Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 February 2019
222. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is no college funding for persons in insolvency arrangements in circumstances in which their income is over the SUSI threshold but they do not have a disposable income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5081/19]
View answerUnder 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.
Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally. The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions in different households.
The decision on eligibility for grant assistance is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine, upon receipt of the relevant application form and supporting documentation.
In addition to the Student Grant Scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances.
