Program Overview

UCD Sanctuary Scholarship

The UCD Sanctuary Scholarship is a program designed to support International Protection Applicants, Refugees, and those with Subsidiary Protection or Humanitarian Leave to Remain in Ireland. The scholarship provides opportunities for these individuals to study at University College Dublin (UCD) and offers free tuition and financial assistance.

What does the scholarship provide?

The Sanctuary Scholarship provides the following support:

• Full tuition fee coverage
• An annual maintenance payment to help cover some of the costs of study
• An invitation to the ALL Student Welcome Programme (orientation)
• Access to post-entry supports, including disability support, social events, as well as academic and financial guidance
• One-to-one support available from UCD Access & Lifelong Learning

Maintenance Payment Rates

The scholarship's maintenance payment rate is calculated based on students' home address and their status as either full-time or part-time students. The annual maintenance payment amounts are as follows:

• Full-Time Student:
  • Non-Adjacent (>30 km): 6,000
  • Adjacent (<30 km): 3,000
• Part-Time Student:
  • Non-Adjacent (>30 km): 3,000
  • Adjacent (<30 km): 1,500

Scholarship Allocations

It is expected that there will be up to 14 Sanctuary Scholarships available for the 2025/26 academic year, allocated as follows:

• University Access Programme: 4
• Open Learning Programme: 2
• Undergraduate Degree Programmes: 8

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for one of these scholarships, applicants need to:

• Have a low household income (less than 50,840 a year)
• Have either International Protection (Asylum Seeker), Refugee, Subsidiary Protection, or Leave to Remain (except deportation stage) status in Ireland and not be eligible for other state support
• Have already applied to a course at UCD

Priority

Priority will be given to:

• Applicants with an offer to a UCD Undergraduate, Open Learning, or University Access Programmes
• Applicants living within 30km of the UCD Belfield Campus
• Applicants who have lived in Ireland for more than 12 months
• Applicants living in Direct Provision (IPAS) centres
• Applicants who have completed the UCD University Access Programme or who are progressing from UCD Open Learning
• Applicants with reckonable income of 27,400 or less
• Applicants who are on the International Protection Priority list

Application Process

To apply for the Sanctuary Scholarship, applicants must first apply to a course at UCD. The course application and scholarship application will be assessed independently of each other. Applicants should indicate their status (e.g., international protection, refugee, etc.) in their sanctuary scholarship application.

Application Timeline

• Open date for applications: Friday, 2nd May 2025
• Closing date for applications: Friday, 18th July 2025
• Late or incomplete applications will not be considered
• Application assessment will take place after the deadline during August and September
• Outcomes will be communicated by email during early to mid-September

Supporting Documentation

Applicants must submit the following supporting documentation:

1. Relevant financial documentation to evidence a household income of 50,840 or less for 2024
2. Copy of a Department of Justice and Equality letter confirming permission to reside in Ireland or a copy of a document containing the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services (INIS) Person ID Number
3. Proof that the applicant is not eligible for state fee support, such as a copy of a SUSI outcome email or a letter from SUSI indicating ineligibility for state fee funding

Privacy Notice

UCD Access & Lifelong Learning is committed to processing personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. The data collected will be used for the purposes outlined in the privacy notice, and applicants have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, object to, and port their personal data.