Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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279. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a student grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath will be approved in view of the fact that the applicant has provided proof of independent residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7976/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter in the first instance for the awarding authority.

For student grants purposes, a student may be assessed as an independent student if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved post leaving certificate course or an approved higher education course or of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1 October. Otherwise he/she would continue to be assessed on the basis of his/her parents' income.

Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was unable to provide sufficient proof of independent residency.The onus is on the grant applicant to provide the necessary documentary evidence as proof of independent residency to the relevant grant awarding authority.

The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application in relation to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant.

If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the appeals officer in SUSI.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from