Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Hoey for raising this important matter.

Under the Department's free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution. The student contribution applies to all students on an annual basis who are eligible under the free fees scheme. The current rate is €3,000 per annum. Currently, 60,000 students had all or part of their student contribution paid on their behalf by the State via the student grant scheme.

To satisfy the terms and conditions of the SUSI and free fees schemes regarding progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year, or be transferring from one course to another where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.

Under the progression-previous academic attainment criteria of the schemes, a grant or funding will not be paid to a student for a repeat period of study on the same course, or for a different course at the same level. The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. However, once an equivalent period of study has been completed on the new course, the student may be eligible for student grant assistance or free fees funding for the remainder of the course.

Typically students are not supported for a repeat period of study under the free fees initiative. However, in exceptional circumstances or where a student receives a leaving certificate uplifted offer from their original CAO application following an appeal, an exception may be allowed.

The student contribution applies to all students on an annual basis who benefit under the free fees scheme. If the student receives an uplifted place and, subsequently, switches courses during the academic year, they will only pay one student contribution. If a student leaves the current course mid-year, they may be eligible for a partial refund of the contribution from the higher education institution. Students should discuss this with their institution in the first instance.

In addition, under the student grant scheme of 2020, SUSI has discretion to award a grant for a repeat period of study in exceptional circumstances which impacted on a student completing a particular period of study or undertaking exams. SUSI treats each application for repeat funding on a case-by-case basis. It is a matter for the individual student to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the awarding authority that there were exceptional circumstances.

If a student leaves their course, normal rules apply and the student will not continue to receive a student grant payment. Students must inform SUSI that they are no longer attending their course.

My Department is acutely aware of the needs of students. The student assistance fund provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level. Students can be assisted towards the rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books or class materials. The total allocation for the fund in 2020 and 2021 is €18.2 million.

Additionally, in response to Covid-19, a once-off fund of €1.9 million for access and support services was provided as part of the July stimulus package in 2020 for higher education institutions.This funding has been ring-fenced to meet the wider demands of vulnerable students and target groups. The funding will be used to support activities such as: support learner and student access; engagement or re-engagement activities; retention; progression and positive learning experiences; student success measures; the recruitment of temporary staff to support access services; student advisory support; enhanced orientation programmes; outreach; and pre-entry work.