Financial support 

If you are struggling to make ends meet or require financial assistance, there are a number of supports available to you. If you want to discuss your options you can always book a 1-to-1 appointment with our Advice & Advocacy team.

In addition, you can also get in touch with John McDermott, the Student Financial Support Advisor, who can help you with budgeting and accessing financial supports at John.McDermott@ul.ie.

Below are some of the most commonly used financial supports that are available to UL Students.
 

1. Financial Aid Fund | UL undergraduate courses 

The Financial Aid Fund is where you can apply for an interest-free loan or a bursary if you are a registered UL student. This scheme is designed to help students who experience short-term financial problems. If the student qualifies for assistance, they will receive an interest free loan or a bursary that is capped at €800. If a loan is approved- the loan is repayable in full prior to graduation in payments manageable to the student. The Financial Aid Committee considers applications each week. However, students can only apply for this fund once a semester.

How to apply

• Undergraduate students can contact Advice & Advocacy and book an appointment. 
• Postgraduate students can contact the student president in the postgraduate students union and book a chat - Click here. 
• Both undergraduate and postgraduate students can also apply via the UL Chaplaincy Service. You can contact the UL Chaplain John Campion via email john.campion@ul.ie or text  086-2632458.
• Booking an appointment is the quickest way to apply for financial aid. During a 1-to-1 session we can also answer any other questions you might have and can outline all the supports that are available to you. 
  
  When you make contact, you will be given a Financial Aid application form. You must fill out this form and return it, along with a bank statement showing the last 3 months of transactions. Applications are reviewed every week. The information is strictly confidential. We know it can be hard to reach out for help when times are tough but the services are there for you. If you need support, please get in touch and book in for a chat so we can talk through the options.

Please note: You can apply to financial aid once a semester.

Book a 1-to-1 appointment with our Advice & Advocacy team.

2. Student Assistance Fund

The Student Assistance Fund (called SAF) is an EU fund administered through the HEA by local colleges. The SAF provides financial support to full or part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college. The SAF is means tested and uses thresholds similar to SUSI. 

Who is not eligible for SAF

• Students who link into a semester
• Students on courses that do not lead to an undergraduate/postgraduate qualification, such as Foundation or Access courses
• International students are not eligible for the Student Assistance Fund and are advised to contact the International Office if in need of financial support
• Non University of Limerick Erasmus students are not eligible for the Student Assistance Fund and are advised to contact their own institution if in need of financial support

Application for the Student Assistance Fund open on October 1st. You will then be able to appy for the Student Assistance Fund here. Remember, there are deadlines for submissions once the applications open. If you need support, guidance or assistance with your application, you can reach out to our Advice team. 

Please note: You can only apply to the Student Assistance Fund once a year.