Examinations & Assessment
Foundation and Non-Foundation Scholarship - FAQ
What are the Foundation Scholarship examinations?
The Foundation Scholarship exams are a special set of examinations that are taken in the Senior Freshman year to identify students who can consistently demonstrate exceptional knowledge and understanding of their subjects. A Scholarship at Trinity College remains the most prestigious undergraduate award in the country. Candidates will be required to sit three to four examination papers amounting to eight to nine hours of examinations. Scholarship is awarded solely on the basis of this examination performance– and no other factors are taken into account.
When do the 2025 Foundation Scholarship examinations take place?
The 2025 Foundation Scholarship examinations start on Monday 6 January 2025 and end on Friday 10 January 2025. Please note that it may be necessary to hold some Foundation Scholarship Examinations in the preceding week.
Who can apply to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations?
Any registered TCD Senior Freshman student may apply to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations. To sit the examinations for Foundation Scholarship, all candidates must be fully registered, and have paid the current annual fee of their class. If a candidate is paying their fees via instalments, the full fee does not need to be paid by the Foundation Scholarship application deadline but the required fees on the course should be paid by the advertised instalment dates.
I am unable to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations during my Senior Freshman year for personal reasons. Is it possible to defer to my Junior Sophister year?
In exceptional circumstances, (such as bereavement, serious illness), candidates may apply to the Senior Lecturer through their tutor to be allowed sit the examination in their Junior Sophister year. To request permission to defer the Scholarship examinations from the Senior Freshman year to the Junior Sophister year candidates must download and complete the deferral application available online, and submit it to their tutor.
I am currently Off-Books; can I apply to sit Foundation Scholarship?
No, off-books students cannot apply to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations. The Scholarship exams should be attempted when a student is fully registered and on-books in their Senior Freshman year.
I am registered for the Dual BA Program. Can I still apply for the Foundation Scholarship examinations?
Any registered TCD Senior Freshman student (including those registered for the Dual degree program) may apply to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations. Dual degree students who are awarded Scholarship are eligible for the following:
1. Funds in the amount of normal EU fees to offset the cost of their Columbia fees (as is done for non-EU students paying non-EU fees at Trinity).
2. The normal remuneration in lieu of accommodation, as they will be expected to be resident in New York over years 3 and 4 of their studies.
3. The right to dine on Commons, for whenever they are here on campus.
4. The right to free fees for postgraduate study for a period of three years in addition to the normal two-year undergraduate term.
All other privileges as set out in the Chapter on Scholars in the 2010 Consolidated Statutes will apply.
When can I apply for the Foundation Scholarship examinations?
An online application form will be accepted from 9.00am on Monday 30 September 2024 to 5.00pm on Monday 14 October 2024. This is a very strict deadline and no applications will be accepted after the closing date.
This form should be submitted by the applicant and not by another party. A confirmation email will be sent to applicants via an Intray message on their my.tcd.ie account (accessible on the home screen). This confirmation email may take up to one working day to receive.
I missed the application deadline, can I still apply to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations?
Only under exceptional circumstances (such as bereavement or serious illness) will late applications be accepted. An exceptional circumstance does not include where a candidate begins the application process at the final moment and encounters technical problems; in that situation the application will not be accepted. If a student wishes to make a late application, they should contact their tutor immediately who will then need to make a written request to the Assessment Team (askexams@tcd.ie) for the late application to be accepted and outline why their tutee did not apply within the two week time frame.How do I officially confirm my intention to attend the Foundation Scholarship examinations?
Students must officially confirm their intention to attend the Foundation Scholarship examinations by submitting an online confirmation of attendance form. The online confirmation of attendance form will become available from 9.00am on Monday 11 November 2024 to 5.00pm on Monday 18 November 2024. This is a very strict deadline and it will not be possible to confirm attendance after this closing date.
This form should be submitted by the applicant and not by another party. A confirmation email will be sent to applicants via an Intray message on their my.tcd.ie account (accessible on the home screen). This confirmation email may take up to one working day to receive.
If I do not confirm my intention to attend the Foundation Scholarship examinations will I still be permitted to attend?
No, any student who has not confirmed their intention to sit the Foundation Scholarship examinations by the deadline on 18 November 2024 will not be scheduled for the examinations and will not be permitted to attend the examinations.
When will the Foundation Scholarship timetable be made available?
The Foundation Scholarship timetable will be published on Thursday 5 December 2024. Timetables can be viewed at my.tcd.ie, under the My Exams menu option. Students will be informed via an Intray message on their my.tcd.ie account (accessible on the home screen).If I do not show up for the Foundation Scholarship examinations will it reflect badly on me or will it be recorded on my college record?
If a student does not attend the Foundation Scholarship examinations they will be returned as absent for the results published on Trinity Monday. It will not reflect badly on them and this result is not added to their transcript.
If I am unable to complete the Foundation Scholarship examinations due to exceptional circumstances, can a special paper be arranged during the session?
The provision for special examinations whereby a student is unable to attend their examination(s) is not available during the Foundation Scholarship examination session. In the event that a student is unable to complete the examination(s), they should contact their college tutor immediately.
What must a candidate achieve in the examinations to be awarded Scholarship?
The minimum individual criteria for award of Scholarship are an overall mark of 70% or higher; a grade profile indicating the attainment of first class marks in at least two out of three papers in courses with three papers and at least two out of four papers in courses with four papers; and the remaining paper/s achieving a mark of 65% or above.
Is my result from the Foundation Scholarship examinations put on my transcript?
The result of Foundation Scholarship examinations is only added to the transcript of the students who obtain a Foundation or Non Foundation Scholarship. No other Foundation Scholarship results are placed on academic transcripts.
When are the results for Scholarship published?
The announcement of new Scholars is made by the Provost on the morning of Trinity Monday, 28 April 2025, on the steps of the Public Theatre (Exam Hall). A full copy of the results is also published outside the Public Theatre and on the Assessment website. Results will not be available on a student's my.tcd.ie account.
What is the difference between Foundation and Non-Foundation Scholarship?
The College was founded as a corporation consisting of the Provost, the Fellows and the Scholars. Scholars who are members of the corporation are called Foundation Scholars, or Scholars of the House, to distinguish them from the holders of other scholarships. Foundation scholarships cannot exceed seventy (70) in number. Foundation and Non-Foundation Scholars are entitled to the same emoluments and privileges.
What do I do if I am awarded a prize at Foundation Scholarship?
Further information can be obtained by contacting the relevant School/Course Office or the Financial Services Division regarding the payment of monetary prizes awarded following the Foundation Scholarship examinations.
Can I please have the breakdown of my results in the Foundation Scholarship examinations?
A breakdown of results and further information can be obtained by contacting your School/ Course Office directly.
Can I appeal my Foundation Scholarship results?
There is no formal appeals process for Scholarship. All queries and further information can be obtained by contacting your School/ Course Office directly.
Where can I find out further information about Scholarship?
Please consult the relevant School/ Course Office for details on the Scholarship examinations. The Foundation and Non-Foundation Scholarship section of the current College Calendar and the Assessment website. The current Scholars also maintain a very informative website.