Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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507. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a student (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25671/22]

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.

I understand from SUSI the student was informed in November of the correct award of Postgraduate fee contribution of €3,500. An initial letter issued in error.

The awarding authority (SUSI) has advised that they responded to an official complaint received from the student in question and the issue has been reviewed by their ICT and Training team to prevent reoccurrence in the future.

As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making inquiries about their grant applications. Inquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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508. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department will examine the case of a student (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25674/22]

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

SUSI has advised my officials they received an application from the student in question on 27 April 2022. While the applicant may be living independently from his mother, SUSI found he does not meet the age criteria to be classed as an Independent Student he can only apply as a Dependent Student and as such must be assessed with reference to his own income and that of his mother. The student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded 50% Rate of Student Contribution by the awarding authority SUSI based on Dependent Status. If the student experiences a change of circumstances once his course commences, the student can then submit a request for an Internal Review under Change in Circumstances to SUSI. If you have further inquiries, they can be emailed direct to SUSI oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.