Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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223. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department can assist a student (details supplied) who is having difficulties in securing student finance in the UK due to confusion about their time in college in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7669/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Clarity concerning time spent in a college in Ireland by the student referred to by the Deputy is a matter for the Higher Education Institution which are autonomous bodies .

However, I have been advised that the student referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for student support for the 2020/21 academic year to the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). The application was subsequently refused in early December 2020 on the basis that the applicant did not submit the requested information in the timeframe provided by SUSI. I have been further advised that the applicant has not made any further contact with SUSI and no documents have been received in support of the application.

The decision on eligibility for student grant assistance is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to 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 may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe. Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.