Funding in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, both undergraduate and postgraduate tuition fees can be funded by tuition fee loans from Student Finance. Financial support for living costs can also be accessed through Student Finance or by scholarship.
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Click the buttons below to find information relevant to you.
Prospective Law Students
Student Finance Northern Ireland
Full-time Undergraduate
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Student Finance Northern Ireland offers a tuition fee loan of up to £4,395 which will be paid directly to your university. This is non-means tested, meaning your household income has no impact on the amount you can borrow, but you must apply for each year of your course.
In terms of living costs, Student Finance Northern Ireland offers a means-tested maintenance loan, the value of which depends on your household income and location during term time.
If your household income is £41,065 or less, you can receive a maintenance grant of up to £3,475. However, this will decrease the amount of maintenance loan you can apply for.
Please note that other financial support is available for students in certain circumstances such as having dependents or having a disability.
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Please see the table below for more information.
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Part-time Undergraduate
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You may be eligible for a Tuition Fee Grant up to the value of £1,230. This is a means-tested, non-repayable grant which is available on the basis that the course intensity is at least 50% during the academic year.
Please see the table below for more information.
Information tables from The Complete University Guide.
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All Ireland Scholarship
The All Ireland Scholarship Scheme, funded by JP McManus, provides financial support of £5,500 per academic year to the top-performing students from low-income households, intending to undertake an undergraduate course.
Nineteen scholarships are awarded to the top performing A level students from grant-aided post-primary schools. A minimum of two scholarships are awarded in each county of Northern Ireland, based on the students' home addresses.
Scholarships are awarded to the top Level 3 Extended Diploma students from FE colleges, with one scholarship being awarded to the top student in each of the six FE colleges.
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Undergraduate Students
Making Links Scholars
Linklaters has created Making Links Scholars which is designed to help talented university students from low-income backgrounds succeed in their early careers. Scholars receive one-to-one coaching sessions, mentoring, guaranteed work experience and £6,000 in financial support, as well as becoming an ambassador for the Making Links campaign and working with Linklaters to shape their social mobility strategy.
To be eligible you must be:
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In the first year of a three-year course or second year of a four-year course
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From a low-income background (first generation to attend university, received free school meals or experienced other forms of social disadvantage
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Committed to pursuing a career in commercial law
Carson McDowell Scholarship
Carson McDowell has established two scholarships for LLB students at Queen’s University Belfast. The Carson McDowell LLP Foundation Scholarship is awarded to the student who achieves the highest overall average mark in Stage 1 of the LLB, and the Carson McDowell LLP Scholarship is awarded to the student who achieves the highest overall average mark in Stage 2 of the LLB.
Each scholarship includes a substantial monetary award, work experience in the firm’s office in Belfast and career mentoring from some of Carson McDowell’s most experienced partners. The recipients of the scholarships will be announced at the School of Law prize-giving.
Liam Kelly Scholarship
Established in memory of Ulster University alumnus Liam Kelly (LLB), the Liam Kelly Scholarship in Law is available to students enrolled on both undergraduate and postgraduate Law courses at Ulster University.
Applicants must be mature, part-time students who come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and who have completed the first year of their degrees.
For any enquiries related to the Scholarship please contact Mr John Kennedy: jrg.kennedy@ulster.ac.uk +44 (0)28 9036 6304.
Postgraduate Students
Student Finance Northern Ireland
A tuition fee loan up to the value of £5,500 is available for postgraduate students. If your course is longer than one year, you must apply for each year of study.
The tuition fee loan is not available for Postgraduate Doctoral Degrees, Master’s degrees taken as part of a Postgraduate Doctoral Degree or postgraduate courses that are eligible for undergraduate support.
Liam Kelly Scholarship
Established in memory of Ulster University alumnus Liam Kelly (LLB), the Liam Kelly Scholarship in Law is available to students enrolled on both undergraduate and postgraduate Law courses at Ulster University.
Applicants must be mature, part-time students who come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and who have completed the first year of their degrees.
For any enquiries related to the Scholarship please contact Mr John Kennedy:
jrg.kennedy@ulster.ac.uk +44 (0)28 9036 6304.
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