Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 631 of 3 March 2021, if a student (details supplied) can be reclassified as a mature independent student for the academic year 2021-22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14560/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students.

A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1st October. Otherwise, he/she would be assessed as a dependent student, i.e. assessed with reference to parental income and address. 

A student’s status for grant purposes is defined at their first point of entry to an approved further or higher education course or at their point of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and continues to apply for the duration of their studies. 

However, there are points at which a student may reclassify from a dependent student to an independent student. These are where he/she:

- Progresses from further education to higher education.

- Is returning following a 3 year break in studies.  

- Is returning as a "second chance" student after a five year break in studies.

The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).

Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. The relevant information, including details of parental income, would be required by SUSI to determine grant eligibility as a dependent student. 

With regard to the specific application, I have been advised by my officials that the student in question submitted an application to SUSI as a mature independent applicant. The application was cancelled in January 2021 as the applicant was under 23 at his first point of entry into higher education in 2016/17 and does not have the required three years break in studies to be reclassified as a mature independent student.

Following on from your question of 3rd March, as of 15th March the student has not re-applied as a mature dependent student with his mother's details and has had no further contact with the SUSI support desk.  The status of his application remains at "cancelled- re-apply".  SUSI’s online system closed on 15^thMarch to all 20/21 applications in preparation for the 21/22 year.  Applicants will need to submit a manual application after this date.  I would urge the student to contact SUSI support desk as soon as possible to re-apply as a mature dependent applicant with his mother’s details and as with all applicants he may be required to submit documents to support his application.