Scholarships

ATU Donegal offers a range of scholarships for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate students.  Brief details on each of our scholarships is detailed below.  Please click on each scholarship for further information including eligibility criteria, the scholarship value and the application procedure.

  1. REACH Scholarship
  2. New Entrant Sports Scholarship
  3. Ireland Healthcare Scholarships
  4. The 1916 Bursary Fund 
  5. Sanctuary Scholarship 
  6. Uversity Mature Learner Scholarship
  7. Pushing Boundaries Scholarship (Postgraduate)
  8. The DCIL Independent Living Scholarship
  9. Education and Training Bursary Scheme for Care Experienced Young People 2023-2024
  10. Dearcán Foundation Scholarship
  11. ATU Donegal/GPA Postgraduate Sports Scholarship

REACH Scholarships

ATU Donegal has established a Bursary Scheme (REACH) to support and facilitate students wishing to complete an undergraduate programme. REACH is targeting students who might not progress onto third level due to having a disability or lacking the financial wherewithal to participate. Click here for eligibility criteria and application procedures. 

The DCIL Independent Living Scholarship

Donegal Centre for Independant Living has introduced this scholarship as part of a project to support students with a disability by means of a financial bursary. The budget for this project is currently € 750.00 per annum per Student, awarded each year over the span of their chosen course. The Scholarship is to enable the student to achieve greater independence and empowerment through participation in college life and to enhance their confidence to live independently.

Click here for the Independent Living Scholarship Terms & Conditions
Click here for the Independent Living Scholarship Application form

ATU Sports Scholarship

The ATU Sports Scholarship programme provides supports to talented student athletes to recognise their need to balance both sporting and academic commitments. Through both financial and non-financial benefits, the ATU Sport Scholarship programme aims to reward students for their dedication and skill and provide them further opportunity to develop as students and sportspeople. For further information on the Sports Scholarship please click here.

Ireland Health Care Scholarship Program Funded by the United Health Foundation, Supported by Optum Ireland

Optum® Ireland is a part of UnitedHealth Group. The North West Health Care Scholarship Program is funded by the not-for-profit United Health Foundation established by UnitedHealth Group to enhance the performance of the health system and improve the overall health and well-being of the people we are privileged to serve and their communities. The North West Health Care Scholarship Program aims to invest in a 21st century health workforce that meets the needs of tomorrow and promote diversity in higher education by supporting young people from less advantaged and non-traditional backgrounds. The program will be delivered by Optum Ireland in partnership with Atlantic Technological University (ATU). The North West Health Care Scholarship Program provides three scholarships to ATU Donegal, two scholarships to ATU Sligo / ATU Galway-Mayo. The value of each award is €10,000. Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria and have applied for an undergraduate program on the designated course list set out below. The fund is administered by the academic institution to the Scholar each year subject to the scholar being in good academic standing.

To find out more about the scholarship click here and to apply click on the application form click here. A reference from the Principal must accompany the application form, you can download the reference document here. Please note, this year Optum Ireland will accept digital application forms. The Principal of your school must review your completed application form before completing the template reference attached. Please be advised that the reference is confidential, and a scanned copy should be sent from the Principal directly to nodlaig.brolly@optum.com before: 5 p.m. on Friday, 26 May 2023.

The 1916 Bursary Fund 

The 1916 Bursary Fund is a targeted funding scheme established by the Department of Education and Skills to support the implementation of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2019. The National Access Plan is working to increase the numbers of students who are currently underrepresented in higher education. The Bursaries are targeted at students who are socio-economically disadvantaged and who are from one of the target groups that have low participation rates in higher education including mature students, students with a disability, Irish Travellers, Ethnic minorities, Lone Parents and Further Education Award holders.Applications will open in August/September.

Sanctuary Scholarship Scheme

ATU Donegal's Sanctuary Scholarship initiative aims to welcome refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants into our college community, and to fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion for all those seeking sanctuary.   Applications from those in Direct Provision will be given priority.

Click here for eligibility criteria and application procedures.


Uversity - Mature Learner Scholarship

Uversity is a Registered Charity that has been awarding Higher Education Scholarships to Adult Learners since 2018. Uversity’s Scholarships aim to make a degree possible by offering successful candidates financial support and programming to achieve their educational, personal and professional goals.  Uversity’s Scholarships are for adult learners to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree for the first time that will help transform their lives and the lives of those around them. Scholarships enable successful candidates to pursue a degree in any discipline in ATU Donegal. Preference is given to candidates enrolling on full-time programmes, however other programmes will be considered on a case by case basis.  For further information on the Uversity Scholarship scheme visit the Uversity website at https://www.uversity.org/ .  Closing date for applications is 31 March 2024.


