Learner Fund

All updates for the Learner Fund 2020 will be posted here as soon as they become available. 

Learner Fund Graduate Bursary Application form Autumn 2019

Closing date for applications is 27th September 2019, 5pm. 

The Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA) will re-open the Learner Fund Bursary to Early Learning and Care practitioners who are new graduates of a recognised Early Childhood Education and Care degree programme. The local City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) will process and appraise Learner Fund Bursary applications.

  1. The qualification for which the bursary is paid must be on the DCYA Early Learning and Care Recognised Qualifications list.
  2. The award must be placed at level 7/8/9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and was achieved in the academic years 2013-2019.
  3. The bursary amount will be €750.
  4. The qualification must be a full, major award; the bursary will not be paid in respect of partially completed awards.
  5. A letter of eligibility to practice from DCYA stating that the applicant may work as an ECCE room leader at the higher capitation rate can also be accepted.
To read more, please click here.

6. The qualification for which the bursary is paid must be that which qualifies the person to work in the Early Learning and Care sector (and is at least level 7 on the NFQ).

7.  Applicants may only apply once and cannot be granted the Learner Fund bursary for a second time if they have already received it  before

8. The applicant cannot have received any public funding in support of their completing the award relating to this application.

9. The bursary is only available to experienced practitioners who were working in a Tusla registered Early Learning & Care service prior to beginning their course.

10. Applicants must be currently working in a Tusla registered Early Learning & Care Service.

11. Staff working in standalone School Age Childcare services are not eligible to apply.

12. Applicants can apply with a full transcript of the completed degree in lieu of a graduating certificate. A full transcript; can be obtained from the educational institution and must show clearly that the learner has been awarded the full degree.  Screenshots or downloads from student accounts / portals will cannot be accepted.

13. Late or incomplete applications; will not be accepted.

14. Decision of the CCC is final and cannot be appealed.

Timeframe for applications: 

19th August

Call for applications open by CCCs 

27th September

All forms must be fully completed and returned BY POST OR BY HAND to your local CCC no later than 5PM on Friday 27th September 2019

To get your application form, please contact Bernie on  043-3342505 or by email on bernie@longfordchildcare.ie

1916 Bursary : 2019 Academic year

Online application process is now open

Closing date for applications is 4th October 2019, 4pm.

 MEND Cluster :  Athlone IT, DCU, Dundalk IT and Maynooth University;

applicants should have applied to at least one of the four colleges.

The 1916 Bursary Fund was announced by the Minister for Education and Skills on 30 December, 2017. The purpose of this funding is to encourage participation and success by people from sections of society that are significantly under-represented in higher education due to socio-economic disadvantage. This funding will support the awarding of 200 new bursaries.  The bursaries are  €5,000 for each year of an undergraduate programme.   There are a total of 40 bursaries available within the cluster.

To read more, please click here.

Eligibility to Apply: Applications are invited from students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds in one or more of the following categories;

Mature students

Lone parents

Those from a Socio-economic background with low participation rates in higher education

Irish Travellers

Students with a Disability

FET Award Holders

Ethnic Minorities/children in the care of the State

Application is limited to those entering Year 1 of their (undergraduate) programme only. 

Applicants from those currently repeating year 1 of their undergraduate programme will only be considered in cases where evidence is supplied that a significant life event was the reason for poor performance in the last academic year. Examples of such life events include major ill health which was certified at the time, pregnancy, bereavement in the immediate family.

Those applying for first year of part-time undergraduate courses may apply.

Household Income

In order to be considered for a bursary, household / family income must be less than €24K.

Prioritisation

As it is expected that the number of applications will exceed the number of bursaries available, the partner institutions will prioritise those who can provide evidence of membership of more than one of the categories listed above and the institutions will give due regard to ensuring that the benefit of the bursaries is maximised.

Application Deadline:

The application processes now open and  closes at 4pm on Oct. 4, 2019.

Application Form:

Potential applicants should read the eligibility criteria before applying.

Please find below a link to the 1916 Bursaries Application Form:

https://www.ait.ie/life-at-ait/student-supports/1916-bursary-fund

LEARNER FUND BURSARY – SUMMER/AUTUMN 2018 will re-open to Early Years practitioners who are new graduates of a recognised Early Childhood Education and Care degree programme.  The Longford County Childcare Committee will process and appraise Learner Fund Bursary applications.  Applications will open earlier than previously to maximise the number of graduates who can apply. Please contact Longford County Childcare Committee (043 33 42505) to request an application form.

Bursary Fund

The Bursary Fund is for students/ Early Years Professionals who had completed their Level 7/8/9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and was achieved in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, or in the 2017/2018 academic year and must be working presently in an Early Years Service. It is re-opened Summer/Autumn 2018. The local County Childcare Committee (CCCs) will process and appraise Leaner Fund Bursary applications.

To read more, please click here.

Great News: Learner Fund Bursary Re-opening Summer/Autumn 2018

The Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA) will re-open the Learner Fund Bursary to Early Years practitioners who are new graduates of a recognised Early Childhood Education and Care degree programme.  The local County Childcare Committee will process and appraise Learner Fund Bursary applications.  Applications will open earlier than previously to maximise the number of graduates who can apply.

To be considered eligible for the Learner Fund Bursary, an applicant must:

  1. The qualification for which the bursary is pad must be on the DCYA Early Years Recognised Qualifications list.
  2. The aware must be placed at level 7/8/9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and was achieved in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 or in the 2017/2018 academic year.
  3. The bursary amount will be €750.
  4. The qualification must be a full, major award; the bursary will not be paid in respect of partially completed awards.
  5. A letter of eligibility to practice from DCYA stating that the applicant may work as an ECCE room leader at the higher capitation rate can also be accepted.
  6. The qualification for which the bursary is paid must be that which qualifies the person to work in the Early Years Sector (and is at least Level 7 on the NFQ).
  7. Applicants may only apply once and cannot be granted the Learner Fund Bursary for a second time if they have already received it before.
  8. The applicant cannot have recevied any public funding in support of their completing the aware relating to this application.
  9. The bursary is only available to experienced practitioners who were working in a Tusla registered Early Years’ service prior to beginning their course.
  10. Applicants must be currently working in a Tusla registered Early Years’ service.
  11. Applicants can apply with a full transcript of the completed degree in lieu of a graduating certificate.  A full transcript; can be obtained from the educational institution and must show clearly that the learner has been  awarded the full degree. (Screenshots or downloads from student accounts / portals cannot be accepted). 
  12. Late or incomplete applications; will not be accepted.
  13. Decision of the CCC is final and cannot be appealed.
  14. Have submitted a completed application form (along with all relevant documentation) to their local CCC no later than 5 pm on Friday, 28th of September 2018.

PLEASE NOTE:

Applications do not open until 20th of August 2018.  Please contact your local County Childcare Committee for an application form.

Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Screenshots or downloads from student accounts/portals cannot be accepted.

Decision of the CCC is final and cannot be appealed.