Education Support Policy

DCU People are committed to fostering a culture of professional growth and personal development. Aligned with our strategic pillar, "Value and Develop Our Staff and Community," we offer an Education Support policy that helps employees pursue undergraduate and postgraduate degrees on a part-time basis at DCU. Additionally, we provide financial assistance to enable employees to participate in professional development opportunities through part-time external courses.

This investment not only enhances staff professional development but directly supports our mission to create a transformative staff experience. 

The Education Support Policy is based on the following key principles which exist to ensure continued support for professional development while maintaining fairness for all employees. 

Education Support Policy Principles 

The Education Support Policy applies to employees with a current contract of employment with the University, please see section below for detailed information on eligibility. 

• Career Development Alignment

  Applicants must demonstrate that the course (internal or external) is directly relevant to their career, as confirmed by their line manager, supported by their PRD objectives and goals, and agreed upon by your DCU People Partner.  Successful applicants are expected to regularly update their line manager on how the course is contributing to their career development.

• Alignment to the Needs of the Unit

  Applicants must demonstrate that the course (internal or external) is directly relevant to the strategic and operational needs of their unit as confirmed by their line manager.

• Fee Waiver for internal courses

  Please note that fee waivers on internal courses are not additional spots reserved specifically for staff; they are within the standard course allocation and therefore represent a cost. The University covers this cost to promote education support for staff.

• Fee Repayment for External Courses

  Should you terminate your employment with DCU within two years of completing an external course paid for by the University you will be required to repay the fee payment on a pro-rata basis. Where applicable, repayments will be deducted from your final salary payments.

• Approvals

  Approvals for both fee waiver and concession will be on a year-by-year basis and will take into account the same factors of consideration during each application. Therefore, there is no guarantee that an application will be approved based on the circumstance of the previous year.

A) Fee Waiver (internal courses) Eligibility Criteria for Professional, Technical and Support staff 

In addition to the key principles outlined above, applications must also meet the following requirements: 

• Applicants must have a minimum of two years satisfactory service with the University. 

• Programmes for consideration of approval will range from Level 6 to Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

• In certain limited circumstances support for a Professional Doctorate (NFQ level 10) may be considered.

B) Fee Payment (external courses) Eligibility Criteria for Professional, Technical and Support staff 

• Applicants must have a minimum of two years of satisfactory service with the University. 

• Programmes for consideration of approval will range from Level 6 to Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

• In certain limited circumstances support for a Professional Doctorate (NFQ level 10) may be considered.

• Preference of support will be given to internal programmes in the first instance. Therefore, applicants will need to clearly demonstrate the value and rationale for undertaking an external course as opposed to exploring an alternative internal option

• As outlined above, should you terminate your employment with DCU within two years completing your course you will be required to repay the fee payment on a pro-rata basis. Where applicable, repayments will be deducted from your final salary.

C) Eligibility for a PhD Programme 

The above eligibility criteria and conditions for both fee waivers and fee payments applies to academic staff with the following addition:

• Academic staff wishing to pursue a PhD are supported under this policy. 

• Applicants must have successfully completed their probation, with a minimum of one-year satisfactory service.

• If the programme is external to the University, the same fee reimbursement provisions apply. 

D) Eligibility for Executive MBA delivered by DCU Business School. 

DCU offers a maximum of two places a year on the Executive MBA Programme delivered by DCU Business School. In addition to the Education Support Policy key principles outlined above, applicants are also subject to the following eligibility criteria: 

• Operate in a role at grade P6 or higher.

• Applicants must have two or more years of DCU service and a contract that extends beyond the programme’s end date.

• Have the sufficient time and commitment to undertake the programme at the point of application (please see the Exam and Study leave section below).

• Meet the academic criteria for the programme as outlined here.

• In addition to meeting the academic criteria, final approval to participate including access to the University fee waiver will be determined by DCU People. This will consider the applicant’s current role, recent appointment to critical positions, performance, values alignment, and the timing of the opportunity within their broader career path.

Should an employee not be eligible for a fee waiver, they will be entitled to a 10% fee reduction on any DCU undergraduate or postgraduate programme.

Employees who have been continuously employed on a permanent basis by DCU since before 30 September 1992 are eligible for additional fee concessions for their children and spouses/civil partners, as follows:

• Children: Full remission of fees for children of eligible employees.

• Spouses/Civil Partners: 50% remission of fees for spouses or civil partners of eligible employees.

• Retirees: Please note that this benefit applies only to DCU employees in continuous permanent employment and does not extend to retired staff.

From time to time the University may identify individuals for Leadership Development programmes through PRD or other avenues. In such instances the support provided will vary and may be outside of what is outlined in this policy.

Please note that a maximum of five days paid study leave may be allowed for each year of study, for a programme approved for either fee waiver or fee payment. The amount of leave applicable will depend on the type of course and the associated time demands. This leave must be approved in advance by both the relevant Line Manager and DCU People. 

Please note that 5 days is the maximum leave applicable irrespective of the nature of the programme and therefore this factor will be considered on all fee waiver and fee payment applications. It should also be noted that unpaid leave arrangements to undertake study will not be considered.

Employees should first discuss their study leave with their manager before submitting a formal request through the HR System (CORE) for line manager approval.

In applying for Education Support or Fee Payment Support, an employee is required to:

• Discuss the benefits of the proposed course of study with their Line Manager in line with the Education Support Principles (outlined above) and agree its relevance with their current role or area of responsibility. Demonstrate the course’s relevance to PRD objectives and goals. If the course is external, it is the responsibility of the Head of School/Unit to determine if there is sufficient budget to apply for the course of study. 

• Fill in the online application form and attach written approval from their Head of School/Unit. 

• The completed application form is reviewed by the DCU Learning and Organisational Development Manager and the relevant People Partner for approval and sign off. 

• Please Note: If the course of study spans across more than one academic year, the application process must be made for each year of the course.

• Please Note: Applications should be 6 weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Applications received with less than 6 weeks’ notice may not be processed on time for commencement date of course.

Application forms

• For Fee Payment of External Courses click here

• For Fee Waiver of Internal DCU Courses click here 

If an employee withdraws from or defers their course, they must promptly inform the Learning & Organisational Development team (learning.development@dcu.ie), as repayment of fees may be required.