Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 5

Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.

Pat Carey

Question:

185 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science the form of grant assistance that is available from this State to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 towards the cost of their studies in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9784/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

Under my Department's higher education grant schemes, maintenance grants are available to eligible students pursuing approved undergraduate courses in other EU member states, including the UK. In general, approved courses are those pursued in a third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds.

Students attending approved courses in other EU member states are subject to the same conditions of funding as students attending approved courses in the State. The main conditions of funding relate to age, residence, means and nationality. Also, tax relief on tuition fees is available in respect of approved courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level in other EU member states.

In recent years, the UK authorities introduced a number of changes in the financial support arrangements for students pursuing courses at further and higher education institutions. This included the introduction of an annual tuition fee for students entering further and higher education institutions for the first time from the 1998/99 academic year and the replacement of maintenance grants by student loans to be phased in from that year also. All EU students, including Irish students, are eligible for grant assistance towards the tuition fee, subject to the same conditions as apply to UK students.