Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a period of uncompleted undergraduate study in the United Kingdom precludes a student from obtaining a student grant for a similar period of undergraduate study at an Irish third level institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52618/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for new student grant applications from the 2012/13 academic year is a matter for the new centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).

The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student should qualify for a grant - this is a matter for SUSI to determine. However I would point out that under the scheme, students who have previously attended, but not completed a course of study are required to complete an equivalent period of study on an approved course before being eligible to be considered for a grant.