The principal financial support available to students from my Department is provided under the student grant scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to less well off students. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. To determine eligibility, a student may submit a fully completed online grant application to Student Universal Support Ireland via the studentfinance.ie website once the application process for the 2013/14 academic year opens.