Written answers

Tuesday, 27 November 2007

Department of Education and Science

Higher Education Grants

8:00 pm

Photo of Damien EnglishDamien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 536: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of higher education grant scheme applicants in 2007 with regard to each awarding body; the number of successful applications; the number of unsuccessful applications; the number of pending applications; the number of appeals made; and if she will provide the information in tabular readable form. [31013/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. These are the Higher Education Grants Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' Scholarships Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate Courses. The Higher Education Grants Scheme is administered by the local authorities. The other three schemes are administered by the Vocational Education Committees.

In January each year my Department carries out a survey of the 66 local authorities and VECs in respect of the status of applications. The survey will indicated the number of applications received, the number awarded a grant and the number refused a grant. The details in respect of the status of applications for student grants for the academic year 2007/08 will not be available until mid-January 2008.

In relation to the number of students receiving financial assistance under the student support schemes, the most recent figures show that over 56,000 students benefited under the schemes in 2006/07, of which approximately 13,200 benefited from the special rate of maintenance grant in addition to the basic maintenance grant.

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