Athlone IT - 72.53%

IT Carlow - 70.88%

IT Sligo - 69.1%

Limerick IT - 68.22%

Galway-Mayo IT - 65.93%

IT Blanchardstown - 65.55%

Waterford IT - 64.68%

Dundalk IT - 63.59%

IT Tallaght - 62.77%

IT Tralee - 61.33%

National University of Ireland, Maynooth - 52.71%

Cork IT - 51.5%

National University of Ireland, Galway - 51.42%

Dublin City University - 50.83%

St. Angela's College of Home Economics, Sligo - 50.17%

University of Limerick - 49.36%

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick - 46.96%

Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology - 45.2%

Dublin Institute of Technology - 44.52%

University College Cork - 38.72%

National College of Art and Design - 38.21%

Trinity College Dublin - 28.7%

University College Dublin - 27.07%

Royal College of Surgeons - 7.16%

 

Household income eligibility thresholds range from about €40,000 upwards a year, depending on factors such as the number of dependant children.

Firm grip

While student numbers at third level have grown sharply in recent years, these figures indicate that better-off students still have a firm grip on top university places.

The analysis shows for the first time the proportion of grant-holders in the further education and training sector.

Just 40 per cent of students in this sector – who typically attend Post-Leaving Certificate courses – are in receipt of grants.

Careers experts say hefty charges of up to €1,000 for registration fees and course costs are not covered by the grant. This may be driving students away from the sector and towards institutes of technology.

Policymakers are increasingly trying to attract students back to further education and apprenticeships.

The number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds has risen from about 22 per cent in 2012 to about 26 per cent last year.

Institutes

A breakdown of grant figures indicates the bulk of this growth is taking place in institutes of technology rather than universities.

Mr Bruton has signalled that universities could lose funding in future if they fail to meet targets to increase the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A new “system performance framework” is being developed which will set out goals for individual universities and colleges over the next five years. Improved access to college for disadvantaged groups will form part of this.

Despite the introduction of “free fees” 20 years ago, research indicates there has been no significant narrowing the participation gap across the social divide, especially in urban areas.

For example, latest figures show that about 99 per cent of school-leavers progressed on to higher education in the affluent Dublin 6 area compared to just 15 per cent in Dublin 17.

Both UCD and Trinity say they are investing significant sums in access programmes aimed at boosting numbers from under-represented groups, such as those with disabilities and mature students who have never been to college.