Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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2690. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a HEAR grant application (details supplied) has been refused; if his Department was aware of the personal circumstances of the applicant when refusing the grant and if the case will be reviewed. [44875/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) Scheme is managed and operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) who are autonomous bodies.

Admissions under the scheme are regulated by the HEIs themselves. Each institution determines its own admissions policy in relation to the schemes, the number of places they reserve and the allocation of those places, therefore it is not within my Departments remit to intervene in HEAR cases or eligibility criteria.

The IUA have confirmed that the scheme is undergoing a review to improve its effectiveness and reach more eligible applicants. The review aims to better capture National Access Plan target groups, including Traveller/Roma, homeless, and student-parent applicants. The revised scheme, launching for the 2026 admissions cycle, will prioritize these groups for offers through the CAO.

As a part of the aforementioned review, further scheme enhancements will continue for 2027, HEAR will review its income thresholds to better align with SUSI. Such an increase will indeed ensure greater representation of applicants who often fall out of HEAR-eligibility due the current low-income thresholds. These thresholds are currently under review and will aim to go live for the 2027 admissions cycle. 

Queries relating to HEAR should be directed to the IUA at info@iua.ie.

There are other supports available to students on their third level journey. The main support to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved full-time course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding. Details can be found on www.susi.ie.

Applications are also open at present for the 1916 Bursary for the 2025/26 Academic year. New entrant Students who experience socio-economic disadvantage and from groups most under represented in higher education can apply until the 10th October 2025, bursaries are available to eligible students for each year of their studies. Details can be found at www.1916Bursary.ie.

The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial support to full or part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college. Students can apply for the Student Assistance Fund to help with either temporary or ongoing financial difficulties. The Student Assistance Fund is designed to provide a source of financial support in addition to the Student Grant Scheme.

Students who experience financial difficulty should contact the access or student services office in the institution they are attending for further information on how to apply for the SAF.

More information on these and other supports, are also available at www.studentfinance.ie or from the access office of the institution being attended.