College Education Savings
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- College Education Savings
Benefits Summary
- Save small amounts monthly and build a strong education fund
- Save your family's children's allowance of €140 per month per child and build over €70,000 Nest Egg per child over 18 years for each child.
- Flexible plans available
- You can pause or change your savings anytime
- Make lump sum contributions
- Easy access options if required within 48 hours.
- Invest your money with a Provider that is fully regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
- Invest in funds that suit your comfort level with risk (low, medium, and high risk investment options available)
- Grow your money over time and beat inflation
- The earlier you start and the longer you stay invested years the greater the potential return on investment will be.
- Helps ease the cost of college when the time comes
- Gives you peace of mind knowing you’re planning ahead
- Simple process - Set up application, choose a suitable investment fund, and forget about it until your children’s 18th birthday. Let compound interest grow your nest egg.
- All you need to do is 'invest and forget.' Try not to stop contributing or change investment strategy, and you will have a significant nest egg to cover your children’s education.
€10,000
Savings per year
Why start a Children’s College Education Savings plan?
The cost of third-level education in Ireland is no longer a distant concern
— it’s a real financial challenge many families face today. Between tuition
fees, rent, study materials, and everyday expenses, it can cost around
€10,000 per year — or €40,000 over four years — to send just one child
to college—even those living at home face rising costs for transport,
books, and meals.
While part-time jobs, student grants, or loans may offer support, most
students still need financial help from their parents. That’s why more
families are now turning to a college education savings plan or education
savings account to prepare.
These savings plans offer a tax-efficient education fund that transforms
small, regular contributions into a powerful education investment fund.
Instead of leaving your money in a low-interest deposit account, you can
invest it for potential growth that keeps up with inflation.
For Example
Saving €140 per month (Children’s Allowance) from birth to age 18 could grow to over €70,000 — enough to give your child the freedom to focus on their studies, not the stress of how to pay for them.
How much should I save?
- Saving €140/month (Children’s Allowance) could build up to €70,000 over 18 years
- Even €50/month can grow into a valuable college savings plan over time
- Starting late? No problem. A few focused years of saving still make a real impact
This isn’t just about covering college fees — it’s about a child’s future education planning and giving them the freedom to choose their path without financial stress.
The key to preparing for your children's college education
- Start early and contribute consistently
- Try to avoid withdrawals, so the fund grows uninterrupted
- No amount is too small — save what you can, when you can
- If you receive Children’s Allowance, use as much as is affordable to build a financial savings plan
Even if you’re starting late or can’t contribute the full allowance, it’s never too late to begin. Any amount you save will go a long way when the time comes, and you’ll be grateful you planned ahead.
Inflationary Risk of Not Investing Your Savings
Inflation is the increase in the price of a typical basket of goods & services. It is a measure of the general cost of living in a particular
country. Over time, a typical 100 euros will not buy the same amount of goods & services that it will today. So if your savings are not invested and generating an average net 2% return, inflation is eating into their value/purchasing power.
The cost of college education fees, rent, clothing, and food/drink is all
going to increase by the time your child is going to college – that’s a guarantee.
By investing your savings, you will hopefully put a strategy in place to
keep, if not enhance, the purchasing power of your hard-earned money.
Not investing your savings and letting inflation erode it away over time is a hidden risk to all savings that goes unnoticed until it’s too late.
guarantee.
Although saving money in any shape or form is always recommended, investing these savings over a long-term period consistently has been proven to be an even better financially prudent decision:
Compounding your savings together with any returns generated over the
longer term can have a snowball effect on the value of your savings.
Investing your children’s allowance over 18 years (from birth to your child’s 18th birthday) and generating a positive average annual return over this period can significantly increase the value of the nest egg built up.
Below is an illustration table of the potential gross value of a child’s
college education plan if 140 euros were invested for 18 years
if 140 euros were invested for 18 years, if a 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, or 12% average return was generated over this period.
