Third-Level Education Grants

If you are thinking of furthering your education but are worried about the cost of full-time study, we may be able to help. On behalf of the Department of Education and Skills we offer a Grant for students from Co. Westmeath who want to start any of the following full-time third-level courses:

• Post-leaving Certificate Courses (PLCs)
• Higher Certificate and Ordinary Degree courses at an Institute of Technology
• Add-on Primary Honours Bachelor Degree courses
• Certain categories of post-graduate study
• Certain courses within the EU

Degree Courses at University are also eligible for funding. Applications for grants are processed by Westmeath County Council.

This is a general guide only - if you are not sure if your course will be eligible for grant aid, please contact us. Last year, you could have been entitled to anything from having your registration fee paid - worth €1500 - to receiving support of anything €270.00 and €6355.00.

The scheme is means-tested. In other words, your eligibility depends on your income. You might be aged 18 or so, and might have just finished your Leaving Certificate. In your case, we would assess your parents' income for the previous full tax year, plus any income that you had earned yourself, less a deduction for reasonable holiday earnings. And if either you or your parents have lost a job or have had to reduce working hours in recent times, and your household income has fallen as a result, you may find you qualify for a grant.

But third-level study is not just for school leavers. Many people who have left the family home and spent time raising families or working are now choosing to enter or re-enter college or university. We can help here too - we simply assess earnings in a slightly different way.

To work out if you might be eligible and to make an application, log on to www.studentfinance.ie and click on the 'Maintenance Grant' menu now.

Alternatively, why not give us a call ?  By answering a few simple questions, we can tell if it might be worth your while applying. And if you've already decided to apply, but are daunted by the amount of detail on the application form, we can help you with any problems you might have.

If you don't have internet access, don't worry - grant application packs for students commencing courses in the 2010/11 academic year will be available soon. To get one, give your name and address to:

In the meantime, move your mouse pointer over the 'Third Level Grants' heading above for more menu options, including vital details on how to make a head start on your application.