Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances in which a person who fulfils all the criteria for a maintenance grant except for the residence condition in the State may still qualify for a fee grant or a postgraduate fee contribution as a tuition student; the conditions that such a person must fulfil in order to secure the fee grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25913/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Under the residency requirement of the Student Grant Scheme, a student must have been legally resident in Ireland for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately prior to commencing an approved course in an approved institution. However, a student may qualify for a grant, having met the residency requirement during the course of their studies. Those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme will be eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270. Currently maintenance support is not available for students entering postgraduate courses. A postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500 for the 2012/13 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.

Tax relief is also available on postgraduate tuition fees. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners. In addition to this, the Student Assistance Fund will continue to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. To determine eligibility, a student may submit a fully completed online grant application to Student Universal Support Ireland via www.studentfinance.ie website.