Gaisce – The President’s Award is delighted to launch this year’s Gaisce SUAS Bursary Fund. The bursary is designed to remove financial and social barriers so more young people can take part in and complete their Gaisce Award.
Thanks to support from the Department of Education and Youth, the Be The Arrow campaign, and philanthropic donors, €87,000 in funding will be awarded across two strands in 2025–26. These are the Uplift Fund, which supports young people through schools and youth organisations, and the Youth Justice Fund, which supports those linked to Youth Justice projects and services.
SUAS reflects Gaisce’s commitment to inclusion and equality, making sure young people aged 14–25 from all backgrounds have the chance to see themselves in the Award. As President Michael D. Higgins said in 2021:
“Gaisce is driven by a commitment to a better society, by the enthusiasm, ability, and resilience of young people. Through the Gaisce programme, young people are encouraged and guided so that their innate talents and abilities, as well as their sense of citizenship and social agency, can be realised to their full potential.”
We are grateful to Robert Matthews, Noreena McDonnell, Robbie McArdle, and Joan Hanrahan for sharing their experiences as previous SUAS bursary recipients in a short video, showing the real impact of this support on their Gaisce journey.
Applications for the 2025 bursary are now open! Apply before October 17th at 5:00PM. Visit our SUAS page for full details: https://www.gaisce.ie/suas