Springboard+ provides free higher education courses for people who are unemployed. You can also apply for a Springboard+ course if you are working, but you must pay a 10% contribution towards the course fee.

There is a range of part-time courses from certificate to master's degree levels - levels 6 to 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). All Springboard+ programmes are part-time.

Courses are offered in a range of areas including construction, hospitality, business start-up and international financial services.

Why study with Springboard+?

Every single Springboard+ course qualifies students in a growing industry sector with a high demand for new personnel, such as Industrial Engineering, or Web Development.

Since Springboard+ courses cater specifically to the unemployed, homemakers and other non-traditional students, a variety of study options are available. Part-time courses and blended learning options give jobseekers and working individuals the flexibility to continue pursuing their work endeavours as they expand opportunities with practical new skills. For homemakers, Springboard courses can lead to work from home jobs opportunities in exciting, lucrative fields.

To qualify for free courses through Springboard+, you must be unemployed, be actively seeking work and available to take up work.

If you are employed, you must pay a 10% contribution towards the course fee at level 7, 8 and 9 on the NFQ. However, level 6 courses are free.

There are also residency criteria for participants not getting a social welfare payment.

At the time of starting a Springboard+ course, you must either be getting a qualifying social welfare payment or be in one of the other eligible categories listed below.

Social welfare payments:

• ​Jobseeker’s Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Disability Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Farm Assist/Fish Assist
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension
• Blind Pension
• Deserted Wife’s Allowance.

You can also apply for Springboard+ if:

• You are a qualified adult of working age (under 66) on someone else’s social welfare payment
• You are signing for social insurance credits

Many people believe they have to have been unemployed for a certain amount of time to qualify for programmes like Springboard+, however, there is no limit on how soon unemployed individuals may apply. While those who have been employed for longer periods receive preference, there are nearly 6,500 spots available in over 200 courses across Ireland, providing plenty of opportunities during any stage of the job search or upskilling.

Springboard+ at Griffith College

Griffith College offers a variety of undergraduate certificates and free courses in Dublin and Limerick, fully funded through the Springboard+ Initiative. Griffith College Dublin offers a variety of Bachelor’s degrees, certificates and higher diplomas in Industrial Engineering, Music Production and Web Development, while Griffith College Limerick offers courses in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. Griffith is Ireland’s largest independent college, offering high profile academics with a student-centred approach.