The SUSI grant, explained — 2026/27 rates and income limits

If you — or your child — are starting or continuing college this September, the SUSI grant is the single biggest pot of student money in Ireland: up to €7,936 a year in maintenance for 2026/27, plus help with fees. And the part most families get wrong: you don't have to be on a low income. Some support now stretches to household incomes of €120,000 — and thousands of families rule themselves out without ever checking.

How much is the SUSI grant in 2026/27?

The maintenance grant ranges from €612 to €7,936 a year depending on household income and how far you live from college. The special rate pays €7,936 (non-adjacent) or €3,230 (adjacent); Band 1 pays €4,722 or €1,774; tapering to Band 4 at €1,866 or €612. Fee and student-contribution support runs separately at higher incomes.

Above the maintenance bands, there's still help: part payment of tuition fees and the student contribution at incomes up to the mid-€70,000s, and a €500 student contribution grant at household incomes up to €120,000 (raised from €115,000 for 2026/27). Budget 2026 also increased all non-adjacent maintenance rates from January 2026, and the postgraduate fee contribution rose €500 to €4,500.

What is the 30km rule?

Maintenance is paid at two rates: the adjacent rate if your home is under 30km from your college, and the far higher non-adjacent rate if it's 30km or more away. At the special rate the difference is €7,936 versus €3,230 a year — the single biggest factor in what you'll get after income.

Whose income counts — and which year?

For 2026/27, SUSI assesses gross reckonable household income for the 2025 calendar year (1 January – 31 December 2025). For most school-leavers that means parents' or guardians' income; independent mature students are assessed on their own (and a spouse or partner's) income.

Two things families miss: the thresholds rise with the number of dependent children (the special-rate limit is €31,350 with 4–7 children, €33,980 with 8+), and every additional person in the household already in full-time further or higher education adds €4,950 to your limit. Two kids in college at once can push a "too high" income back inside a band.

How do you apply for the SUSI grant?

Apply online at susi.ie — applications for 2026/27 opened on 1 April 2026, and you don't need your Leaving Cert results or a confirmed CAO place first: apply now and update your course details later. SUSI expects heavy volume, so early applicants get paid on time when term starts.

Common questions

This guide is general information, not financial advice. Rates, bands and eligibility change each academic year — always confirm the current figures on susi.ie before you act.

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