Pushing Boundaries Scholarships

This scholarship initiative is specifically aimed at applicants interested in applying for Full-time Taught Postgraduate Masters.   The Pushing Boundaries Scholarship is a fees scholarship and is designed for those students who are in receipt of no other form of financial assistance to study from a grant awarding body. The Pushing Boundaries scholarship is only available to EU Students. Click here for eligibility criteria and application procedureshere.


Education and Training Bursary Scheme for Care Experienced Young People 2023-2024

Tusla and DCEDIY have secured Dormant Accounts funding to provide a Bursary Scheme to young adults who have had a care experience of at least 6 months and are aged 18 or over. The funding is intended to support and assist young adults to achieve their full potential in education or training. This scheme will provide funding for young adults to access further education and to support their career development. It has been developed to support young people who are not receiving specific State funding for their education and/or training.

Click here for more information.


Dearcán Foundation Scholarship

The Dearcán Foundation was founded in 2021 in memory of a John Sisk & Son employee, Dave Tracey, the long serving manager of the John G. Sisk Training Centre. Dave endeavoured to ensure that young people were supported in pursuing whatever their chosen career was whether in construction or otherwise.

This scholarship offers €10,000 to one student at ATU to support them in their studies. The funds can be used for living expenses, fees, or other costs.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Be a registered student at ATU
  • Be a new entrant to higher education
  • Be a resident of Ireland
  • Be a citizen of Ireland and/or Northern Ireland
  • Be enrolled in qualifying courses (Qualifying courses: those in quantity surveying, civil engineering, construction management, BIM)
  • Have been approved for third-level maintenance grant, SUSI Special Rate or SUSI Band 1
  • Have come from a DEIS school
  • Have come from a DEIS school
  • Confirm willingness to engage with Dearcán Foundation/John Sisk & Son
  • Not be a relation of an employee of John Sisk & Son (son, daughter, parent, sibling, niece, nephew, or grandchild)

If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, please do not apply for the scholarship as your application will not be considered.

Timeline

Applications Open for Submission 14 September 2023 – 6 October 2023
Finalists Selected and Notified By 1 November 2023
Finalist Interviews with Dearcán Foundation Week of 6 November 2023 (dates to be confirmed)
Awards Announced 15 November 2023
How to Apply

To apply, please fill out the online application form, by clicking on this link - https://forms.office.com/e/Z9STkHuhnq.

Applications are due by midnight on 6 October 2023. Any applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Please note that the application requires confirmation that students agree for ATU to share their personal information with Community Foundation Ireland in order to undergo the assessment process.

All applications are assessed by Community Foundation Ireland. If you have questions, please contact Melanie Steinhardt msteinhardt@foundation.ie

ATU /GPA Postgraduate Sports Scholarship

This recently launched ATU /GPA (Gaelic Players Association) partnership allows for up to 12 fully funded, postgraduate places to male and female members of the GPA who wish to study at ATU. The scholarships will benefit current and former inter-county players who are accepted onto any full-time or part-time master’s programme within ATU.

Applicants can apply for the scholarship once they have secured their place on their programme of choice. 50% of the course cost will be covered by ATU with the remaining 50% covered by the GPA.

Submission of an applications requires two simple steps:

(a) GPA members should identify a Masters which they are interested in and apply for the programme through the normal procedures. ATU provides a wide variety of Masters programmes in our various campuses, details of which can be viewed at the links below:
Masters programmes at ATU Donegal
Masters programmes at ATU Galway/Mayo
Masters programmes at ATU Sligo

(b) Once approved for entry to the Masters programme, applicants must apply directly to the GPA (brian.howard@gaelicplayers.com) for the ATU/GPA scholarship providing details of the Masters programme they have been accepted onto at ATU.

Players who have any queries on these scholarship opportunities should contact the GPA’s Education Manager Brian Howard – brian.howard@gaelicplayers.com

The following are the deadlines by which applications must be received:

  • ATU Donegal – 18 August 2023
  • ATU Galway/Mayo – 18 August 2023
  • ATU Sligo – 18 August 2023