Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 April 2022
122. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of extending SUSI to support students from the South who study at approved institutions (details supplied) in the North of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21380/22]
View answerI understand that the Deputy has clarified with my officials that the Deputy wishes to know the estimated cost of extending the student contribution grant to those undergraduate students currently studying in the four approved Institutions in the North of Ireland.
Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
In general, an approved undergraduate course in this context is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration pursued in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in another EU Member State or the UK.
The Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU Member States. Student grant legislation was amended in 2020 to retain the status quo to allow maintenance grant funding for eligible students attending an approved undergraduate course in Northern Ireland/the UK to continue post Brexit.
The Student Grant Scheme does not extend to the payment of the student contribution to institutions outside the State for undergraduate students.
There are currently 327 students with addresses in the Republic of Ireland who have been awarded maintenance grant funding for undergraduate courses at Institutions in Northern Ireland.
The estimated cost of providing the student contribution grant to those 327 students is €1m. This does not take account of any additional students who may choose to study in Northern Ireland should a change be made to the scheme to allow for the payment of tuition fees to students studying in Northern Ireland.
