Government Funding Available

Under the Government Funded Training Support Grant (TSG) Belle Artists Studio & Academy is an approved and recognised Training Supplier.

This means that if you are on a social welfare payment that qualifies for TSG, you can apply to attend our courses for free

The Training Support Grant covers up to €1000 for training courses.**

Limited Places

• Places are limited on each course for students applying to attend our courses through funded routes.
• Places are allocated on a first come first served basis and only allocated once funding paperwork has been processed and approved.
• We do not hold places.
• If all funded applicant places have been filled you will be offered the next available date.

How to Apply

If you intend to apply for a place on one of Belle Artists Studio & Academy Courses you must inform us of this and request the Course Details Document of your chosen course. This contains the full Course Details that you will need in order to apply for the funding. Then you must do the following:

• Contact your local Social Welfare Office and ask them about applying for the Training Support Grant. They will connect you with a Case Officer who will supply you with the application form.
• You must sign this form and then post it to us. The address will be given upon request.
• We will fill out course details and return the form on your behalf to the Case Officer.
• The application will then be processed and approved if eligible.
• Once you have been approved for the TSG funding, you will be able to attend your chosen course free of charge, subject to availability.
• You will not be able to attend a course until approved. If your application is not processed or approved in time for the course date, you will be offered a placed on the next available date.

Please note: The entire application process can take up to 4+ weeks so please get your applications in ASAP.

**IMPORTANT: the TSG only covers the Training cost and does not cover the kit cost. The kit required for your chosen course will need to be purchased either before the course starts or on the day. The specified kit is a requirement to complete your chosen course and can be purchased here: Student Kits

Please also note: you will not be able to bring a different brand kit to your course.

Please see below qualifying payment/schemes for the Training Support Grant.

The below list contains some of the qualifying payments, however please do not rely solely on this list. Please contact your local Social Welfare Office for full details on applications for TSG.

Qualifying Payments/Schemes

• Jobseeker’s Allowance (incl. Casuals, Credits only) †
• Jobseeker’s Benefit (incl. Casuals, JBSE, Credits only) †
• Jobseeker’s Transition payment †
• Blind Pension
• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability Allowance
• Deserted Wives Allowance (DWA) / Deserted Wives Benefit (DWB)
• Farm/Fish Assist (FA)
• Illness Benefit for 6 months or more
• Invalidity Pension
• One Parent Family Payment
• COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) †
• Qualified Adults of Jobseekers payment who are job-seeking ONLY (activation measure)
• Rural Social Scheme (RSS)
• TÚS
• Widows/Widowers Contributory/Non-Contributory
• Work Experience Placement Programme (WPEP) Note: Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) Scheme is no longer available, however, time spent on YESS counts towards qualifying periods.

†Must continue to be genuinely seeking work (GSW) and available to work

Case Officers may support a customer in receipt of another DSP payment (other than State Pension) that is not listed above where the customer has an identified work/activation opportunity.

TSG and Self-Employment

Qualifying self-employment schemes that may be considered for funding support under TSG:

• Jobseekers Benefit Self-Employed (JBSE)
• Farm/Fish Assist
• Jobseekers Allowance Self-Employed (JA Semp category)
• Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP)

Recipients of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and Short-Term Enterprise Allowance are in engaged self-employment, not seeking employment and therefore not supported for funding under TSG.

To find out more information on your entitlements please call your local INTREO Office or click here https://www.gov.ie/en/service/11dbee-training-support-grant/