Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 317 of 5 February 2013, and in the context of whether an applicant can be considered appropriate for assessment as an independent mature candidate, if the year of first entry to an approved course means the year of entry to a postgraduate course if that is the course the applicant is now pursuing following completion of an undergraduate course or if it always refers to the year of entry to the undergraduate course. [9558/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In the absence of all of the details that would be contained in an individuals application form, it is not possible for me to say how a student should be assessed.

However, from the scenario presented by the Deputy, it would appear that the student is progressing from an undergraduate to a postgraduate course. In such circumstances, the year of entry for student grant purposes means the year of entry at undergraduate level.