Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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412. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the regular weekly supports that are available for a person (details supplied). [12662/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The main support available to assist postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

Postgraduate students who meet all of the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible for a maintenance grant of up to €5,915. The income threshold for this grant for the 2021/22 academic year is €24,500. Qualifying postgraduate students may also be eligible to have their tuition fees paid up to a maximum fee limit of €6,270.  

Alternatively a postgraduate student may qualify to have a €3,500 contribution made towards the cost of his/her fees. The income threshold for this payment is €54,240 for the 2021/22 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.  

Budget 2021 provided for enhanced postgraduate supports for the academic year 2021/22 including the fee grant amount rising from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants to increase from €31,500, now €54,240. This is an initial step in meeting part of the Government’s commitments regarding SUSI grant support.

Students can determine their eligibility at susi.ie/eligibility/income/. The student may also wish to discuss his eligibility for SUSI assistance by calling the SUSI Support Desk on 0818 888 777.

Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), Jobseekers Allowance and Supplementary Welfare allowance payments are administered by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). Further enquiries in respect of these payments or any other social assistance payments that the student may be entitled to should be referred to DSP.  

Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, in July 2020 I announced a funding package of €168m for the return to education which included a €10m access support package for higher education students. I approved the allocation of €8.1m of this funding to top up the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The SAF assists students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the COVID-19 situation. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.  

In addition, 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. Further information on this tax relief is available from  a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie.