Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 June 2014

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Questions (261)

Michael Moynihan

Question:

261. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the progression rule applies where a student, having previously been enrolled for first year of a level 8 course without doing final year exams or proceeding further or gaining any qualification from this course due to ill-health and having done so without receiving free fees or a Student Universal Support Ireland grant during this time, should be disqualified from State assistance to study a PLC course even at a lower level, even though they have privately funded the first year of this PLC course and now require State funding for the second year of study to complete the course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24712/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for new student grant applications for the 2014/15 academic year is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).

The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student should qualify for a grant - this is a matter for SUSI to determine. However I would point out that under the scheme, students who have previously attended, but not completed a course of study are required to complete an equivalent period of study on an approved course before being eligible to be considered for a grant.