Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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597. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to support students enrolled in graduate medical programmes during the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7114/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.

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.

Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants. However, in order to widen access to GEM programmes, and give assistance towards the financial burden on each student pursuing these programmes, the fees of participating EU students are partly subsidised by the State via the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Institutions participating in the graduate medical programme have been requested to provide accompanying services and supports to facilitate the participation of disadvantaged students in the programme. Details of these services and supports are available from the relevant institution.

Students on graduate entry medicine courses may be eligible to apply to the Student Assistance Fund for financial support. The SAF guidelines provide that students with a previous higher education qualification at the same NFQ level, or who, in the past, attended higher education without ultimately obtaining a qualification, may be considered for support on a case-by-case basis and subject to available funding.

In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website,www.revenue.ie.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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598. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider approving institutions (details supplied) for the purposes of SUSI or the back to education schemes for mature students who would otherwise be eligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7115/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the Department's student grant scheme, eligible applicants may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2020.

The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced a review of the SUSI grant scheme. It is anticipated that this review will commence shortly and will report back to me in late 2021. It is intended that the future direction of the SUSI scheme will be guided by the outcome of the review.

It remains open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need.

Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is administered by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). Further enquiries in respect of the BTEA should be referred to DSP.

There are other supports available to prospective mature students. For example, Springboard+ is a specific initiative that strategically targets funding of free part-time higher education courses to enable unemployed people to upskill or reskill in areas where there are identified labour market skills shortages or employment opportunities. It provides free or 90% funded upskilling and reskilling higher education opportunities in areas of identified skills needs. The courses, which are at Level 6 (Higher Certificate) to Level 9 (Master's Degree) on the National Framework of Qualifications, are being delivered in public and private higher education institutions around the country. Further information may be obtained from the website .

Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners websitewww.revenue.ie