What are the NAT Bursaries?

The NAT Bursaries are for students:

• who are from specific target groups that are currently underrepresented in teaching
• and meet certain financial criteria.

Supporting Documentation

Financial Eligibility

For infomation on the financial documentation required to apply for a NAT Bursary (or other financial award) please visit the Student Assistance Fund website, in particular the section on examples of financial supporting documentation. 

NAT Target Group Eligibility 

Supporting documentation may also be requested to establish the eligibility of applicants for a NAT Bursary.

Students with Disabilities

Supporting Documentation

• If you were deemed eligible for the 2023 Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme your disability information will be verified directly with your institution, with your consent; then you are not required to submit supporting documentation regarding your disability. If you have ‘carried forward’ your DARE eligibility upload a copy of your DARE eligibility‘ carry forward’ email/letter.

• If you did not enter college though DARE, but are registered with the Disability Support Service, we can verify this directly with your institution, with your consent; then you are not required to submit supporting documentation regarding your disability.

• If you are repeating you may also provide a letter confirming your registration with the college’s Disability Support Service.

• If you cannot or do not consent the NAT team verifying that you have a disability with the college; you are required to provide appropriate documentary evidence from a relevant medical professional as per the DARE guidelines – see further information.

Further information 

Documentary evidence from a relevant medical professional confirming your disability/condition/diagnosis, as per the DARE guidelines on documentary evidence or the Fund for Students with Disabilities guidelines.

Students from Ethnic Minorities

Supporting Documentation

• Official letter from the Department of Justice confirming the specific ‘right and permission to remain’ or naturalisation of applicant and/or parent/dependant.

• Photocopy of passport(s); This is to include the applicant’s passport and if necessary, a copy of the applicant’s parents/ guardian’s country of origin passport and Irish/EU/EEA or Swiss confederation passport if possible.

• Copy of the applicant’s Irish Residence Permit (IRP) that details your Visa stamp details. For more info please see the Irish Immigration Service website

Further information:

An Ethnic Minority as determined by the Higher Education Authority for the purpose of this fund is:

• a national of a Member State, a state which is a contracting state to the EEA agreement or the Swiss Confederation

• or person whose current immigration status or leave to remain under the Department of Justice and Equality, is one of the following:

For further clarification, see section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 the Student Support Regulations 2021 (Statutory Instrument No. 132 of 2021).

Only documentation from official state departments i.e. Department of Justice will be accepted to prove the applicants right to remain.

Students from the Traveller Community

Supporting Documentation

not applicable

Further information

If you self declare that you are a member of the Traveller Community, you are not required to provide supporting documentation as part of the online application, however you may be asked to provide further information later.

QQI Entry

Supporting Documentation

You are not required to provide supporting documentation that you are a QQI entrant, this will be verified by University College Cork. 

Students who are Lone Parents

Supporting Documentation

•  Evidence of being in receipt of a long-term DSP One-Parent Family Payment in 2022

Or

• Evidence of being in receipt of a long-term DSP One-Parent Transitional Payment in 2022

Or

• Letter from DSP stating that the applicant is currently or was formally on a One-Parent Family Payment and met the criteria of a lone parent.

Further information

You can request a DSP statement on your MyWelfare account, or from your local community welfare office/ Intreo office.

If you are on a follow-on DSP payment (see below) please request a full statement when you were on a OFP payment

Letter confirming you are a lone parent must be from the Department of Social Protection, be on headed paper, stamped and signed by a DSP official.

Note: These are some examples of follow-on One Parent Family payments:

• Jobseekers Transitional Payment
• Blind Pension
• Carers Allowance / Half Rate Carers
• Domiciliary Care
• Working Family Payment
• Back to Work Family Dividend
• Deserted Wife Benefit
• Widowers Pension
• Back to Education Allowance 

HEAR-eligible students

Supporting Documentation

If you were deemed eligible for the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme and/or currently registered as a UCCPLUS student this information will be verified directly with the UCCPLUS team, with your consent; then you are not required to submit supporting documentation regarding your HEAR eligibility. 

Students who were or are in the Care of the State or Direct Provision or Supported Accommodation

Supporting Documentation

Letter from TUSLA or official associated agency confirming the dates the applicant was in the Care of the State.

DEIS Second Level School Attendance

Supporting Documentation

Letter from second level school(s) confirming the dates and timeline that the applicant attended the DEIS school. 

Further information

A list of DEIS schools can be found on the following webpage: 

List of DEIS Schools | Department of Education