Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Sanctuary Scholarship - displaced Palestinians

UCD Sanctuary Scholarship - displaced Palestinians

Applications are currently closed. Sanctuary Scholarship applications for 2025/26 will open in late April 2025.

UCD is a University for All, where all students belong and feel welcome. Students’ experience, needs, and personal circumstances may vary, but in our diverse learning community, exciting study opportunities await. We offer a range of entry routes, together with personal, financial and academic support. We are committed to ensuring that all students can access, participate and succeed, regardless of background, personal circumstances, age, disability, or pace of study.

UCD was awarded University of Sanctuary status in 2018 and is proud to welcome displaced Palestinians as a separate stream of our UCD Sanctuary Scholarship.

The Sanctuary Scholarship for displaced Palestinians provides the following support:

  • Full tuition fee coverage 
  • An annual maintenance payment to help cover some of the costs of study
  • An invitation to the ALL Student Welcome Programme (Orientation)
  • Access to our post-entry supports including disability support, social events, as well as academic and financial guidance
  • One to one support from UCD Access & Lifelong Learning
How are maintenance payment rates calculated?

The scholarship’s maintenance payment rate is calculated based on students’ home address as well as their status as either full-time or part-time students. 

Annual maintenance payment amounts:

  Full-Time Student Part-Time Student
Non-Adjacent
(>30 km) 		 €6,000 €3,000
Adjacent
(<30 km)		 €3,000 €1,500

Please note:The maintenance payment for Open Learning students will be on a pro-rata basis, depending on the number of modules taken.

How will the scholarships be allocated?

There are a total of 5 Sanctuary Scholarships for displaced Palestinians available for the 2025/26 academic year. 

Please note:  allocations and place numbers are subject to change, and are based on application numbers and support for continuing scholars. 

To be considered for a Sanctuary Scholarship for displaced Palestinians you need to:

  • Have a low household income (less than €50,840 a year)
  • Be a Displaced Palestinian Applicant living in Ireland (most likely having arrived in Ireland since October 2023)
  • Provide supporting documentation which may include a Passport, Birth Certificate or ID Card 
  • Have already applied to a course at UCD

Please note: PhD courses are not covered by this scheme.

This scheme is only intended for applicants who are not eligible for state fee support.For more information on state fee support, please see below.

How to Apply

  1. Complete an Online Application Form: Applications, Cothrom na Féinne - Sanctuary Programme 
    • You can access the application form on the UCD Scholarship Application System - applications for the 2025/26 Sanctuary Scholarship will open in late April 2025.
    • Login to your UCD Connect account (You should have created this when applying for a course at UCD).
    • Once you have logged in click on start a new application.
    • Then click on the application tab at the top of the page.
    • Click on Cothrom Na Feinne Scholarship Applications.
    • Click Cothrom Na Feinne Sanctuary Scholarship, you should then be able to start your application. Download: Step by step instructions on how to apply

Supporting documentation may include a Passport, Birth Certificate or ID Card

Up to 5 scholarship places will be available

August 2025 (exact date to be confirmed).

2024_25 Sanctuary Programme Terms and Conditions .pdf | 165.4 KB