What support is available to help you with Your Young Person’s education cost in 2023?
The main supports are:
- The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
- Free primary school and special schoolbooks.
- The schoolbook rental scheme.
Depending on your situation, you may also get help with exam fees, school transport fees, school boarding, and assistive technology.
Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance helps students with the costs of uniforms and footwear.
To receive the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, you must receive certain social welfare payments or participate in education and training or employment schemes, and your total household income must be below a certain amount.
School books
Free primary and special schoolbooks
From September 2023, parents of children in primary and special schools will not have to pay a contribution fee for schoolbooks, workbooks, and copybooks.
The school will provide free books on loan, which parents must return at the end of the school year. If parents buy additional items, the school will notify them. Parents can find more information on the Free Primary Schoolbooks scheme.
Post-primary schools
Funding under the Free Education Scheme can help state post-primary schools with the cost of schoolbooks. The funding comes from the Department of Education, and the principal of each school administers the scheme.
It is for students from low-income families and families experiencing financial hardship. The money can be used to set up a book rental scheme within the school or help individual students buy books. The Department of Education prefers schools to set up book rental schemes, as this enables more low-income students.
The principal can explain how the scheme operates in your child’s school. You must contact the principal to apply for assistance. The principal has total discretion in deciding which students are most in need.
Exam fees
Students whose parent or guardian has a medical card do not have to pay the examination fees for a Junior or Leaving Certificate. Details of the medical card are put on the fee payment form, and the parent then sends the form back to the school.
If you are exempt from fees because your parents have a medical card, you must pay late fees if you apply after the deadline. More detailed information is available on Leaving Certificate examination fees and Junior Certificate examination fees.
School transport
The school transport scheme provides transport for children who live 3.2 km from their local school. School transport may be free to medical card holders if the school transport scheme operates in your area and your child is eligible.
Find out more about school transport for primary school and school transport for post-primary school.
