Written answers

Tuesday, 27 September 2022

Department of Education and Skills

Grant Payments

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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358. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of current or previous students at a college (details supplied) who have been awarded a SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46647/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.

The college referred to by the Deputy is not an approved institution under the Student Grant Scheme.

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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359. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that he has taken to ensure that private colleges that are not eligible for SUSI make the public aware of this fact; the steps that he has taken to inform the public that students enrolled in private colleges may not be eligible for SUSI grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46648/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the Department's Student Grant Scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2022. Private colleges operated on a for-profit basis are not listed as approved institutions for student grant purposes.

However, it is open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need. 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 in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners website www.revenue.ie

The Deputy will appreciate that private colleges are autonomous bodies that do not fall under the remit of my Department, and accordingly the question of me directing them to adopt or retain certain practices does not arise.

However, I can confirm that in relation to the national student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), the following arrangements are in place to ensure students and their parents are made aware that student grant assistance only applies to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution:

The "Eligibility Criteria" page of SUSI’s website clearly states that to be eligible for funding, an applicant must be attending an "approved course in an approved institution" (as defined in the relevant Student Grant Scheme and associated legislation).

Additional links on this webpage provide more information regarding the type of course a student may wish to pursue, be it PLC, undergraduate, postgraduate or study outside the state. On these linked dedicated pages, it is again re-iterated that students must be attending an approved course in an approved institution for student grant purposes. Lists of all the approved institutions and the approved courses that each institution offers is also provided.

Furthermore, there is a webpage dedicated to approved courses and institutions for undergraduate students which lists a number of institutions that provide courses offered through the CAO which are not eligible for SUSI funding.

Apart from the information available on SUSI's website, representatives from SUSI also attend various events such as college Open Days and Higher Options events throughout the year, with the aim of meeting students and answering any questions they may have about the application process. This involves providing information regarding student grant eligibility criteria, including the fact that students must be attending an approved course in an approved college to avail of SUSI grant assistance. This information is also available to students as part of the accompanying suite of assets created to support these events, which includes video presentations and digital leaflets which can be viewed on the SUSI website.

In addition, SUSI deliver training to key stakeholders including Institute of Guidance Counsellors members, Citizens Information staff, HEI Access officers and St. Vincent de Paul representatives each year to enable them to assist students with regard to the eligibility criteria and application process.

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