Each year the Department of Education and Skill awards 100 scholarships to top performing eligible Leaving Certificate students from disadvantaged backgrounds. These scholarships are distributed on Ireland’s 26 counties with a minimum of two scholars per county. Each scholarship is worth about 6,750€ and is paid in 9 equal monthly instalments per year.
Students who pass the Leaving Certificate examination for the first time and who obtain at least Grade D3 or a higher grade in at least five subjects from the approved list of subjects are automatically included as candidates. Candidates must be from a socio-economically disadvantaged background.