The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) is a government fund to help cover the costs of early years practitioners taking on level 7 and level 8 early childhood care and education qualifications.
The NSLF is a new fund, announced in 2023 through the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and the first funded course intakes started in 2024.
The courses covered by the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund Scheme at Portobello Institute include:
- BA (Ord) Early Childhood Education & Care - 2 Years (Level 7) - starts October 4th 2025
- BA (Honours) Early Childhood Education & Care - 3 years (Level 8) - starts October 4th 2025
The fund helps early years educators pursue early learning and care (ELC) qualifications that have been approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) while continuing to work in the sector, in line with commitments in Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028.
According to this workforce plan, 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 Nurturing Skills Learner Fund is set to play an important role in achieving this vision.
Registrations Now Open!
Portobello Institute is now accepting expressions of interest to study with us in October 2025 upon successfully receiving your funding.
Please remember that your application to Portobello Institute and your NSLF application are two different things. We will support you through this process.
Pobal is expected to open the NSLF application portal around May 2025 for courses starting in Autumn - but you can get your name down on our list today to let us know you're interested.
Complete and submit the form below to register your interest to study with Portobello Institute and stay up to date with NSLF.
How Much of the Cost Does the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund Cover?
Fees for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund are calculated as follows:
- Cost per academic year: €3,600*
- Nurture Fund Grant at 80% of fee: €2,880*
- Cost to student per academic year: €720*
*Important: This is based on the structure in 2024 and we are awaiting confirmation of the same process in 2025.
If you remain working in the early years sector for 6 months after completion of the course, you will be entitled to reclaim 10% of the total fees i.e. €360 per academic year.
How will I know if I am eligible?
Those wishing to make an application to the NSLF must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- 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 DCEDIY.
- 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 2024/25 entry to a Level 7/8 Degree course approved by the Qualification Advisory Board (QAB) that is eligible for NSLF i.e. Portobello Institute.
In 2024 the pilot scheme was only open to those entering an approved ELC degree programme for the first time. The list of eligible courses for the academic year 2024/2025 can be found on this website Nurturing Skills Learner Fund Institutions and Courses 2024/2025.
To be eligible for the level 7 or 8 degree programmes at Portobello Institute, you must first hold a QQI Level 6 major award in ECCE or an equivalent qualification.
How many places are available?
This will be the second year of the pilot fund and the number of places will be limited from both an NSLF point of view and Portobello Institute's intake numbers.
It is essential to register your interest and submit your application early to avail of this opportunity.
Application Timeline
Applications for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund are expected to open May 2025, for degree programmes commencing in October 2025.
To ensure that you keep up to date with the fund application timelines, please complete the form provided above and we will be in touch with you as soon the application window is open and keep you up to date with news and updates.
How NSLF worked in 2024
Last year, from 1st May 2024, applicants could email Pobal, at NSLF@pobal.ie to request a link to the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund Student Portal. Applicants were be required to complete a number of pre-requisite tasks prior to completing the application process.
The full NSLF application process then opened in early June, with NSLF applicants being notified by Pobal in the following months.
Why Choose Portobello Institute?
- Portobello Institute makes your degree accessible by offering a flexible, online delivery of the course content and one-to-one support.
- When you choose Portobello Institute you can complete the work placement hours required in your current role in an early years setting.
- Our courses are assessment based with no exam pressure and are delivered by interactive online webinars with one-to-one support.
- Portobello Institute was founded in early childhood care and education over 40 years ago. Our lecturers are industry practitioners with decades of hands-on experience. We are passionate about the early years sector in Ireland.
If you are working in the early years sector in Ireland, this fund is an opportunity to take the leap and gain your degree to keep up with the sector which is quickly becoming graduate-led.
Portobello Institute is here to support you with this leap, no matter how daunting higher education may seem, your computer skills, work or family commitments or how long it has been since you last studied, we are here to support you on this journey.
Read Corine's Success Story here.
Read Ann's Success Story here.
Read Anna's Success Story here.
If you are interested in obtaining funding through the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund and studying with Portobello Institute, please register your interest by completing the form above and we will be in touch with you.
If you have any questions you can book a consultation call with our expert course advisor Sarah Coyne email sarah.coyne@portobelloinstitute.com or call 01 892 0028.
