Can I get higher education funding in Northern Ireland?
To get the funding outlined below you and your course must be eligible for it. To get a bursary from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) you must be a resident in Northern Ireland and studying full-time in Northern Ireland on a Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) approved programme of study that leads to a degree in social work. You must also be registered with the NISCC. You can’t get the bursary if you’re employed as a Regional Social Work Degree Trainee. However, you may be able to get the bursary to study for a social work degree if you already have a degree.
For more details about residency, see Can I get higher education funding in the UK?
What funding can I get?
If you started your course on or after 1 September 2006, the DHSSPS offers an Incentive Scheme bursary to help you pay to study full-time for a social work degree.
You can get the following for the duration of your course (these figures are for 2012/2013):
- Incentive Grant: each year for the duration of your course you get a grant of £4,000 to help cover the costs of study. The amount you get doesn’t depend on your household income.
- Expenses: each year you get a contribution of £500 to help with the expenses you incur while carrying out work-based learning.
The money is paid directly into your bank account and you don’t have to pay it back.
As well as this, you can apply for the full package of student support that’s available to full-time undergraduates from the government through Student Finance NI, which includes help for tuition fees and living costs. The money you get through the DHSSPS bursary doesn’t affect the grants and loans you can get from Student Finance NI.
For more information about:
How do I apply?
When your university or college offers you a place on one of the approved social work degree courses, you get an application form for the Incentive Scheme in the post along with your enrolment instructions. Complete the form and return it to the Office of Social Services (OSS) in the envelope provided. The OSS provides all the information you need about your award.
It’s usually November before the first of the two annual instalments are paid to you, so make sure you’ve arranged any other support you need from Student Finance NI.
Related topics
What higher education funding is available in Northern Ireland?
This information was updated in March 2013. NUS provides this information in good faith and has taken care to make sure it’s accurate. However, student finance issues can be complicated, and rules change frequently. You should contact the advice centre in your students' union, college or university for support if you’re uncertain or need more help.