Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
653. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports that have been put in place to help students returning to third-level education who are uncertain as to the way in which they will pay fees, especially in cases in which part-time income has been affected by Covid-19. [19749/20]
View answer658. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available to help students returning to third-level education who are uncertain as to the way they will pay fees, particularly in circumstances in which their part-time income has been affected by Covid-19. [19794/20]
View answerUnder my Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate students with students paying the student contribution.
The student contribution is currently €3,000 with the last change in the 2014/2015 academic year. The exchequer pays all, or part of, this contribution on behalf of almost 50% of students eligible for free fees via the Student Grant Scheme.
Where students do not meet the eligibility criteria of the Free Fees Initiative, for example full-time undergraduate students who do not qualify for the free tuition fees; part-time undergraduates or; any post-graduate students, it is a matter for the higher education institution - as an autonomous body - to determine which fee rate is applicable for students.
Planning for models of blended learning is taking place against a backdrop of an evolving public health environment and will continue to be monitored and adapted as required to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff. The balance between face-to-face and online will vary across programmes and will depend on factors such as the disciplinary teaching and learning needs of, and the numbers of students registered on individual programmes as well as the practical/theoretical balance of learning outcomes in the programme.
Any determination as to the level of fees to be charged is a matter for each institution in accordance with it's own particular operational conditions and circumstances in ensuring education provision for students through this pandemic.
I am conscious of the difficulties being experienced by students and their families as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and of the importance of the Student Grant Scheme and related supports, such as the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. These supports have a fundamental role in assisting families who are putting their children through further and higher education.
Accordingly, the following arrangements have been put in place:
For the 2020/21 academic year, student grant applications will be assessed based on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019.
The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally. Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income, before deduction of income tax or universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point.
The Student Grant Scheme provides for different levels of income thresholds where families have (i) less than 4 dependent children (ii) between 4 and 7 dependent children and (iii) 8 or more dependent children. In recognition of the additional cost to families where more than one person is attending college, income thresholds may also be increased by up to €4,830 for each additional family member attending college at the same time. In this way, the Student Grant Scheme is responsive to the individual circumstances of particular families.
The income threshold for the special rate of grant has been increased from €24,000 to €24,500 for the 2020 scheme, so as to ensure that students from families dependent on welfare will continue to be eligible for the special rate of grant. (This reflects the Budget 2019 increase to the maximum point of the weekly State Contributory Pension, plus maximum Qualified Adult Allowance for a person over 66 years). Further information in relation to student grant assistance is available from SUSI’s website, www.susi.ie. The telephone number for SUSI’s Helpdesk is 0761 087 874.
Apart from 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 full-time and part-time students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the COVID-19 situation.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from student’s local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie
Furthermore, as the Deputy will be aware, a substantial funding package of €168m was announced on 22 July for publically funded further and higher education providers under the remit of DFHERIS and for students to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19. This package of funding was developed following detailed engagement and assessment with the sector. As part of the allocation funding in the amount of €10m is being provided for student assistance and €15m for the provision of devices and equipment to assist disadvantaged students in accessing education. The distribution of the funds and the principles and eligibility criteria governing the additional supports for students including in relation to access to devices will be finalised over the coming days and weeks with key stakeholders. Further details will be made available as soon as this process has been completed.
