National College of Art and Design - Portfolio Preparation Scholarship Programme

What the scholarship gives you

You will be offered a free place on the CEAD Summer Portfolio Preparation Course, a summer intensive course lasting several weeks, organised by the NCAD Centre for Education, Art and Design in Dublin. The course will help you put together an art portfolio for your application to art and design degree programmes. It takes place over several weeks in the summer, every day from around 10 to 4, and you must attend every day. All art materials are provided free of charge, and the scholarship covers the full course fees, so you do not have to pay anything. It is awarded by the NCAD Access Office as part of the college’s ‘Secondary School Access Programme’.

Who can apply

• School year: You are a pupil in the fifth year of school, the penultimate year of Irish secondary education (Leaving Certificate year 1).
• Your school: You are attending one of the 32 Access schools in the Dublin area affiliated with the NCAD.
• Age: You are at least 16 years old.
• Nomination: Your art teacher nominates you. You cannot nominate yourself.
• Background: You come from a socially disadvantaged background and would benefit from additional support to gain entry to higher education.
• Field of study: You’re interested in art and design and would like to put together a portfolio for your university application.

How to apply

First, your art teacher will put you forward. You will then complete an online application form and submit examples of your work. If you are selected, the NCAD will notify you by email.

You can find more scholarships in our guide Scholarships in Ireland.