Nurturing Skills Learner Fund

The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) is co-funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund+ and by the Government Ireland through the Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training programme (EIST) 2021-27.

http://www.eufunds.ie/

In December, 2023 in line with commitments in Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028 the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) was launched. The NSLF aims to assist early year’s educators to pursue early learning and care (ELC) qualifications at level 7 and level 8 that have been approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) while continuing to work in the sector.

At the heart of Nurturing Skills is a vision of: ‘A well-qualified, skilled, diverse and valued professional workforce that is centred on children’s rights, needs and potential and that provides quality experiences for children in partnership with families, and which continues to advance its professional development within a coherent and competent system.’

The NSLF plays an important role in achieving this vision. The NSLF was set up with the aim of providing upskilling and professional development opportunities for staff working in Early Learning and Care (ELC)services.

The NSLF assists in the financial costs for early year’s educators who wish to pursue ELC qualifications approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) at level 7 and level 8 while continuing to work in a core funded service. The funding will be paid directly to the higher education institution on behalf of the early year’s educator in order to minimise the financial and administrative barrier the educator faces when seeking to undertake further studies.

The scheme applies to those Early Years Educators who are entering an NSLF approved ELC level 7 or 8 qualification for the first time.

The NSLF 2026 Application process is now open for new applications and will close on 1st May 2026. This scheme is budget dependant, so places are limited to funding available. Therefore, where demand is greater that the available funding, selection of successful applicants is based on a prioritisation selection criteria.

Since its inception in 2024 the NSLF scheme has been in a position to offer financial support to over 700 applicants.

The NSLF will be extended for the academic year 2026/2027. It is expected that more than 350 Educators, seeking to upskill to Level 7 and Level 8 ELC Qualifications in the academic year 2026/2027 (commencing Autumn 2026), will be offered financial support. Further information regarding the process for the academic year beginning Autumn 2026 will be posted here.

The NSLF is co-funded by the European Union through the ESF+ Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training programme (EIST) 2021-27. The NSLF is included under the Skills and Lifelong Learning strand with the aim of promoting lifelong learning, in particular flexible upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all.

From 10th March, 2026, new applicants should email Pobal, at NSLF@pobal.ie to request a link to the NSLF Student Portal in order to create an account and upload employment details and complete the new application process.

Applicants who previously applied for NSLF and were unsuccessful, should make a new application for the academic year 2026/2027 through the NSLF Student Portal. Applicants should login to their NSLF account, upload employment details and complete the new application process.

Applicants should ensure that all elements of the application are filled out and required documents provided prior to completing the application process.

The application process will close on 1st May 2026.

Applicants for the NSLF must meet the following eligibility criteria for the NSLF,

• Be working with children in a Tusla-registered Early Learning and Care (ELC) or School Age Childcare (SAC) service
• The service in which the applicant is working in, must have a current signed Core Funding contract with DCDE
• Applicants must have worked within an ELC or SAC service for the six months prior to their application
• Applicants must have a current application/offer for 2026/2027 entry to a Level 7/8 Degree course approved by the Qualification Advisory Board (QAB) that is eligible for NSLF.
• Be a new entrant to an Approved Course for the academic year commencing 2026/2027 (Autumn 2026).
• For clarity purposes, at time of application an applicant must not hold (or be already undertaking) an Approved Course at level 7 or level 8 in Early Learning and Care.

Note: Only applicants who fulfil all the above Eligibility Criteria will be considered for NSLF funding in 2026.

The NSLF for the academic year 2026/2027 will be limited by the available funding. Where demand for funding is greater than the available budget, the selection of successful applicants is based on the following criteria in the following prioritisation order:

1. The number of graduates in the applicant’s service, with priority for applicants from services with no graduates,
2. Priority index (Equal Start Index, formerly EPM index), with priority for applicants from services supporting the most disadvantaged children
3. The role of the applicant in a service, with priority for those in lead educator or manager roles.
4. If, after the above prioritisation has been applied and not been decisive, random selection is applied.

The fund was set up to assist in the financial costs for early year’s educators who wish to pursue early learning and care (ELC) qualifications at level 7 and level 8 while continuing to work in a core funded service.

The NSLF is designed to complement and add to other Government financial supports, such as the Free Fees Initiative and SUSI grants and the scheme will make a contribution of up to 90% of course fees over the course of the degree.

Funding is paid each academic year to an amount of 80% of the total cost of course fees (after discounting other governmental assistance such as Free Fees, SUSI etc..) to a maximum cap of €3,200 per academic year. This funding is paid directly to the educational intuition on behalf of the successful applicants. The remaining 10% (of the overall 90% contribution) will be refunded to the applicants after completion of the course and contingent on the successful applicants remaining working in the sector, in a Core Funded Service, for 6 months after completing. It is the responsibility of successful applicants to pay the remainder of their course fees plus student levies when requested by the course provider.

Applicants must have a current application/offer for entry to a Level 7/8 Degree course approved by the Qualification Advisory Board (QAB) that is eligible for NSLF for the upcoming academic year. The scheme is only open to those entering an approved ELC degree programme for the first time. The list of eligible courses for the academic year 2026/2027 can be found at;

Conditions for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund for academic year 2026/2027 can be found here;

Rules for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund for academic year 2026/2027 can be found here

(existing NSLF students who are in receipt of NSLF funding and wish to continue to receive funding for their registered course for the coming Academic Year 2026/2027)

Pobal will contact continuing students directly in early Summer asking individuals to verify continuing eligibility for NSLF funding. Once eligibility is confirmed a new Letter of Conditional Funding will issue to the student for the academic year 2026/2027.

NSLF will only pay for the course a student is registered on. Should a student decide to complete a further ELC course NSLF will not pay for this course as per the rules of the NSLF scheme. This means that if a student is registered on a level 7 course, they will not be funded by NSLF for a level 8 course.

Completion of ESF+ surveys - As part of NSLF ESF+ funding there is requirement for graduating students to complete two exit surveys.

• Survey 1 will issue to students from Pobal in September 2026.
• Survey 2 will issue in February 2027.
• Receipts of survey completion will be required for the 10% rebate application process.

NSLF 10% rebate application process will be notified to Eligible Graduates early in 2027 to those NSLF students who graduate in 2026.

Eligibility criteria for the NSLF 10% rebate will include:

• Students must graduate from an NSLF approved course in 2026.
• There is a requirement for students to remain in employment in a core funded partner service for six months after course completion. The course completion date for 2026 has been defined by DCDE as the 31st August 2026. Therefore, a student must remain working in a core funded partner service until the end of February 2027.
• Students will be required to complete two exit surveys which are required as part of NSLF ESF+ funding. Proof of Survey completion will be required.

Pobal are administering the NSLF on behalf of the Department of Children Disability and Equality. All queries relating to the scheme must be addressed by email to NSLF@pobal.ie

Further updates and information regarding NSLF and the application process will be available on this website at Nurturing Skills Learner Fund