The 1916 Bursary Fund is a targeted funding scheme established by the Department of Education and Skills to support the implementation of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2019. The National Access Plan is working to increase the numbers of students who are currently underrepresented in higher education.

 

The Bursary is offered to socio-economically disadvantaged undergraduate students commencing third level education in September/October 2020 for the first time. All higher education institutions (HEI’s) are awarding the 1916 Bursaries as regional clusters. The MEND cluster is made up of four HEI’s in the Midlands, East and North Dublin region – Athlone Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Maynooth University. The MEND cluster has 40 bursaries available to award to people applying to the first year of an undergraduate programme in these HEI’s.

 

The 1916 Bursaries are targeted at people who are socio-economically disadvantaged and who are from one of the following groups that have low participation rates in higher education:

 

  • First time, mature student entrants
  • Students with a disability – particularly students with a physical/mobility impairment, students are who are deaf/hard of hearing, students who are blind or have a visual impairment
  • Irish Travellers
  • Further education award holders
  • Lone parents in receipt of a means tested social welfare payment
  • Ethnic minorities (including programme refugees)
  • Children in the care of the State

 

The MEND 1916 Bursary Application for entry 2020 opens on Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 4:00pm. The Closing date for the 1916 Bursary Application for entry 2020 is Friday, October 30, 2020 at 4:00pm.

 

Important advice for 1916 Bursary applicants:

  1. Each of the 4 MEND HEI’s has their own application form for the 1916 Bursary. If an applicant has applied to a course in more than 1 of the 4 HEI`s in MEND, they will need to complete separate application forms.
  2. There is NO reference letter required for the MEND 1916 Bursary entry 2020 process.
  3. The Maynooth University 1916 Bursary application form does not have a “save and return” feature. It is therefore advisable to write out each of the 3 parts of your personal statement before you start the application form which you can then “copy and paste” into the application form.
  4. Due to COVID-19 and the remote working of HEI’s and our community partners at the moment, there is an application guide for the 1916 Bursary entry 2020 (attached and also on the Maynooth University 1916 Bursary Fund website as a resource to applicants).

Please go to the Maynooth University website to see the 1916 Bursary flyer to advertise and raise awareness of the Fund within our community. The Maynooth University 1916 Bursary entry 2020 Application Guide is also on the Maynooth University to assist applicants.

Queries about the 1916 Bursary can email the Maynooth University Access Programme team at 1916Bursary@mu.ie.

Maynooth University Access Programme