course
- You are progressing to a higher level of qualification than any you already hold, are not repeating a year, and have not used up the maximum years of grant assistance at that level
- The contribution is fixed by credits: €750 for 5 to 9 credits, €1,500 for 10 to 14, and so on up to €7,500 for 50 credits. It never exceeds the cost of the course, and if the course costs less you do not get the difference.
- It is a fee contribution only, not a maintenance grant, and SUSI pays your college once the college confirms the credits you took during the year. Up to €8,830 of your own earnings in the previous calendar year can be deducted from your reckonable income.
- The course must lead to a major award averaging 30 to 50 credits a year. Part-time PLC courses and part-time postgraduate courses are not covered, and you must be an Irish, EU, EEA, UK or Swiss national or hold a qualifying immigration status, and have lived in the State, EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland for three of the last five years.
How to apply
Applications go through SUSI. The official page has the full eligibility rules and the application itself.
Go to the official page →Checked against the official source on 9 September 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.
Questions people ask
How much is the part-time fee scheme worth?
Between €750 and €7,500 a year depending on the credits you take, from 5 to 9 credits at the bottom to 50 credits at the top, and never more than the cost of the course.
Is the part-time fee scheme means tested?
Yes. Household reckonable income for the previous year must be under €64,315, €70,490 or €76,410 depending on the number of dependent children, plus €4,950 for each additional person attending a full-time course or an approved part-time course.
Does it cover living costs?
No. It is a contribution towards fees only, and SUSI pays it directly to your college.
Related guides
- Bursary for Young People with Care Experience
- SUSI Student Grant
- DARE (Disability Access Route to Education)
- VTOS (Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme)
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