Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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615. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the income and fee supports that are available to persons who are undertaking university doctorates; the plans to improve these supports given the need to encourage more persons to pursue higher-level fourth level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38821/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. The Student Grant Scheme supports eligible postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education.

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

For the academic year 2022/23, there are significant enhancements to the financial supports that students who need them most receive through the Student Grant Scheme; where:

- There will be an increase to all student grant maintenance payments, including the special rate of grant, of €200 per year which will benefit all students entitled to receive a maintenance Grant;

- The income threshold to qualify for the standard rate of student grant will be increased by €1,000;

- The qualifying distance criterion for students to qualify for the non-adjacent rate of grant will be reduced from 45km to 30km.

Under the Student Grant Scheme 2022, a student in receipt of a postgraduate research award where the stipend portion of the award does not exceed €18,500 can apply to the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) for financial assistance. The stipend portion is treated as an income disregard when calculating the household reckonable income (ie. not counted in the calculation of income). In 2021 this support increased from €16,000 to €18,500.

Apart from the student grant a number of supports are available to assist postgraduate research students in their studies. This includes a range of grants from research funders, institutional scholarships, as well as supports through the Student Assistance Fund. Research students in receipt of grants must comply with the terms of their funding award from these bodies, which can vary from funder to funder.

Postgraduate students who meet all of the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are also eligible for a maintenance grant of up to €6,115 and qualifying postgraduate students may also be eligible to have their tuition fees paid up to a maximum fee limit of € 6,270.

The postgraduate office within the higher education institution would also be able to advise on funding supports.

Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Students can be assisted towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. 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.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) supports participation by students with a disability in further and higher education. The aim is to ensure that students can participate fully in education, or on an equal basis with their peers. The Disability Officers actively promote the ethos of inclusive learning for all students. Recently the FSD has also been used for projects to develop strategic disability services in HEIs and supports for students. Examples include inclusive design in teaching and learning, improving online teaching and learning practices, staff training, improving campus experience for students with disabilities, assistive technology supports and autism-friendly spaces.

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 website www.revenue.ie.