Apply for a Bursary
To apply for a bursary please read everything on this page carefully. Then, if you're happy with it all, scroll down to the foot of this page to complete and submit the simple application form below. The team will then get in touch with you.
Important things to know before you apply
Accommodation, meals, venue hire and costs
The bursary for group members does not include the non-refundable deposit and can only cover the remaining cost of your accommodation, meals and other venue hire costs related to your teaching retreat. You will have estimated how much you can contribute to the balance of payment for your full-board accommodation, after you have paid your deposit.
From 2020, your Deercc - the cost of receiving teachings from Sr Fionn - is not included in the retreat price. Towards the end of your retreat, you will still be asked to gift your contribution towards the teachings, retreat facilitation and other spiritual input you have received. To find out more about this, please read the information on 'Deerc'.
The bursary for group members does not include the non-refundable deposit and can only cover the remaining cost of your accommodation, meals and other venue hire costs related to your teaching retreat. You will have estimated how much you can contribute to the balance of payment for your full-board accommodation, after you have paid your deposit.
From 2020, your Deercc - the cost of receiving teachings from Sr Fionn - is not included in the retreat price. Towards the end of your retreat, you will still be asked to gift your contribution towards the teachings, retreat facilitation and other spiritual input you have received. To find out more about this, please read the information on 'Deerc'.
A Gift not a loan
A bursary towards your annual teaching retreat is not a loan. Repayment is never expected. Of course if your financial situation improves sufficiently in the future, you might want to consider making a donation to our bursary fund. This is how our community works - we help and support each other, financially as well as in other ways. The Bursary Fund relies solely on your contributions to make it possible to assist members who are experiencing real financial hardship. Many of us have already benefited from the generosity of our caim in this way and choose to donate in order to help others. As they say - what goes around comes around!
A bursary towards your annual teaching retreat is not a loan. Repayment is never expected. Of course if your financial situation improves sufficiently in the future, you might want to consider making a donation to our bursary fund. This is how our community works - we help and support each other, financially as well as in other ways. The Bursary Fund relies solely on your contributions to make it possible to assist members who are experiencing real financial hardship. Many of us have already benefited from the generosity of our caim in this way and choose to donate in order to help others. As they say - what goes around comes around!
When to apply for a Bursary
Please apply for a bursary as soon as you can when considering booking your place for a teaching retreat. This helps us in our management of the fund so that we can meet the needs of those who apply.
Please apply for a bursary as soon as you can when considering booking your place for a teaching retreat. This helps us in our management of the fund so that we can meet the needs of those who apply.
How much can you afford to give towards the cost of your place?
The main information you need to give us is how much you are able to contribute yourself towards your place on the retreat.
We understand that the amount you estimate that you can afford will be as accurate as you can make it. If it turns out that you need a smaller bursary than you anticipated when the final payment is due for your teaching retreat, you can let us know and we can celebrate that things have improved for you!
When you are making your estimate, please take into account that we manage the Bursary Fund on the basis of how much is donated to the Fund and therefore how much is available, as well as what people tell us their needs are. Once we have agreed the amount of your bursary with you, that is the cost we are working to in our commitment to you and our management of the fund. If you find that you have miscalculated, let us know straight away, but please bear in mind that we may not be able to increase the amount of your bursary at a later stage.
Once you have told us how much you can afford, we will let you know as soon as we can if the fund is able to offer the rest.
The main information you need to give us is how much you are able to contribute yourself towards your place on the retreat.
We understand that the amount you estimate that you can afford will be as accurate as you can make it. If it turns out that you need a smaller bursary than you anticipated when the final payment is due for your teaching retreat, you can let us know and we can celebrate that things have improved for you!
When you are making your estimate, please take into account that we manage the Bursary Fund on the basis of how much is donated to the Fund and therefore how much is available, as well as what people tell us their needs are. Once we have agreed the amount of your bursary with you, that is the cost we are working to in our commitment to you and our management of the fund. If you find that you have miscalculated, let us know straight away, but please bear in mind that we may not be able to increase the amount of your bursary at a later stage.
Once you have told us how much you can afford, we will let you know as soon as we can if the fund is able to offer the rest.
Confidentiality
Please feel reassured that your application for a bursary is held in complete confidence. Only the team dealing with your application will know that you have applied for and received a bursary. All applications will be treated confidentially as before, the difference being that Sr Fionn will not know who is applying. Many of us find living expenses challenging and understand that there may be times when some of us may need a bit of support in paying for our annual teaching retreat. As before, there will be no need to explain why you need the bursary – we trust that you are asking for good reason.
Please feel reassured that your application for a bursary is held in complete confidence. Only the team dealing with your application will know that you have applied for and received a bursary. All applications will be treated confidentially as before, the difference being that Sr Fionn will not know who is applying. Many of us find living expenses challenging and understand that there may be times when some of us may need a bit of support in paying for our annual teaching retreat. As before, there will be no need to explain why you need the bursary – we trust that you are asking for good reason.
How it works
Your bursary portion of the total cost will be paid from the bursary fund directly to the retreat venue, it will not be sent directly to you. You will be asked to pay to Céile Dé the amount you have said you are able to afford. This payment can be made any time before the retreat's final payment date - please check your retreat information for the due date.
Your bursary portion of the total cost will be paid from the bursary fund directly to the retreat venue, it will not be sent directly to you. You will be asked to pay to Céile Dé the amount you have said you are able to afford. This payment can be made any time before the retreat's final payment date - please check your retreat information for the due date.
**If you have to cancel
If you have been awarded a bursary and you later find that you are unable to attend the retreat due to unforeseen circumstances, please let us know right away. This is really important, because if your place at the retreat house is not cancelled within the amount of time the venue stipulates (typically one month before the retreat starts) your place may need to be paid for even though you don't attend. This would mean a substantial portion of our bursary fund would be lost, and could not be offered to anyone else.
If you have been awarded a bursary and you later find that you are unable to attend the retreat due to unforeseen circumstances, please let us know right away. This is really important, because if your place at the retreat house is not cancelled within the amount of time the venue stipulates (typically one month before the retreat starts) your place may need to be paid for even though you don't attend. This would mean a substantial portion of our bursary fund would be lost, and could not be offered to anyone else.
