At National College of Ireland, we were delighted to hear the news that Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley has announced that the Nurturing Skills Learning Fund has now opened for applications from March 13th to May 1st, 2025.  

The aim of this new fund is to upskill early years staff. The NSLF makes up to a 90% contribution to course fees for participating students for the Sept 25/26 academic year.  

NCI’s Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Early Childhood Education and Care is a four-year programme, designed for people who are interested in pursuing opportunities or upskilling in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector. Our Evening Delivery of this degree is a qualifying course. 

The evening course is taught through blended delivery with classes taking place on Monday and Wednesday evening online and four Saturdays per semester onsite.

More about the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund  

The pilot of a new Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) was launched in 2023, aligning with commitments outlined in Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028. The aim of this pilot was to assist early year’s educators to pursue early learning and care (ELC) qualifications at level 7 and level 8, approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) while working in the sector. 

The vision behind NSLF is one 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.”  

You can learn more here about the Nurturing Skills Learning Fund and how to check eligibility.  

To apply for funding, applicants should visit our NSLF Information Page.  

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