Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1081. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration can be given to the case of a person (details supplied) in relation changes to the assessment of the SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40262/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1st October.

Otherwise, he/she would be assessed as a dependent student, i.e. assessed with reference to parental income and address.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. The relevant information, including details of parental income, would be required by SUSI to determine grant eligibility as a dependent student.

SUSI can be contacted on the dedicated email oireachtas@susi.ie for Oireachtas members should you wish to provide more specific details in respect of this grant application.