SUSI key dates 2026/27
| What | When | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal applications open | Thursday 5 March 2026, 12 noon | For students continuing on the same course. |
| New applications open | Wednesday 1 April 2026, 12 noon | First-time applicants, and anyone starting or changing course. |
| Priority closing date (renewals) | Thursday 11 June 2026 | Apply by this date to be assessed in time for the first payment. |
| Priority closing date (new applications) | Thursday 9 July 2026 | Apply by this date to be assessed in time for the first payment. |
| Final closing date | Not yet announced (usually early November) | The 2025/26 scheme closed on Thursday 6 November 2025. |
Renewals and new applications open on different days because they are different forms. If you already hold a grant but are starting a new course or changing course, you count as a new applicant and use the new-application dates.
Priority closing date: what it actually means
Apply by the priority date and SUSI commits to assessing your application in time for the start of term. That is what gets you into the first payment run on Thursday 10 September 2026 (15 October for PLC). Apply after it and you go into the queue behind everyone who applied on time. SUSI still processes you, but a decision may land in October or November rather than August.
You lose no money by being late. Once your award is finalised and your college has confirmed your registration, every instalment you missed is paid as back pay in your first payment. See how back payments work.
If you are reading this after 9 July 2026
Both priority dates have passed, and the application is still open. Apply today rather than waiting for a college offer: you can list your expected course and change it later. The earlier you are in the queue, the sooner your first payment arrives.
- Register at susi.ie (or log in with MyGovID) and start the 2026/27 application.
- Use actual 2025 household income figures, not estimates.
- Upload any documents SUSI asks for the same week. Each missing document adds weeks.
- Enter your bank details in the portal as soon as you are awarded, then check that your college has confirmed your registration.
Final closing date and late applications
SUSI has not yet published the final closing date for 2026/27. The 2025/26 scheme closed on Thursday 6 November 2025, and citizensinformation.ie describes the final date as usually falling in November. Until SUSI confirms it, treat the end of October as your safe deadline.
After the final closing date, SUSI only accepts a late application if you complete its Late Application Form with one of these reasons (the 2025/26 rules; 2026/27 follows the same pattern):
- Your course starts late in the academic year, after the closing date.
- Extenuating circumstances stopped you applying in time.
- Your circumstances changed: reckonable income, number of dependent children, another family member starting an approved course, your normal residence, your nationality or immigration status, or a change of course or institution.
The form goes by email to SUSI’s late applications team. The details and the current form are on susi.ie.
Renewing students have their own deadline
A SUSI grant is not automatic from year to year. If you are continuing on the same course you must submit a renewal application every year. For 2026/27 renewals opened on 5 March and had a priority date of 11 June, a month earlier than new applications. SUSI emails existing grant holders when renewals open; if you were awarded late last year and got no email, contact SUSI to arrange a renewal.
Frequently asked questions
When does SUSI close for 2026/27?
SUSI has not yet announced the final closing date for 2026/27. It is usually in early November: the 2025/26 scheme closed on Thursday 6 November 2025. The priority closing dates, which matter for getting paid on time, were 11 June 2026 for renewals and 9 July 2026 for new applications.
When did SUSI open for 2026/27?
Renewal applications opened at 12 noon on Thursday 5 March 2026. New applications opened at 12 noon on Wednesday 1 April 2026.
Can I still apply for SUSI after the priority closing date?
Yes. The priority date is not a cut-off. Applications received after it are assessed in the order they arrive, so your decision and first payment may come later than the September payment run. Instalments you miss are back-paid once your award is finalised and your college has confirmed your registration.
What happens if I miss the final closing date?
Only limited late applications are accepted, and you must give a reason on SUSI’s Late Application Form: your course starts late in the academic year, extenuating circumstances stopped you applying in time, or your circumstances changed (income, dependent children, a family member starting college, normal residence, nationality or immigration status, or a change of course or institution). Without one of those, you wait for the next academic year.
Do I need a CAO offer before the deadline?
No. Apply with the course you expect to take and update it later in the portal. Waiting for CAO offers in August is the most common reason first-time applicants miss the priority date.
When will SUSI open for 2027/28?
Not announced. For 2026/27, renewals opened on 5 March and new applications on 1 April; SUSI publishes the next year’s dates on susi.ie ahead of opening. This page is updated when they do.
Sources: opening and priority dates from susi.ie; final closing date and late application rules from citizensinformation.ie. Dates checked on 3 September 2026.