Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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727. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure international students on stamp 3 visas can access SUSI supports to continue their studies here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53198/25]

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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752. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plan to ensure that people living here on stamp 3 visas can access SUSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53588/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 727 and 752 together.

Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, a student must be ordinarily resident in Ireland or an EU/EEA/Swiss/UK for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.

Where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees funding, they must pay the appropriate fee, either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore the criteria governing the level of fee payable by students (EU or non-EU) is a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria.

The nationality criteria for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2025. An applicant's nationality or his/her immigration status in the State determines whether or not he/she meets the nationality requirement outlined in the Act and Regulations. Further information in relation to the nationality requirements are available from SUSI's website: susi.ie/nationality-criteria/

Permission to remain in the State on the basis of a Stamp 3 Visa does not meet the nationality requirements of the Student Grant Scheme 2025. However, article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2025 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation or is granted one of the permissions to remain criterion provided for in the Act or Regulations during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed.

My Department continues to liaise on an ongoing basis with officials in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on the various categories of immigration status in the context of student grant eligibility.

The Deputy will appreciate that the funding allocation for additional student finances is determined in the context of the overall estimates and budgetary process undertaken by all Government Departments. All proposals made in relation to further student expenditure can only be considered in the context of the budgetary allocation, having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the further and higher education sector.