Written answers

Tuesday, 7 July 2020

Department of Education and Skills

Student Universal Support Ireland

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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435. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if SUSI grant criteria will be reviewed to allow funding for part-time courses in cases in which the applicant has a disability preventing them from taking a full-time course in accordance with section 8(3) of the Student Support Act 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14234/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Student Grant Scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution.

Section 8(1) of the Student Support Act 2011, which defines an “approved course” for student grant purposes, requires attendance of an approved course at an approved institution on a full-time basis.

Any extension of the scope of the student Grant Scheme to provide for students pursuing part-time education courses, on a similar basis as currently exists for full-time students, must be considered having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the education sector.

However, students with disabilities are one of the target groups identified in the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education (NAP).

Various access supports are available to students with disabilities who are attending a part-time courses such as:

- The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) allocates funding to further and higher education colleges for the provision of services and supports to students with disabilities. The FSD was extended in 2018 to cover students studying on a part-time basis;

- Students are also able to apply for financial support through the Student Assistance Fund (SAF); and

- The Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) has allocated a number of 1916 Bursaries to NAP target groups such as students with disabilities and students who wish to undertake their studies on a part-time basis.

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