Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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1262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that can be taken to assist a person (details supplied) who has been denied a SUSI grant due to complex circumstances not of their making; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24069/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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For student grants 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 mature student if he or she has attained 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 his/her parents from the previous October. Otherwise he or she would continue to be assessed on the basis of parental income. Only in exceptional cases, where compelling evidence of estrangement from parents/guardians is provided, can candidates who are under 23 be assessed without reference to their parents/guardians income or address, Article 21(3) (b) of the Scheme refers.

An official from my Department has advised that the student referred to by the Deputy initially applied as an independent student for year one of their course in the 2023/24 academic year. They subsequently cancelled their application and reapplied as a mature dependent student, with their parents’ details. They were awarded funding for years one and two of their course in academic years 2023/24 and 2024/25. For their 2025/26 application they have applied as a mature dependent who is estranged from their parents. A letter was sent to them on 2 May 2025 requesting evidence of estrangement and SUSI are currently waiting on documentation from the student.

I trust this clarifies the situation.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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1263. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the SUSI postgraduate contribution to €10,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24177/25]

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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1265. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost so SUSI covered100% of postgraduate fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24180/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1263 and 1265 together.

The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the awarding authority, SUSI to determine.

Postgraduate students who meet all the conditions of the Student Grant Scheme may become eligible for the following supports:

A student Maintenance grant which was restored in September 2024 for the first time since the financial crash. The annual rates and the income thresholds for maintenance grants are the same for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

A postgraduate fee contribution of €4,000 or a postgraduate fee grant, up to a maximum of €6,270 towards the cost of fees is available. This is dependent on the level of a student's reckonable income and meeting all other eligibility criteria. To be eligible for the fee contribution grant of up to €4,000 plus a maintenance grant, the total household income must be within the www.susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/income/postgraduate-income-thresholds-and-grant-award-rates/#d.en.14684.

Also, as part of Budget 2025 Cost of Living measures eligible post-graduate students benefited from a once off €1,000 increase to the Postgraduate Fee contribution rising from €4,000 to €5,000.

The eligibility criteria for student grants are reviewed annually by the Department and approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. All proposals made in relation to education expenditure, including student grants, are considered in the context of the annual Budget.

Ahead of Budget 2026, I will publish an options paper, which will identify costs and potential impacts of various policy options aimed at reducing the cost of higher education. This paper will inform decision-making ahead of Budget 2026.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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1264. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to allow anyone over the age of 18 to be eligible to be assessed as an independent student if they meet all other criteria in SUSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24179/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

In general, 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 would be assessed as a dependent student i.e. assessed with reference to parental income and address.

A student’s status for grant purposes is defined at their first point of entry to an approved further or higher education course or at their point of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and continues to apply for the duration of their studies.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. The relevant information, including details of parental income, would be required by SUSI to determine grant eligibility as a dependent student.

Further information regarding class of applicant (independent or dependent) and the types of documentation accepted as evidence of living independently from parents is available from SUSI’s website:

My Department reviews policy on an ongoing basis, having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the further and higher education sector. A

head of Budget 2026, I will publish an options paper, which will identify costs and potential impacts of various policy options aimed at reducing the cost of higher education. This paper will inform decision-making ahead of Budget 2026.