Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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846. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what third level fee supports exist for non-EU nationals who have attended secondary school in Ireland where their parents are awaiting a decision on their citizenship application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5484/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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To be eligible for a student grant, an applicant has to fulfil all of the criteria of the Student Grant Scheme, including the residency and nationality criteria.

The scheme has a statutory underpinning and is operated in accordance with the provisions of the Student Support Act 2011.

In terms of residency, a student must be ordinarily resident in Ireland or the EU, the EEA, Switzerland or the UK for at least three of the five years before the date on which a year of study commences on an approved third level course.

To qualify for a student grant, the candidate's nationality or their immigration status in the State determines whether or not they meet the nationality requirement outlined.

The nationality requirements for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in the Student Support Act 2011 and the Student Support Regulations 2024. They include a number of eligible permissions granted by the Minister for Justice, including for example refugees.

When an applicant applies, the basis of their permission is examined to confirm whether or not it meets one of the approved permissions.

Under Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2024 there is provision for a review of eligibility where a person’s circumstances change during the academic year. This includes a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation or is granted a category of permission to remain provided for in the legislation during the course of their studies, they may apply to SUSI to have their application reassessed, but they will only become eligible from the date of meeting the nationality eligibility criteria.

In terms of other supports the International Protection Student (IPS) Scheme was introduced in 2015. It is targeted at three particular groups of students (asylum applicants, subsidiary protection applicants and leave to remain applicants) who have been resident in Ireland for 3 years and are pursuing an approved post leaving certificate course or an approved undergraduate or postgraduate course. Such students cannot access the Student Grant Scheme because they do not have leave to remain in the State. The IPS Scheme largely mirrors the Student Grant Scheme and is means tested.

Under the 2024 Student Support Regulations persons who have received permission to reside under the International Protection Regularisation Scheme have been included in the definition of student in the context of student grant eligibility. Following Budget 2025 this will also be extended in September 2025 to all recipients of permissions granted under the Regularisation of Long-Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme.

My Department will continue to liaise on an ongoing basis with officials in the Department of Justice on the various categories of immigration status in the context of student grant eligibility.