Scholarships and Funding Opportunities
NCAD Postgrad Futures Scholarships 2024 are tuition fee scholarships available to NCAD applicants for 7 NCAD Masters' programmes. The closing date is 31 May. The NCAD Postgrad Futures scholarships will recognise excellence, outstanding achievement and potential. The scholarships are awarded on academic merit and all applicants are eligible, including EU and non EU students.
HUMAN CAPITAL INITIATIVE
NCAD is delighted to announce a new funding opportunity for postgraduate students.
The Human Capital Initiative (HCI), a five-year project, investing €300m of National Training Fund (NTF) funding commenced in 2020. HCI aims to increase capacity in higher education to provide skills-focused programmes designed to meet priority skills needs.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) announced the launch of the Micro-Credentials Learner Fee Subsidy under the Human Capital Initiative, Pillar 3.
Micro-credential courses are small, accredited courses designed to meet the demands of learners, enterprises and society. The NCAD courses award between 5 and 20 ECTS and provide awards at Level 9 on National Framework of Qualifications.
Funding is available for the below courses:
Course Funding Amount
Professional Diploma in Fashion Communication €1100
Professional Diploma in Art and Health €1100
Professional Certificate in Circular by Design €480
Professional Diploma in Art and Ecology €1760
Professional Certificate in Design for Transformation €1100
Professional Diploma in Art and Design Research €1100
Professional Certificate in Design for Climate Action €480
Professional Certificate Art and Ecology €480
Professional Certificate Sustainable Exhibition €480
Professional Certificate in Creative Diversity €300
Professional Certificate in Typographic Futures €300
Futures Scholarships 2024 at NCAD
A half EU tuition fee scholarship will be awarded on merit to one student for Master of Research - worth €2650
Applications close on 30 June 2024
All other Postgrad Futures Scholarships closed 31 May 2024
Winners to be announced late June
In 2024 NCAD is offering 8 Postgrad Futures tuition fee scholarships.
A full EU tuition fee scholarship will be awarded on academic merit to one student for each of the following programmes
- MSc Medical Device Design - worth €8100
- MA Design History and Material Culture - worth €7600
- MA Art in the Contemporary World - worth €6840
To apply to the Postgrad Futures full tuition fee scholarship, applicants wrote 500 words on why they should be awarded this merit-based scholarship. The closing date was 5pm on 31 May 2024.
A half EU tuition fee scholarship will be awarded on merit to one student for each of the following programmes
- MSc Medical Device Design - worth €4050
- MA Circular by Design - worth €4500
- MA Service Design - worth €4500
- MA Art and Social Action - worth €4050
All applicants to these programmes were considered, on condition they applied by 31 May 2024.
The scholarship for part-time programmes will be awarded in 2 tranches i.e. half in Sept 2024 and half in Sept 2025.
Scholarship by School
School of Visual Culture - Full Tuition Fee Scholarships
As listed above a full-tuition fee Postgrad Futures Scholarship is available for a student on the School's MA programme Art in the Contemporary World to sudy either part time or full time. It will be awarded on the basis of prior academic achievement and future potential. The recipient of the Art in the Contemporary World award will act as a champion for the programme (sometimes for example by editing the programme website).
If you wish to be considered, you should apply for admission to the programme in the normal way. In addition you should submit a one page covering letter outlining your academic achievements and the reason why you should be considered for the scholarship.
The deadline for application in order to be considered for the Art in the Contemporary World MA scholarship is 31st May 2024, the programme commences in September 2024.
A tuition fee scholarship is also available for a student on the School's MA programme Design History and Material Culture to sudy part time. It will be awarded on the basis of prior academic achievement and future potential.
If you wish to be considered, you should apply for admission to the programme in the normal way. In addition you should submit a one page covering letter outlining your academic achievements and the reason why you should be considered for the scholarship.
The deadline for application in order to be considered for the Design History and Material Culture MA scholarship is 31st May 2024, the programme commences in September 2024. Applications can be submitted and places on the MA can be offered before this deadline and so please do not delay the application process.
School of Fine Art
Continuing NCAD Graduates and NCAD Alumni are eligible for a reduced tuition fee of €4,400 per academic year. (The normal fee rate is €5,400 per academic year).
A Postgrad Futures Scholarship is available in 2024 for one student on the MA Art and Social Action programme. The scholarship is based on merit. While it covers fees for the MA Arta nd Social Action, applicants to MFA Art and Social Action are permitted to apply and will be awarded €4045 if successful.
Research Degrees
PhD Studentships
Each year NCAD offers a number of Research Student Scholarships to meet the cost of fees for PhD and MLitt students commending study in the autumn. (Living costs are not covered by the scheme).
Five scholarships will be available for students commencing study in 2024-5.
The Scholarships are intended to support new doctoral research in key fields where we have specialist interests and expertise. They are
- Sustainability, Circular Economies & Environmental Futures
- Healthcare, Wellbeing and Medtech Innovation
- Collaborative Practices
- Material Cultures, Physical & Digital Making: Heritage & Futures
- Future Teaching Practices, Student Culture/s and Pedagogies
- Critical Technologies, Human Interfaces & Hybrid Objects
- Structures, Systems & Power
- Gender, Identities & Cultures
More details on our research interests can be found here.
Students who are awarded Research Student Scholarships can be registered in any of the four Schools of the College. They can be registered as 'by practice' or 'by thesis' researchers.
Scholarships can be awarded to full and part time students and cover the full period of registration (up to a maximum of 4 full time years or the part time equivalent).
The Scholarships are offered after application and interview. Priority will be given to applications which are received by 31st May 2024. They are awarded on the basis of the quality of application, and the experience and skills of the candidate.
On the Research and Innovation at NCAD pages of this website, you will find information on: research topics of current and recently completed PhD students; the work of our teaching and research staff; directions in research; and examples of some of our research and innovation partners.
Master of Research
All applicants to MRes by 31 May will be considered for the Postgrad Futures half tuition fee schaolarship. One applicant will be awarded the scholasrhip based on academic merit.
School of Design
The School of Design offers 4 Postgrad Futures Scholarships 2024. These scholarships are awarded on academic merit. Part-time programmes award 50% in Sept 2024 and 50% in Sept 2025.
- MSc Medical Device Design - worth €8100
- MSc Medical Device Design - worth €4050
- MA Circular by Design - worth €4500
- MA Service Design - worth €4500
The closing date for all Postgrad Futures Scholarships is 31 May 2024.
We encourage applicants to seek out other scholarships or funding that may be available to them.
Funding & Grant Opportunities for Postgraduate Study
Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)
Most NCAD students in receipt of a grant have applied to SUSI. More infomation including eligibility criteria can be found on the SUSI Wesbite. Please note: application queries should be sent directly to SUSI who operate independently of NCAD.
Tax Relief on Student Fees
Tax relief is available on postgraduate tuition fees. You can find more infomation available here
Where else can I find information?
Please visit studentfinance.ie the Higher Education Authority's website with information on Third Level Fees & Funding
NCAD Fees & Grants Office
If you have any questions on fee payment schedules or need to know the fee applicable to your chosen programme you can visit the Fees and Grants Section at the link below. The team there will be happy to help.