The subsidy will support participation in 57 micro-credential courses offered by IUA universities this year, spanning areas of national importance.
IUA, which is the Irish Universities Association, has welcomed the announcement made by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, confirming the 2026 Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy.
Designed to support lifelong learning and create opportunities for students, the subsidy will support participation in 57 micro-credential courses offered by IUA universities in 2026, spanning areas of national importance such as digital transformation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, leadership, innovation, healthcare, engineering and business development.
Commenting on the announcement, IUA’s director general Paul Johnston said: “The reintroduction of the Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy is very welcome. It represents an important investment in lifelong learning, workforce development and Ireland’s future competitiveness.
“By reducing the cost of participation in these courses by workers and their employers, the subsidy makes university learning more accessible to individuals while also helping their companies, particularly SMEs with limited training budgets, to invest in the skills of their workforce.”
