Under the terms of the higher education grants scheme which is administered by the local authorities, on behalf of my Department, the position is that generally, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. There are similar provisions in the other third level maintenance grant schemes administered by the VECs, namely, the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme and the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees.
The candidate's reckonable income for the purposes of the means test is his or her gross income from all sources and the gross income of his or her parents or guardians, where applicable, with certain specified social welfare and health board payments being exempt. Grant assistance may not be awarded in any case where the reckonable income exceeds the prescribed income limits for the award of a grant. However, the schemes contain a change in circumstances clause whereby the eligibility of a person may be assessed or reassessed by the grant awarding body, in the event of changes in circumstances relating to, inter alia, the candidate’s reckonable income, which are likely to be permanent.
Eligibility for grant aid will be based on revised income. Current income details should be supplied regarding the individuals concerned. In certain circumstances further documentation-clarification may be required by the awarding body.
The following table outlines the current 2005-06 reckonable income limits for the maintenance grants schemes.
A candidate's reckonable income shall be the income for the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004.
Reckonable Income Limits for the ordinary rates of grant for the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 (the tax year 2004).
Number of Dependent Children
|
Full Maintenance and Full Fees
|
Part Maintenance (75%) and Full Fees
|
Part Maintenance (50%) and Full Fees
|
Part Maintenance (25%) and Full Fees
|
Part Tuition Fees (50%) only*
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
Less than 4
|
35,485
|
37,695
|
39,915
|
42,130
|
44,350
|
4-7
|
38,990
|
41,430
|
43,865
|
46,305
|
48,740
|
8 or more
|
42,335
|
44,980
|
47,625
|
50,265
|
52,910
|
*Full Student Service Charge is paid where income is at or below this level.
In the 2005-06 academic year where two or more children (or the candidate's parent) are pursuing a course of study listed below, the reckonable income limits may be increased by €4,295 where there are two such children, €8,590 where there are three such children and so on, by increments of €4,295:
(i) attending full-time third-level education;
(ii) attending a recognised PLC course, student nurse training or student garda training;
(iii) participation in Fáilte Ireland (formerly CERT) course of at least one years duration;
(iv) attending a full-time Teagasc course in an agricultural College;
(v) attending a recognised full-time further education course, of at least one year's duration, in Northern Ireland.
Special Rate of Maintenance Grant
For the award of a special rate of maintenance grant in respect of the 2005/06 academic year, a candidates reckonable income (for the period 1 January, 2004 to 31 December 2004, the tax year 2004) shall not exceed:—
•€15,626
•net of standard exclusions (as set out in clause 1 of this scheme)
and
•net of Child Dependant Increase (C.D.I.) paid by the Department of Social and Family Affairs
As at 31 December 2004, this reckonable income must include one of the social welfare payments listed as follows.
LIST OF ELIGIBLE PAYMENTS
1. Social Assistance Payments
Blind Person's Pension
Carer's Allowance
Deserted Wife's Allowance
Disability Allowance
Farm Assist
Lone Parent's allowance
Unemployment Assistance (where held for 391 days or more)
Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension
One parent family payment
Orphans (Non-Contributory) Pension
Pre-retirement Allowance
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance
Widow's/Widower's (Non-Contributory) Pension.
2. Social Insurance Payments
Carer's Benefit
Deserted Wife's Benefit
Invalidity Pension
Unemployability Supplement
Occupational Injuries Death Benefit (Orphan's pension)
Occupational Injuries Death Benefit (pension for a widow or widower)
Old Age Contributory Pension
Orphan's (Contributory) Allowance
Unemployment Benefit (continuous for at least 12 months)
Widow's/Widower's (Contributory) Pension
Retirement Pension.
3. Family Income Supplement (FIS)
4. Designated Programmes
Back to Education Allowance
Back to Work Allowance (Employees)
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
Community Employment Scheme
FÁS Training Programmes, including Apprenticeships
Job Start
Part time job incentive scheme
Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS).
5. Others
a) In receipt of payments under the Fáilte Ireland Skills Programme equivalent to a social welfare payment;
b) In receipt of payments under the FIT (Fastrack to IT) initiative equivalent to a social welfare payment;
c) Participants on a training course approved by a Government Department, State Agency or Area Partnership and who were in receipt of an eligible payment prior to progressing to the programme;
d) Grant aided employees in social economy enterprises;
e) In receipt of payments under the Senior Traveller Training Centre programmes.