Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the grant scheme operated by SUSI for further and higher education students is the only grant source for supporting students in colleges in this State based on family income or, in the case of a mature student, the applicant’s own income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38439/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As the Deputy may be aware, my Department currently has three means-tested grant schemes in place to provide support to students.

The main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme as administered by the awarding authority, Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

I also launched a new Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses on 01 August 2024. This Scheme will provide fee support to part-time students attending 62 in-person and hybrid undergraduate courses leading to a major award.

The International Protection Student Scheme is an administrative scheme which is targeted at three particular groups of students (asylum applicants, subsidiary protection applicants and leave to remain applicants) who are pursuing an approved post leaving certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate course in the State.

For all three of these Schemes, 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.

A candidate's reckonable income for the purposes of the means test for these schemes is gross income from all sources for the applicant and for their parent or guardian (where applicable), with certain specified Department of Social Protection Payments being exempt.

A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if they have reached the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with their parents from the previous October. As an independent student, the student’s income and that of their spouse, civil partner or co-habitant (where applicable) is assessed in the income calculation.

All of the above means-tested grant schemes are administered by SUSI and students can apply to SUSI to assess their eligibility for funding.

In terms of other student supports beyond grants:

• my Department provides bursaries to students who have been identified by their higher education institution as being the most socio-economically disadvantaged students under the National Access Plan.
• students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. The fund is administered by the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and students can apply through the access office of the HEI they are attending for funding to help with either temporary or ongoing financial difficulties. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis
• the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) funds HEIs to provide services and support to eligible students with disabilities. FSD is one of the main funding sources supporting participation by students with disabilities in approved further and higher education courses in Ireland.
• for the 2024/2025 academic year, my Department received €600,000 in dormant accounts funding to assist students from Traveller and Roma backgrounds and those with experience of the care system with the cost of accommodation, when living independently while attending third level education. The aim of the Student Accommodation Assistance is to alleviate the cost of accommodation as a barrier to accessing and progressing through higher education.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

326. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) was deemed not to qualify for a higher education grant this year, when they qualified last year and there has been no material change in their circumstances; if their case can be urgently reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38457/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by an appeals officer in SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in their case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.

An official from my Department has advised that the student referred to by the Deputy has submitted an appeal to the Student Grant Appeals Board (the Board). This appeal is to be heard by the Board on or before the 8th November 2024. The Board will communicate their determination directly to the student.