COMPARISION OF INVESTING VERSUS SAVINGS YOUR
CHILDREN'S ALLOWANCE OVER 18 YEARS VERSUS
SAVING IT IN A BANK
|
Annual Contributions (€140 x 12 moths)
|
Term (Years)
|
Annualised Average net % Returns
|
Return on Investment Over Years
|
Total Gross Savings Plan Value in Savings Plan
|
Value of Saving in Bank a/c if you don’t invest
|
Variance
|
€1,680
|
18
|
5%
|
€16,685
|
€46,925
|
€30,240
|
€16,685
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
€1,680
|
18
|
6%
|
€21,282
|
€51,522
|
€30,240
|
€21,282
|
|
€1,680
|
18
|
7%
|
€26,405
|
€56,645
|
€30,240
|
€26,405
|
|
€1,680
|
18
|
8%
|
€32,117
|
€62,357
|
€30,240
|
€32,117
|
|
€1,680
|
18
|
9%
|
€38,486
|
€68,726
|
€30,240
|
€38,486
|
|
€1,680
|
18
|
10%
|
€45,588
|
€75,828
|
€30,240
|
€45,588
|
|
€1,680
|
18
|
11%
|
€53,509
|
€83,749
|
€30,240
|
€53,509
|
|
€1,680
|
18
|
12%
|
€62,343
|
€92,583
|
€30,240
|
€62,343
|
THE S&P 500 PERFORMANCE SINCE 1950
Below is a chart of the actual returns of the S&P 500 since 1950. The S&P 500 is an index that tracks the top 500 companies in the United States. Although there have been good and bad years, the average return from 1950 to 2025 is 10.83%
Please note that actual return can go up and down, and past performance is not a true indicator of future investment performance
Choosing a Provider
Before setting up a savings or investment plan with any provider, it is always recommended to perform a detailed comparison of all providers in Ireland, so you can make the most informed decision & choose the provider that best suits your requirements.
As a fully Central Bank-regulated multi-agency financial brokerage, we only recommend providers who are also fully Central Bank of Ireland-regulated. This gives extra protection to as a customer.
College education savings plans in Ireland are typically provided through
Life Assurance Companies.
These are the most common routes for long-term, tax-efficient savings
plans.
- Zurich Life
- Irish Life
- Aviva
- New Ireland Assurance
- Royal London
- Standard Life
To help you make the most informed decision
We compare all savings & investment plan providers in the following key areas.
This detailed comparison will be very useful to you before any provider is chosen.Once you have made your decision, we will then assist you in submitting all of the necessary paperwork & documentation required to set up & start your savings or investment plan. If this service is something that may interest you, please schedule a call with one of our highly qualified Advisor Team.
Below is a table of actual average annual returns over the past 10 years generated from some popular investment funds offered by these main
providers for all savings plans.
1.Fees and charges - where we analyse
- Allocation rates offered
- Annual management charges
- Policy fees + and other hidden charges.
2. Investment find options:
- Range of options
- Proven track record of these funds over a 5-10 year period.
3. Flexibility of each Savings Plan:
- Access options, and if there are penalties applied for this access.
4. Customer Service support offered
- Access to policy information & documentation
- User friendliness of their online client portals
- Availability & promptness to deal with client queries
ACTUAL AVERAGE 10-YEAR
(MEDIUM)
ACTUAL AVERAGE 10-YEAR
(HIGH)
(HIGH)
ACTUAL AVERAGE 10-YEAR
PERFORMANCE FROM A RANGE OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY FUNDS WITHIN THE SAME RISK CATEGORY
If you would like assistance in starting a college education savings plan or comparing providers for this savings plan, please schedule a call with one of our highly qualified financial advisory team.
Please note that actual return can go up and down, and past performance is not a true indicator of future investment performance
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ's)
Q1. Can I Access My Funds?
Ans: Yes — but keep in mind:
- This is a long-term education savings account, ideally kept for at least five years
- Early withdrawals are possible if necessary
- Withdrawals made too early may come with small penalties
Q2. How much does college cost in Ireland?
Ans:Third-level education can cost up to €76,000 for a 4-year degree (incl. rent, food, books, travel).
Q3. Where’s the best place to save for education in Ireland?
Ans: If you want low risk, go for a savings account. If you want growth and inflation-beating returns, an education investment fund is a better long-term option.
Q4. Is college in Ireland expensive?
Ans: Yes – even for domestic students. Tuition may be subsidised, but accommodation, supplies, transport, and food all add up quickly.
Get in touch with us
To schedule a call with one of our Qualified Financial Advisors.