Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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427. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending SUSI to students studying in the north; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28055/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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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.

In relation to supports available for students studying outside of the State, the Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU Member States, including Northern Ireland. Maintenance grant funding is only available to eligible students studying postgraduate courses in four approved institutions in Northern Ireland. The student grant scheme does not and never has extended to the payment of tuition fees to institutions outside the State, other than for exceptional provision in respect of the four postgraduate courses in Northern Ireland:

• Queen University Belfast
• University of Ulster
• St Mary’s College of Education Belfast
• Stranmillis College Belfast

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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428. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the maintenance grant by 25 percent on 2022-2023 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28056/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Government recognises third level education can be a significant cost for families and students.

In Budgets 2023 and 2024 my Department was able to provide further financial assistance to students most in need by increasing maintenance grant rates.

• Effective from January 2023, all maintenance grant holders received an increase in their grant rate of between 10% and 14%.
• Effective from January 2024, all non-adjacent maintenance grant rates increased by €615 and all adjacent maintenance grant rates increased by 10%.
• Also effective from January 2024, maintenance for postgraduate students was restored on a similar basis to undergraduate students.

• Increase the Special Rate of Maintenance Threshold from €26,200 to €27,400 in line with Social Welfare increases.
• Increase to all other Maintenance and Student Contribution Grant Thresholds by 15%.
• Increase to Postgraduate Fee Contribution threshold and the Part-Time Scheme Threshold to match the new 100% Student Contribution threshold.
• Allowing certain cohorts of people to apply for the grant by extending the list of approved immigration permissions;
• Ensuring that the first €5000 of any scholarship received by a student will not be included as income in the grant means test;
• An increase to the income deduction for student earnings outside of term time from €7,925 to €8,424 effective for the 2025/26 academic year.