The Student Assistance Fund is allocated annually to the universities, the institutes of technology, the colleges of education and a number of other recurrently-funded higher education institutions. The objective of the Fund is to provide financial assistance to full-time undergraduate or postgraduate students in need of such support. The Fund is intended to support students whose participation in higher education would otherwise be at risk as a direct result of financial difficulties.
The Student Assistance Fund, which co-financed by the European Social Fund under Ireland's Human Capital Investment Operational Programme is allocated to higher education institutions that are recurrently funded by the HEA or my Department. As St. Patrick's College Thurles is not recurrently funded, it is not eligible for an allocation under the Fund.
Financial support for students is delivered in a number of guises, not least through the Free Fees Scheme and the Student Grant. Four undergraduate courses in St. Patrick's College Thurles are approved for both Free Fees and the Student Grant. These are:— BA (Hons) in Education, Business Studies & Religious Studies Programme [4 years]— BA (Hons) in Education, Irish & Religious Studies [4 years]— BA (Hons) in Education, Business Studies and Accounting [4 years]— BA (Hons) in Education, Irish and Business Studies [4 years]
It is considered good practice that institutions not in receipt of the Student Assistance Fund would, nevertheless, operate a hardship Fund to enable financial support to be provided to students in limited circumstances.
