Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 47: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the growing concerns relating to the rollout of applications for higher education authority grants; and the way he proposes to reduce the delays to student applications as experienced in previous years. [19148/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The student grant scheme for the 2011/12 academic year has been published on www.studentfinance.ie and students are urged to apply as early as possible for a grant. They do not have to wait for a CAO offer. Applicants should make sure that their application forms are properly completed and that they have the correct supporting documentation. Late applications and incorrectly completed applications contribute significantly to delays in getting decisions.

Several administrative improvements have been introduced to the student grant schemes in recent years to speed up processing. These include the introduction of a single unified grant scheme this year to make it easier to apply for a grant. Students in 35 grant awarding authorities can now also apply online. The Department is also working with the CAO, the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and USI to make sure that students apply early for grants.

In addition, the four student grant schemes have been consolidated into one for the 2011/12 academic year. From the 2012/13 year onwards, grants will be centrally administered by a single grant awarding authority which will eliminate the delays which some students have experienced in recent years.