Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if postgraduate students who are not in receipt of a SUSI grant can avail of a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48935/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As part of Budget 2023 I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students including a once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for my Department’s free fees schemes.

Under my Department’s Free Fees schemes the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution. Undergraduate students eligible for SUSI supports have this contribution paid, in part of in full, on their behalf under my Departments Student Grant Scheme.

The once off €1,000 support relates specifically to the student contribution payable by student’s eligible for free tuition fees under the Department free fees schemes in academic year 22/23. It will reduce the student contribution payable from €3,000 to €2,000 in 22/23. This additional level of support towards free tuition fees will benefit c.94,000 additional students.

The reduction will be administered with the assistance of the Higher Education Institutions a student is attending. It is anticipated that students paying the student contribution in instalments will have the amount reduced from their next instalment by the HEI. Students who paid their 2022/23 student contribution in full will receive a refund or credit from the HEI attended. Officials are working with the HEA and the sector to finalise the details of this allocation and HEIs will communicate with students directly.

Furthermore I have been clear and consistent in stating that I believe the value of the student contribution share, as paid by students and families compared to the states contribution, is too high.

As part of Budget 2023, I made two changes to student contribution thresholds reduce the cost of education for students and families (for college year 2023/24):

-increased the income limit from €55,240 to €62,000 for students to avail of the 50% Undergraduate Student Contribution;

- new support to the value of €500 for families on qualifying incomes earning between €62,000 and €100,000.

Additionally, for any student experiencing difficulties currently, there is a significant allocation to 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. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis and I would encourage students to contact their access office to avail of these funds.

Overall, the cost of living package, to take effect before the end of 2022, includes:

- A once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for the free fees initiative;

- A once-off reduction of up to 33% in the contribution fee for apprentices;

- A once-off extra payment for all student maintenance grant recipients;

- A once-off increase of €1,000 in the support to SUSI qualified Post Graduate students, increasing from €3,500 to €4,500;

- A further €8 million investment in the Student Assistance Fund for the 2022/23 academic year