John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the financial supports and grant assistance available to post graduate students commencing courses in May 2012 in view of the fact students must wait until the grant application system goes live in the next number of weeks, the supports available to those who require funding in the intervening period. [26312/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A postgraduate student entering a course for the first time in May 2012 should have made application to the appropriate awarding authority under the Student Grant Scheme 2011 and should have received a decision at this point.

The Deputy will be aware that, in the context of the necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in Budget 2012, new students entering postgraduate courses, from the 2012/13 academic year onwards will not be entitled to maintenance payments under the Student Grant Scheme. Postgraduate students continuing on their existing courses will not be affected.

New students entering postgraduate courses from September 2012 onwards will make their applications for grants to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI - a division of the City of Dublin VEC) which will administer the Student Grant Scheme on behalf of my Department. The online application facility will be available shortly.

New postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant will be eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit under the Student Grant Scheme.

In addition, a further limited number of students who would previously have qualified under the standard grant thresholds will qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. There will be a new income threshold for this payment which will be lower than the standard grant threshold. The income threshold for this level of grant is currently being determined in the context of the formulation of the student grant scheme for the 2012/13 academic year.

Tax relief is also available on postgraduate tuition fees. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.