Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 898: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science if a third level foundation course applicant (details supplied) will be considered for the higher education grant in view of their application for further study; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14814/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's higher education grants schemes, an approved course means, inter alia, a full-time undergraduate course of not less that two years duration pursued in an approved third level institution. Access/foundation courses are not approved courses under the terms and conditions of the maintenance grant schemes or the free fees initiative. Therefore, students currently on an access course in the 2009/10 academic year would not be in receipt of a student maintenance grant.

Students should apply to their assessing authority to have their eligibility assessed. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant assessing authority, i.e. the applicant's local authority or VEC. An applicant may appeal the decision to the relevant local authority or VEC.

Where the assessing authority decides to reject the appeal, the applicant may appeal this decision to my Department by submitting an appeal form outlining clearly the grounds for the appeal.