Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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465. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the third level fee supports which are currently in place for students who came to the country as asylum seekers and have been granted permission to remain through the regularisation scheme, if there are any plans to make such students eligible for SUSI supports for the coming academic term; and if he is aware of any specific scholarships which such students could avail of. [7384/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, fee and maintenance 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.

With regard to the residency criterion for the Student Grant Scheme, in order to be eligible for a grant, a "student", as defined in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011, must demonstrate that he/she has been resident in the State for at least three years out of the five year period ending on the day before the start of his/her approved course of study. The act sets out that a person shall not be entitled to derive any benefit from a period of unlawful presence in the State.

The nationality requirements for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2022.

Applications for the Regularisation of the Long Term Undocumented Migrant Scheme closed on 31 July 2022. My Department has and will continue to liaise with the Department of Justice on this issue.

The International Protection Student Scheme (for Further and Higher Education Students) 2022-2023 provides financial grants for students who are in the protection system or at the leave to remain (but not deportation order) stage for a combined period of 3 years or more as at the day before the date of commencement of the course who are attending an approved course in an approved institution .

The HEA led website www.studentfinance.ie has details of student supports including details of various bursaries and scholarships. However, I would also advise any student to make direct contact with the access office in the Institution that they plan to attend to consider what supports may be available.