Back to Education Allowance

The Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of qualifying payments who take full-time courses of education at Further or Higher level. The focus of the scheme is to assist people improve their qualifications and as a result improve their access to sustainable employment.

The Further Education option supports courses of study for an award up to and including QQI level 6. This can include Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, Post Leaving Certificate, courses provided by Education Training Boards and Colleges of Further Education, and foundation/access courses for higher education.

The Higher Education option supports courses of study up to and including Honours Degree (QQI level 8), and in limited circumstances can include postgraduate study.

The Back to Education Allowance can support students taking Springboard+ and Human Capital Initiative courses with modified rules.

To qualify for Back to Education Allowance you must:

• Meet age requirements.

Customers on Jobseeker’s payments must be over 21 years of age or if aged 18 – 20 years, must be out of formal education for 2 years.

Customers on other qualifying payments must be 18 years or over.

For courses at post graduate level the qualifying age is 24 years.

• Be currently receiving a qualifying payment.
• Have been in receipt of a qualifying payment for a specified period.

3 months for further education courses,

9 months for higher education courses and

12 months for post graduate courses

• Be taking a full-time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college
• Be commencing the first year of the course
• Be progressing in the level of education, (with limited exceptions)

The qualifying payments are:

• Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit
• Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed
• Jobseeker's Transitional Payment
• Farm Assist
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension
• Carer's Allowance
• Blind Pension
• Disability Allowance
• Invalidity Pension
• Incapacity Supplement (based on a life Disablement Pension)
• Illness Benefit

You do not have to have been getting your qualifying payment continuously. Previous payments claimed within a 12 month period can be linked, but you must be on one of the above payments immediately before starting the course.

Time spent on a range of other education, training, work placement and activation schemes may be taken into account to meet the qualifying period.

People awarded statutory redundancy who are entitled to a qualifying social welfare payment can access the Back to Education Allowance without a qualifying period.

Springboard+ and Human Capital Initiative Pillar 1 are Government initiatives which offer courses in areas where there are employment opportunities. (Further information on springboardcourses.ie)

Applications from jobseeker claimants who wish to take full-time Springboard+ courses are assessed under a bespoke version of the Back to Education Allowance scheme with some changes to eligibility criteria. These include that there is no age requirement, the qualifying period is 9 months, and the course may be at a level similar or higher to that already held by the individual.

Customers must contact their Employment Personal Adviser to complete an application prior to starting the course.

More information about the conditions relating to claiming Back to Education Allowance when taking Springboard+ /HCI courses is available at: Operational Guidelines: Back to Education Allowance

Springboard application forms

Springboard Fulltime Application Form

Springboard Part-time Application Form

The rate of payment is the same as the amount you received on the qualifying payment you were getting before receiving Back to Education Allowance.

If you have a dependent child, you can get an annual Cost of Education Allowance of €500.

Applications for Back to Education Allowance should be made in advance of the commencement of the course, ideally once you have identified/applied for a course of study. This provides time to determine your eligibility and the suitability of the proposed course for the scheme in advance of the course commencing.

Applications may be received up to but no later than 30 calendar days of the commencement of the course of study.

If you are getting one of the following:

• Jobseeker's payment
• Farm Assist
• One-Parent Family Payment

Send your application form to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

If you are getting Illness Benefit, contact:

If you are getting one of the following, contact:

• Blind Pension
• a Deserted Wife's payment
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Partner's (Contributory) Pension

If you are getting one of the following, contact:

• Disability Allowance
• Invalidity Pension
• Incapacity Supplement
• Carer's Allowance

Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.

• Operational Guidelines: Back to Education Allowance
• Operational Guidelines: Payment-related issues