Maintenance grant rates
The maintenance grant is the cash paid into your bank account in nine monthly instalments. Your rate depends on which income band you fall into and whether you live under or over 30km from college:
| Band | Under 30km (adjacent) | 30km or more (non-adjacent) |
|---|---|---|
| Special rate of maintenance | €3,230 / year | €7,936 / year |
| Band 1 — full maintenance | €1,774 / year | €4,722 / year |
| Band 2 — part maintenance | €1,343 / year | €3,532 / year |
| Band 3 — part maintenance | €975 / year | €2,702 / year |
| Band 4 — part maintenance | €612 / year | €1,866 / year |
The special rate has an extra condition: household income must include an eligible long-term social welfare payment (Jobseeker’s Allowance, One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance and similar).
Income thresholds
Reckonable income must be under the threshold — not equal to it. The columns show how the limits rise with more dependent children in the family:
| Award | Fewer than 4 children | 4–7 children | 8+ children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special rate of maintenance | €28,600 | €31,350 | €33,980 |
| Band 1 — full maintenance | €47,010 | €51,520 | €55,850 |
| Band 2 — part maintenance | €48,270 | €52,900 | €57,345 |
| Band 3 — part maintenance | €51,040 | €55,940 | €60,635 |
| Band 4 — part maintenance | €58,470 | €64,080 | €69,465 |
| 100% student contribution (no maintenance) | €64,315 | €70,490 | €76,410 |
| 50% student contribution | €71,300 | €78,145 | €84,710 |
| €500 off the student contribution | €120,000 | €131,520 | €142,570 |
Every threshold rises again if other family members are in full-time further or higher education: +€4,950 per person for the special rate, Band 1 and the fee tiers, +€4,785 for Bands 2–4. Two students in the house is often the difference between a part rate and full maintenance.
What SUSI pays towards fees
- Undergraduate: anyone in a maintenance band, or under the €64,315 tier, gets the full €2,500 student contribution paid (the 2026/27 rate, after Budget 2026’s permanent €500 cut). Under €71,300 half is paid; under €120,000 you get €500 off.
- Postgraduate: the special rate covers tuition fees up to €6,270. All other qualifying bands, and households up to €64,315, get a fee contribution of up to €4,500.
- PLC: maintenance only — the old PLC participant charge no longer applies.
What changed from 2025/26
- Special rate threshold: €27,400 → €28,600
- Non-adjacent maintenance rates increased across all bands
- €500 contribution grant threshold: €115,000 → €120,000
- Postgraduate fee contribution: €4,000 → €4,500
- Student contribution charge: €3,000 → €2,500 (permanent cut)
- Income disregard for your own holiday earnings: €8,424 → €8,830
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum SUSI grant?
The special rate of maintenance: €7,936 a year for students living 30km or more from college, from households on a long-term social welfare payment with reckonable income under €28,600. On top of that SUSI pays the full €2,500 student contribution.
What income is too high for SUSI?
For a family with fewer than 4 dependent children and nobody else in college, all support ends at €120,000 reckonable income. Maintenance ends at €58,470. Each additional family member in full-time study raises every threshold by €4,950 (€4,785 for Bands 2–4).
Did SUSI rates increase for 2026/27?
Yes. Budget 2026 raised the special rate threshold from €27,400 to €28,600, increased all non-adjacent maintenance rates, lifted the €500-contribution threshold from €115,000 to €120,000, and raised the postgraduate fee contribution from €4,000 to €4,500. The student contribution itself was permanently cut from €3,000 to €2,500.
What does adjacent vs non-adjacent mean?
Adjacent means your normal residence is under 30km from your college; non-adjacent means 30km or more. The non-adjacent rate is roughly 2.5–3 times higher because it’s meant to help with living away from home.
Sources: the official 2026/27 threshold tables at susi.ie and the Budget 2026 announcements on gov.ie. Figures checked on 22 August 2026.