Financial help with going to school

Information

There are different schemes which provide funding to help with the costs of going to school for certain students attending schools in Ireland. Most of the schemes are for students with family incomes below a certain level who are dependent on a social welfare payment. There is also a scheme for second-level students who are disadvantaged by living a long way from school. The details of the various schemes are set out below.

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is designed to help meet the cost of uniforms and footwear for students in Ireland attending school. The scheme operates from 1 June to 30 September each year. To be eligible for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, the applicant (parent or guardian) must be receiving certain social welfare benefits or payments for training, employment schemes or adult education and total household income must be below a certain amount.

The child or student must be aged between 2 and 22 years before 1 October of the year when the application is made and must be in full-time education at a recognised school or college. Where a person is on a short term social welfare payment, qualifying children must be aged 2-17 years.

School Books Grant Scheme

A grant scheme is available in Ireland for students in State primary and post-primary schools to help with the cost of school books. The scheme is mainly aimed at pupils from low-income families and families experiencing financial hardship. Funding for this scheme comes from the Department of Education and Science and the scheme is administered in each school by the School Principal.

In 2009 that this grant scheme was restricted to schools in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme.

In the 2010 Budget it was announced that extra funding would be allocated to schools for school books and to support cultural activities.

Broadly speaking, students that may be eligible for assistance under the School Books Grant Scheme include:

• Families dependent mainly dependent on social welfare payments
• Families on low incomes, (for example, those receiving Family Income Supplement, and the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance)
• Families experiencing financial hardship because of particular circumstances (for example, where there is prolonged illness of a parent/guardian, addiction problems, etc.)

Students who are in the care of foster families under arrangements made by your Local Health Office and students participating in Youthreach, VTOS and Post-Leaving Certificate Courses are ineligible for assistance under the School Books Grant Scheme. Read more about the School Books Grant Scheme in Primary Schools and the School Books Grant Scheme in Post Primary Schools.

Exemption from examination fees

Students whose parent or guardian holds a current medical card do not have to pay the examination fees for Junior or Leaving Certificate. In this case, details of the medical card are put on the fee payment form and the parent then sends the form back to the school. If you are exempt from fees because your parents hold a medical card you are still liable for late fees if you apply after the deadline. More detailed information is available on Leaving Certificate examination fees and Junior Certificate examination fees.

Remote Areas Boarding Grant

Under the Remote Area Grant scheme funding is available to support pupils who live far from a school providing suitable free second-level education. To qualify for a boarding grant the pupil must live at least 3 miles from a second-level school and more than two miles from a pick-up point on a transport service to such a school. The pupil must be unable to obtain a place in a suitable second-level school within fifteen miles of theirhome and must be attending a second level school providing free second-level education for day pupils. Pupils resident on off shore islands, which do not have a school providing suitable free second level education, may also qualify for assistance under the scheme. Read more about the Remote Areas Boarding Grant here.

How to apply

For assistance under the School Books Grant Scheme parents/guardians should apply for assistance directly to the school principal of your child's school. The principal has total discretion in deciding which students are most in need. Further information about the operation of the scheme in your child's school is available from the school principal.

Where to apply