Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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1284. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a mechanism available to a mature student to recommence a course at degree level, if they already have a masters qualification, to improve their employment prospects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33541/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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To satisfy the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another, where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.

The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, there are no plans at present to change the arrangements in place.

A student holding a postgraduate Level 9 Master's qualification would not satisfy the progression requirements of the Scheme on commencing an undergraduate Level 8 degree programme.