Examinations & Assessment
Foundation Scholarship
Gabija Purlyte, a Senior Freshman in TSM History of Art & Architecture, and Sociology. Gabija is pictured with her father, Vidmantas Purlys and mother, Dita Purliene, shortly after the traditional Trinity Monday announcements of Elections to Fellowship and Scholarship.
Foundation Scholarship is a College institution with a long history and high prestige. Some of our greatest alumni – such as Edmund Burke, Samuel Beckett, and Mary Robinson - were Scholars. It is a distinctive feature of student life here at Trinity and now is the opportunity for Senior Freshman students to join the ranks of Trinity Scholars.
Scholarship is awarded solely on the basis of the Foundation Scholarship examination performance– and no other factors are taken into account. A Scholarship at Trinity College remains the most prestigious undergraduate award in the country, an award that has undoubtedly helped to foster long-lasting links between many outstanding graduates and the College. A principal aim of the College is the pursuit of excellence: one of the most tangible demonstrations of this is the institution of Scholarship. Scholars enjoy significant benefits including Commons free of charge, rooms free of charge for up to nine months of the year and, where a student is not in receipt of outside scholarships or grants, fee remission for up to five years to the value of the EU fee level.
The objective of the Foundation Scholarship examination is to identify students who, at a level of evaluation appropriate to the Senior Freshman year, can consistently demonstrate exceptional knowledge and understanding of their subjects. The searching examination requires candidates to demonstrate skill in synthesising and integrating knowledge across the full range of the set examination materials; to demonstrate rigorous and informed critical thought; and, in appropriate disciplines, to demonstrate a highly-developed ability to solve problems and apply knowledge. All courses will also examine students on material that goes beyond the set curriculum by setting discipline-specific general paper/s and/or general section/s on papers as part of their examination. Please consult your course handbook and the College Calendar for further details.
Successful candidates - those achieving an overall mark of 70% or higher; a grade profile indicating the attainment of first class marks in at least two out of three papers in courses with three papers and at least two out of four papers in courses with four papers; and the remaining paper/s achieving a mark of 65% or above- are elected by the Board on Trinity Monday.
This academic year the Foundation Scholarship Examinations will be scheduled to begin on Monday 8 January 2018 (although it may be necessary to schedule some examinations in the preceding week). Applications to sit this examination must be submitted online to the Assessment Team in the Academic Registry. The link will only be available from 9.00am on Wednesday 1 November 2017 until 5.00pm on Wednesday 15 November 2017. No applications will be accepted after this date/time. Applicants must be fully registered for their course of study in the current academic year by the application closing date.
The Scholarship Examination can only be taken by students in their Senior Freshman year, except in exceptional circumstances when students may defer it to the following year. In the event that a serious problem arises in the lead-up to the exam please contact your tutor who will make the appropriate application.
Many schools and disciplines hold meetings to inform prospective candidates about the examination. The Scholars themselves are also an excellent source of encouragement and advice – and hold an information night each year. They have also produced an excellent video which you can view at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0RweAxp6vs.
More detailed information on Foundation Scholarship, including frequently asked questions and the paper listings, is available in the links at the top of this page.
Important Scholarship Dates
- Wednesday 1 November 2017, 9.00am, Acceptance of online Foundation Scholarship application forms
- Wednesday 15 November 2017, 5.00pm, Deadline for submission of online Foundation Scholarship application forms
- Friday 17 November 2017, 9.00am, Acceptance of online Foundation Scholarship withdrawal forms
- Wednesday 6 December 2017, 5.00pm, Deadline for submission of online Foundation Scholarship withdrawal forms
- Monday 8 January - Friday 12 January 2018, Foundation Scholarship examinations (Please note it may be necessary to schedule some examinations in the preceding week.)
- Trinity Monday, 9 April 2018, 10.00am, Front Square Announcement of Election to Scholarship 2018
Downloads
Apply for Foundation Scholarship Examinations
Candidates intending to present for the Foundation Scholarship examinations must complete the below online application form. Online applications will be accepted from 9.00am on Wednesday 1 November to 5.00pm on Wednesday 15 November 2017. This form should be submitted by the applicant and not by another party. A confirmation email will be sent to applicants via an Intray message on their my.tcd.ie account (accessible on the home screen). This confirmation email may take up to one working day to receive.
2018 Foundation Scholarship Application
Candidates who wish to retract their application to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations must complete the below withdrawal form. Online withdrawals will be accepted from 9.00am on Friday 17 November to 5.00pm on Wednesday 6 December 2017. This form should be submitted by the applicant and not by another party. A confirmation email will be sent to applicants via an Intray message on their my.tcd.ie account (accessible on the home screen). This confirmation email may take up to one working day to receive.
2018 Foundation Scholarship Withdrawal
Please note only online application and withdrawal forms will be excepted.
Intermission of Scholarship
Scholars must satisfy the requirements necessary for them to proceed with their class. Any scholars failing to do so forfeit their scholarship. Intermission of tenure of scholarship may be permitted in accordance with the Calendar regulations on Foundation & Non-Foundation Scholarships. For further information please consult the Undergraduate Studies' website.
Application should be made in writing to the Senior Lecturer of the College unless the applicant is a registered postgraduate student of the College, in which case application is made to the Dean of Graduate Studies. Intermission of tenure must be approved by the Board of the College. Scholars are not normally permitted to intermit the tenure of their scholarship for more than three years. Separate application must be made for each year of intermission. The closing date for applying for permission to intermit is 1 March, when making application, students should provide full details of any previous periods of intermission.
Deferral of Scholarship
Application to sit Foundation Scholarship examinations is restricted to student's in their Senior Freshman year. In exceptional circumstances (such as bereavement, serious illness), candidates may apply to the Senior Lecturer through their tutor to be allowed sit the examination in their Junior Sophister year. For further information and to download the Deferral Scholarship Form please consult the Undergraduate Studies' website.