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For the 2025/2026 academic year, the includes an additional and specific ringfenced allocation to assist students from Traveller and Roma backgrounds and those with experience of the care system with the cost of accommodation, when living independently, while attending third level education. The aim is to alleviate the cost of accommodation as a barrier to accessing and progressing through higher education.
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To be eligible for the Student Accommodation Assistance:
Students must be a member of one or more of the following groups:
- Traveller Community
- Roma Community
- Have experience of the care system between the ages of 12-18 and are not in receipt of an aftercare allowance.
Students must be living independently for the purpose of attending third level education, this includes students renting away from home with leases covering up to 12 months duration.
Students must not be in receipt of another accommodation support e.g., HAP, Rent Supplement or other.
Students can reside in on or off-campus student specific accommodation, private rental accommodation, house shares or ‘digs’ accommodation. The Student Accommodation Assistance is not provided for mortgage costs or rent for Social Housing.
In addition, students must also meet the eligibility criteria outlined in section 2.1 of the SAF Guidelines.
Both full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who meet the above specified criteria are eligible for the student accommodation assistance.
Mature and repeat students are also eligible.
The Accommodation Assistance Fund is currently Open.
The closing date for the first round of applications is the 17th of October 2025.