Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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583. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has plans in view of the reduction in the student contribution charge for undergraduate students for a corresponding reduction in the prices of fees for postgraduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51156/22]

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.

As part of the cost of living measures in Budget 2023, postgraduate Students who meet the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant will receive a once-off increase of €1,000 in the grant, which is increasing from €3,500 to €4,500 and is due to be paid by the end of 2022. This measure excludes postgraduate students who receive the Special Rate of grant as they have their tuition fee contribution paid up to €6,270. For these postgraduate students, they will receive the once-off extra maintenance payment for all student maintenance grant recipients, also to be paid by the end of 2022. Full time PhD student funded through an award by IRC or SFI will receive a once off increase in their stipend of €500.

Students can determine their eligibility for the Grant at susi.ie/eligibility/income/. This provides grant assistance to students pursuing 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.

For postgraduate students 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, will include:

- 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;

The state financial support of €1,000 in the student contribution relates to my Department’s Free Fees schemes where the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible Irish and EU undergraduate higher education students who are pursuing an approved course of study at an approved higher education institution. All students eligible for the free fees schemes receive state support whereby the State pays the cost of tuition fees exclusive of the student contribution (currently €3,000 per annum).

Students attending postgraduate courses are not eligible for the free fees schemes and pay tuition fees as determined by the institution attended. Therefore the once off student contribution reduction of €1,000 in 22/23 cannot apply to students undertaking a course of postgraduate study. Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions and therefore it is a matter for individual institutions to determine the rate of tuition fees for postgraduate academic programmes.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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584. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has plans in view of the recent changes announced to the SUSI eligibility criteria to expand eligibility for those who already hold a degree; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51157/22]

Simon 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, progression, previous academic attainment and means.

To satisfy the terms and conditions of the scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.

Generally speaking, a grant will not be paid to a student for a repeat period of study on the same course, or for a different course at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. However, once a student progresses to a course at a higher level or completes the equivalent period of study on a new course, the student may be eligible for student grant assistance for the remainder of the course. Article 15(7) of the Student Grant Scheme 2022 refers.

Notwithstanding this, under Article 15(8) of the Student Grant Scheme 2022, the awarding authority SUSI has discretion to award a grant for a repeat period of study in exceptional circumstances, such as serious certified illness, which impacted on a student completing a particular period of study or undertaking exams in line with guidelines drawn up by the Minister.

SUSI treats each application for repeat funding on a case-by-case basis and it is it is a matter for the individual student to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the awarding authority that there were exceptional circumstances.

Any student who believes his/her student grant application has been assessed incorrectly may also avail of the opportunities to appeal to SUSI and subsequently to the independent Student Grant Appeals Board.