Student Assistance Fund

Please ensure you read the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) Privacy Notice 2026/27 before submitting your application. Further details on the Student Application Fund application progress can be found in our SAF 2026/27 Applicant Guide

Student Assistance Fund

The Undergraduate Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is operated by the Undergraduate Student Support Officer on behalf of the Financial Assistance Committee and provides financial support to students who are experiencing short or long-term financial difficulties while attending higher education. The SAF is co-funded by the Irish Government and European Social Fund Program for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (ESF+) 2021 - 2027.

PLEASE FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH THE APPLICATION GUIDELINES AND LIST OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS - OUTLINED BELOW

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION WHEN YOU HAVE THE FULL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AS WE CAN ONLY RECEIVE ONE APPLICATION FORM PER STUDENT

WITHOUT FULL DOCUMENTS YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

PLEASE SUBMIT ONE APPLICATION FORM PER ACADEMIC YEAR

DO NOT SEND DOCUMENTS BY EMAIL

What the Student Assistance Fund is

The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial support to registered Trinity students facing financial difficulty during their studies. Awards last year ranged from €600 to €2,600 for the year, aimed at day-to-day costs, not just fees. Saf is funded by the HEA Student Assistance Fund and also through donor funds to Trinity College Dublin.

What you can apply for

Support towards essential living costs: rent, utilities, travel to college, dependant and childcare costs, and medical expenses. Students on placement or field trips may also be able to claim travel costs through the SU placement bursary (or, if you already receive SUSI, through SUSI's own field trip support).

What you can't apply for

SAF does not cover tuition fees. It isn't open to visiting students, students who are off books, research students who have submitted their thesis for examination, graduates who are no longer registered, or students on micro-credential or online-only courses.

What you need to provide

Evidence for the costs you're applying for, such as income evidence (including a SUSI award letter, all three pages, or if jointly assessed, your jointly assessed statement of earnings), bank statements, rent documentation, utility bills, travel costs, and receipts for dependants, childcare or medical expenses, along with a short personal statement explaining your circumstances (150 to 300 words). Full guidance is in the SAF 2026/27 Applicant Guide and the SAF One Page Summary.