Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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373. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to reform the SUSI grant programme to better accommodate students who are estranged and or independent from their parents/guardians (details supplied); and if he will review these criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45807/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if they have attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course and is not ordinarily resident with their parents from the previous 1st October. Otherwise, they will be assessed as a dependent student, i.e., assessed with reference to parental income and address.

However, there are points at which a student may reclassify from a dependent student to an independent student, namely where they:

• Progress from further education to higher education.
• Are returning following a 3 year break in studies.
• Are returning as a “second chance" student after a five year break in studies.

We will keep this matter under review and will assess this going forward.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible 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 decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

The Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU Member States. Student grant legislation was amended in 2020 to retain the status quo to allow maintenance grant funding for eligible students attending an approved undergraduate course in Northern Ireland / the UK to continue post-Brexit.

An approved undergraduate course in this context is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration pursued in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in another EU Member State or the UK.

The Student Grant Scheme does not generally extend to the payment of tuition fees to institutions outside the State, other than the exceptional provision in respect of postgraduate courses in four approved institutions in Northern Ireland. This provision is consistent with the principles of the Good Friday agreement and is intended to promote greater tolerance and understanding between both jurisdictions.

The Scheme does not extend to PLC courses pursued outside of the State.

Students seeking to pursue their studies in the UK are advised to contact the Student Finance agency in each of the Devolved Administration in the UK, as each jurisdiction may have variations in eligibility criteria. Students may also wish to contact the relevant Further or Higher Education Institution in the UK for advice on the type and range of supports that may be available in any specific college.

Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also 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.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

With regard to the student referred to by the Deputy, my officials have advised me that this application has been reviewed by SUSI and SUSI has been in contact with the student in question to outline next steps.