The 1996 student support schemes provided for the extension of means tested maintenance grants to students pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration in another EU member state. The course must be pursued in a university or third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds, with the following exceptions: (i) courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and teacher training courses, including those leading to the award of bachelor of education; (ii) courses on colleges of further and higher education; (iii) courses provided in colleges in Britain which are offered in private commercial third level colleges in Ireland and which are validated by that British college; (iv) courses in colleges akin to private commercial colleges in Ireland.