Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021
451. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the grants and scholarship schemes which are currently available to third-level students will be further expanded in order to cater for students that are refugees such as a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56101/21]
View answerThe principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
My Department is committed to the provision of graduates for the health service through undergraduate and postgraduate provision, with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce and allow for growth and upskilling in the future.
Progression is a key tenet of the SUSI scheme and Bursary schemes funded by my Department. Section 2 of the Student Support Act 2011 defines progression as "the process by which learners may transfer from one course to another course where the award that may be made on the successful completion of the second mentioned course is of a higher level..."
Students accessing graduate entry medicine will, as a matter of course, hold a level 8 qualification prior to entry and completion of a graduate entry medicine degree confers a further level 8 qualification. Students pursuing second degree courses are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants, and therefore graduate entry medicine students have not qualified for these programmes since the introduction of this course.
However to widen access to Graduate Entry Medicine programmes and to assist the students pursuing these programmes, the fees of EU students enrolled in graduate entry medicine are partly subsidised by the State via the HEA.
Students on graduate entry medicine courses may be eligible to apply to the Student Assistance Fund for financial support. The guidelines provide that students with a previous higher education qualification at the same NFQ level may be considered for support on a case-by-case basis and subject to available funding.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website.
