Springboard+ in Ireland: Who Can Apply and What It Covers

Springboard+ is a government-funded programme of mainly part-time higher education courses, and eligibility depends on your work status, residency and the specific course. According to Citizens Information (page last edited 26 March 2026), unemployed people and people returning to work can attend free, while employed people can also apply but pay a contribution. This guide sets out who can apply and what it covers, as that page and a gov.ie announcement describe it. Check the official Springboard+ website for the current call before applying.

For finance professionals and employers in Dublin, Springboard+ is one route among several. If you are weighing it against other options, see our overviews of finance training courses in Dublin and CPD training for Dublin finance professionals.

What Springboard+ offers

Citizens Information describes Springboard+ as free, mainly part-time higher education courses for people who are unemployed or want to return to work. The page says courses run from Level 6 (Certificate) to Level 9 (Master's) on the National Framework of Qualifications, that most last one year or less, and that they are online or blended. Subjects it mentions include ICT, medical technologies, cybersecurity, sustainable energy, creative industries and artificial intelligence.

A gov.ie press release on the Springboard+ 2026 courses says the courses are open to people who are employed, self-employed, unemployed or returning to the workforce, and lists subject areas including artificial intelligence, digital technologies, sustainability, healthcare innovation, advanced manufacturing, business leadership, offshore wind and carbon accounting. The page we opened does not show a release date, so treat the course list as indicative.

General eligibility rules

The Citizens Information page sets out a general test. You must live in Ireland, have a PPS number, meet residency requirements and meet the EU or non-EU criteria. People with International Temporary Protection may also be eligible. Places are limited, and people on qualifying social welfare payments get priority. The page adds that there is generally no age limit, except for qualified adults on another person's payment, and that you must still meet the criteria for both Springboard+ and the individual course.

Eligibility by category

The same page breaks eligibility down by situation:

• Unemployed: you must be unemployed, actively seeking work and available for work. Qualifying payments include Jobseeker's payments, One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance and Carer's Allowance. Qualified adults under 66 on another person's payment, and people signing for social insurance credits, may also apply. People on certain schemes can apply with approval from a Department of Social Protection Employment Personal Advisor.
• Previously self-employed: you must be unemployed and seeking work, but do not need a social welfare payment. The page says you need a Revenue letter or accountant's letter confirming you are no longer trading.
• Employed or self-employed: you can apply for any available course if you meet the nationality or visa and residency requirements.
• Recent graduates: you can apply for a Level 8 ICT skills conversion course if you completed a full-time Level 8 degree and graduated within 12 months of the course start date. A Level 9 postgraduate course is open one year after graduating. Recent graduates cannot apply for part-time, micro-credential or Level 9 ICT conversion courses, according to the page.
• Carers and homemakers: you must have been on home or caring duties for 9 of the previous 12 months, or be economically dependent on a partner or spouse and unemployed for 9 of the previous 12 months. Supporting documents and a declaration before a Commissioner for Oaths are needed.

What it costs: as shown at the time of writing

The following is as shown on the Citizens Information page at the time of writing, so confirm it against the current call:

• Unemployed: no course fees. You can keep your existing social welfare payment while on a course, as long as you still meet its conditions, and if you take a job during the course, Springboard+ funds fees for the full academic year.
• Employed: you pay 10% of the fee for Level 7, 8 and 9 courses, and Level 6 courses are free. You do not pay the contribution if you receive the Working Family Payment or are on a Community Employment Scheme at the start of the course.
• Recent graduates: you pay 10% of the tuition fee for ICT skills conversion courses.

The gov.ie release adds that micro-credential courses are 50% subsidised for all learners regardless of employment status, and says employed learners typically pay about 10% of the course fee. Note that these are percentages of each course's fee, and the pages we read did not list actual course fees. Fees vary by course and provider.

How to apply

Citizens Information says you apply online through the Springboard+ website. You can apply for up to 10 courses but take only one at a time. If you receive a social welfare payment, it advises contacting your Intreo Centre or local Social Welfare Branch Office to check any further steps. The page said applications for 2026 to 2027 were open and that courses start between August and 31 October 2026, depending on the course. Depending on when you read this, those dates may already have passed, so look for the next call.

What employers and managers should keep in mind

The pages describe individual applications, not an employer purchasing scheme. If you manage a team, these are our suggestions:

• Do not assume an employee qualifies. Eligibility depends on their own situation and the specific course.
• If an employee asks for time to attend a course, agree in writing how lectures, assessments and any exams will be handled. See what your contract or policy says about time off.
• Ask the course provider about timetable and attendance before agreeing hours.
• Use the course provider's own information on accreditation and level, and check whether it suits a professional body's CPD rules before relying on it.

These are practical suggestions, not requirements in the Springboard+ rules.

Where to confirm details

The details above rely on Citizens Information and gov.ie rather than the Springboard+ website itself, so check the website for the current call. For queries, the Citizens Information page points to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) at springboard@hea.ie and the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, as shown on that page. Always confirm the current call, eligibility and fees with the official site or the HEA before applying.

Learnsignal's offices are off Baggot Street in Dublin, and we offer in-person training from there. For current details, see our CPD pages.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for Springboard+?

Citizens Information says unemployed people, previously self-employed people, employed or self-employed people, recent graduates (for some courses) and carers or homemakers may apply, subject to residency, PPS number and course-specific rules.

Can employed people apply for Springboard+?

Yes. The Citizens Information page says employed or self-employed people can apply for any available course if they meet the nationality or visa and residency requirements, and that employed people pay a contribution.

What does an employed person pay?

As shown on the Citizens Information page at the time of writing, employed people pay 10% of the fee for Level 7, 8 and 9 courses and Level 6 courses are free. Check the current call, as terms can change.

What levels do Springboard+ courses cover?

The page says courses run from Level 6 (Certificate) to Level 9 (Master's) on the National Framework of Qualifications.

How many courses can I apply for?

Citizens Information says you can apply for up to 10 courses but take only one at a time.

Springboard+ eligibility turns on your situation and the course, so check the current call on the official site before you apply.