Michael Ring
Question:147 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the grant aid available to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who wishes to take up teacher training in Scotland. [10140/04]
View answerWednesday, 31 March 2004
Questions (147)
Written answers
The third level student support schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration, pursued in a university or a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds, in other EU member states with effect from the 1996/97 academic year. The extension of the schemes at that time did not include courses at postgraduate level and, accordingly, there is no grant aid available under the schemes for students pursuing postgraduate studies outside of Ireland.
An approved undergraduate course in the above context is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration pursued in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in another EU member state, with the exception of the following: courses in colleges of further and higher education other than courses which are at higher national diploma level or higher; courses provided in a college which are offered in private commercial third level colleges in the State and which are validated by that college; and courses in colleges akin to private commercial colleges in Ireland.
Any extension of the current arrangements to provide for students pursuing postgraduate courses outside of Ireland could only be considered in the light of available resources and other competing demands within the education sector.
At present, there are no plans, to expand the provisions in the grant schemes in respect of study abroad. With regard to tuition fees, there is a provision for tax relief at the standard rate in respect of approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and post graduate courses in other EU member states. Further details and conditions in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.
The decision on eligibility for the third level student support schemes is a matter for the relevant local authority-vocational educational committee which administer the schemes.