Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 721: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding a student who has completed a masters and has been accepted for a doctorate in University College Galway who did not qualify for a grant as a mature student in 2004 as they were not over 23 years; if they will be eligible to apply as this is a three year course leading to a doctorate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28751/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's third level maintenance grant schemes, a mature student is defined as a candidate who is at least 23 years of age on 1 January of the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course.

Such people are categorised as either independent or mature students dependent on parents. An independent mature student is someone who was not ordinarily resident at home with his or her parents from the October preceding entry or re-entry to an approved course. Independent mature students are assessed without reference to either their parents' incomes or addresses.

When assessing the means of people other than independent mature students, the schemes specify that the students' means and those of their parents or guardians must be below a prescribed limit. This provision requires that parental income be taken into account irrespective of the individual circumstances in any case where the student is not an independent mature student.

Generally speaking, candidates continue to be assessed under the terms and conditions of the scheme appropriate to their year of entry. Accordingly, candidates who were not classified as independent mature students at the time of entry to an approved course may not generally be assessed as such for the duration of their courses.

There is, however, provision under the terms of the schemes for candidates who are re-entering as mature students, following a break in study of at least one year, to pursue or complete an approved course for the first time. Such candidates may be assessed under the terms of the scheme appropriate to the year in which they re-enter.