Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1310. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that the additional supports announced in Budget 2025 for students in further and higher education will be made available to students from this State studying outside our jurisdiction, taking into account the substantial additional costs for students who have to travel to Northern Ireland or abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44345/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, 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.

In relation to supports available for students studying abroad, the Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU Member States. In general, 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 extend to the payment of tuition fees to institutions outside the State, other than for exceptional provision in respect of postgraduate courses in Northern Ireland. The Scheme also does not extend to PLC courses pursued outside of the State or postgraduate study pursued outside of Ireland.

Students who study outside our jurisdiction and remain eligible for support under the above criteria will benefit from the following additional supports announced in Budget 2025, such as:

• Increase Special Rate of Maintenance Threshold from €26,200 to €27,400 in line with Social Welfare increases.
• Increase all other Maintenance and Student Contribution Grant Thresholds by 15%
• Increase the Postgraduate Fee Contribution threshold to match the new 100% Student Contribution threshold.

In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available 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.